Current Affairs - Defence

Goa Shipyard Limited played a key role in strengthening India’s maritime self-reliance by designing and constructing the first indigenous Pollution Control Vessel for the Indian Coast Guard. The vessel, inducted under the 02 PCV project, represents a major milestone in indigenous shipbuilding capabilities. As the largest ship in the Coast Guard’s fleet, it significantly enhances operational reach, pollution response capacity, and maritime safety. Equipped with advanced pollution control systems and a high-capacity external firefighting system, the ship improves preparedness for environmental protection and emergency response across India’s maritime zones.

INSV Kaundinya has been chosen by the Indian Navy to symbolize and revive India’s rich ancient maritime traditions. The vessel is named after Kaundinya, a legendary Indian mariner associated with historic sea voyages to Southeast Asia. The planned journey will commence from Porbandar in Gujarat and conclude at Muscat in Oman, highlighting India’s long-standing seafaring links with the region. The initiative reflects a blend of cultural revival and naval outreach and has been developed through a tripartite memorandum of understanding involving the Ministry of Culture, the Indian Navy, and M/s Hodi Innovations.

Samudra Pratap is the first Pollution Control Vessel inducted by the Indian Coast Guard, marking a major milestone in India’s maritime environmental protection capabilities. Built at Goa Shipyard Limited, the vessel showcases India’s growing self-reliance in defence shipbuilding under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. It is equipped with advanced pollution response systems, firefighting equipment, and modern maritime security weapons. With over 60% indigenous components, Samudra Pratap enhances the Coast Guard’s ability to respond to oil spills, chemical leaks, maritime emergencies, and protect India’s Exclusive Economic Zone while supporting sustainable maritime governance.

INS Sindhughosh was a landmark asset of the Indian Navy and served as the lead submarine of the Sindhughosh-class. Commissioned in 1985, it played a crucial role in strengthening India’s underwater warfare, maritime surveillance, and strategic deterrence capabilities. Over its 40-year service life, the submarine undertook numerous patrols, exercises, and operational missions, becoming a backbone of India’s submarine fleet. Its decommissioning in December 2025 marked the conclusion of an important chapter in naval history and symbolised the Navy’s transition towards more modern and indigenously developed submarine platforms, while honouring the legacy of the crews who served aboard her.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully completed the user evaluation trials of the Next Generation Akash missile system, also known as Akash-NG. These trials demonstrated the missile’s ability to intercept aerial targets at varying ranges and altitudes, highlighting its effectiveness in modern air defence scenarios. Designed to counter multiple aerial threats, the Akash-NG system incorporates advanced technologies such as an indigenous Radio Frequency seeker for improved target accuracy. Powered by a solid rocket motor, the missile reflects India’s growing capabilities in developing advanced, self-reliant defence systems.