Current Affairs - Defence

Mumbai served as the venue for the joint Hazardous and Noxious Substances response drill conducted by the Indian Coast Guard and the Japan Coast Guard. The exercise was held onboard the pollution response vessel ICGS Samudra Prahari and focused on improving preparedness against chemical spills at sea. It aimed to strengthen operational coordination, interoperability, and emergency response capabilities between the two nations. The drill also reflected the growing maritime cooperation between India and Japan, underlining their shared commitment to environmental protection, maritime safety, and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

Nagpur emerged as a key centre for defence manufacturing with the inauguration of a fully automated 30 mm ammunition facility at Solar Defence & Aerospace. The event highlighted the government’s focus on strengthening indigenous defence production and promoting self-reliance under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. The Defence Minister stressed the goal of increasing private sector participation to over 50 percent to transform India into a global defence manufacturing hub. The occasion also reflected India’s changing defence posture, symbolized by the export of Pinaka rocket systems, signalling a shift from arms import dependence to export capability.

INS Sagardhwani is a DRDO-operated oceanographic research vessel that plays a key role in India’s maritime scientific outreach. It was flagged off from Kochi for the fifth edition of the ‘Sagar Maitri’ mission, a Navy–DRDO initiative aligned with the MAHASAGAR vision. The mission focuses on strengthening scientific collaboration and capacity-building among Indian Ocean Rim countries. By retracing historic sea routes and undertaking joint ocean research with eight regional partners, beginning with the Maldives, the mission reinforces India’s role as a trusted maritime partner and a leader in cooperative ocean science.

Garuda Aerospace partnered with Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) to supply indigenous Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) to India’s defence forces. Under this collaboration, BEL serves as the lead bidder, while Garuda Aerospace contributes its expertise in drone design, manufacturing, and deployment. The partnership aims to strengthen India’s self-reliance in defence technology (Aatmanirbhar Bharat) by delivering fully Indian, mission-ready UAS solutions for both defence and internal security applications. This collaboration highlights the growing role of private Indian companies in enhancing the country’s indigenous defence capabilities.

The Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM), developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), was successfully flight-tested at the KK Ranges located in Maharashtra. This advanced third-generation missile features a fire-and-forget capability, an Imaging Infrared (IIR) seeker, and a tandem warhead designed to defeat modern armored battle tanks. The test validated its performance against moving targets during both day and night conditions. With Bharat Dynamics Limited and Bharat Electronics Limited as production partners, the missile system has now been cleared for induction into the Indian Army, strengthening India’s indigenous defence capabilities.