Current Affairs - Defence

India and the United Kingdom conducted their first Combined Carrier Strike Group exercise during Exercise Konkan 2025, held from October 5–9 off India’s western coast. The exercise marked a major milestone in bilateral defence cooperation and maritime partnership between the Indian Navy and the Royal Navy. Featuring India’s INS Vikrant and the UK’s HMS Prince of Wales, along with other naval assets, the drills included air-sea warfare, anti-submarine operations, and joint tactical manoeuvres. This historic event strengthened Indo-UK strategic ties and showcased their shared commitment to maintaining stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region.

India signed crucial defence agreements with Australia in October 2025 during Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s visit to Canberra. The pacts aim to deepen strategic and military collaboration, focusing on defence manufacturing, cybersecurity, maritime domain awareness, and joint military exercises. Both sides emphasised their shared commitment to maintaining peace, stability, and a free Indo-Pacific region. The agreements also seek to boost interoperability between the armed forces, facilitate technology transfer, and encourage defence industry partnerships under India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, marking a significant advancement in the India–Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

The Indian Army has launched SAKSHAM, an indigenous Counter-Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Grid, marking a major step in strengthening India’s air defence and counter-drone capabilities. Developed in collaboration with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Ghaziabad, SAKSHAM—short for Situational Awareness for Kinetic Soft and Hard Kill Assets Management—integrates radar, AI, and electro-optical sensors to detect, track, and neutralise aerial threats. Operating through the Army Data Network, it provides a unified airspace picture up to 10,000 feet. The system supports the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative and enhances battlefield readiness against modern drone warfare threats.

INS Androth, India’s second anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft, was commissioned on 6 October 2025 at the Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam. Part of the Arnala-class series and built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) in Kolkata, the ship incorporates over 80% indigenous content, reflecting India’s push for self-reliance in naval defence. Designed for coastal anti-submarine missions, maritime surveillance, and search-and-rescue operations, INS Androth enhances India’s underwater domain awareness and coastal security, contributing strategically to regional stability and the Indian Navy’s operational readiness in littoral waters.

The 10th National Level Pollution Response Exercise (NATPOLREX-X) is being conducted by the Indian Coast Guard off the Chennai coast in Tamil Nadu. This biennial exercise tests India’s preparedness and response capabilities for large-scale marine oil spills, involving multiple national and international stakeholders. Key objectives include evaluating inter-agency coordination, demonstrating technological innovations in pollution control, and strengthening maritime environmental governance. The exercise deploys pollution control vessels, aircraft, and specialised equipment, highlighting India’s commitment to safeguarding its 7,500 km coastline and Exclusive Economic Zone while enhancing global cooperation in marine environmental protection.