Current Affairs - Defence

The 52nd All India Sainik Schools Principals’ Conference was inaugurated at Kazhakoottam in Kerala by Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Sanjay Seth on May 07, 2026. The conference brought together delegates from 33 Sainik Schools and principals of 79 New Sainik Schools through video conferencing. The event included activities such as a wreath-laying ceremony at the War Memorial and exhibitions on educational technology at the Gyan Mela. Several awards for academic excellence and contributions to defence academy admissions were presented during the conference, highlighting the role of Sainik Schools in preparing students for leadership and military careers.

The Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) inaugurated a new Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Field Training and Demonstration Centre at Burari plains in Delhi. The facility was opened by Dr. Samir V Kamat, who serves as the Secretary of the Department of Defence R&D and Chairman of DRDO. The centre is part of the upcoming CBRN Centre of Excellence under the Institute of Nuclear Medicine & Allied Sciences (INMAS). It includes advanced infrastructure such as radiological test beds, heavy ion research facilities, and emergency response systems to provide specialized training for defence personnel and disaster management agencies.

The second edition of the Joint Commanders’ Conference is scheduled to be held in Jaipur, Rajasthan, on May 07 and May 08, 2026. The conference focuses on the theme “Military Capability in New Domains” and brings together top defence leadership, including Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh and Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan. Discussions during the event will centre on emerging challenges such as cyber warfare, space security, cognitive warfare, and unmanned systems. The conference also emphasises self-reliance in defence production under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative and highlights the importance of civil-military fusion in strengthening India’s defence capabilities.

The North Tech Symposium was inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, from May 4 to May 6, 2026. The event was jointly organised by the Northern Command and Central Command of the Indian Army along with the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM). Conducted under the theme “Raksha Triveni Sangam - Where Technology, Industry & Soldiering Converge,” the symposium featured participation from 284 companies, including MSMEs, defence startups, and private technology firms. The primary objective of the event was to identify and integrate indigenous defence technologies, improve maintenance systems, and streamline procurement processes for the Indian armed forces.

Retired Commodore Jasvinder Singh assumed charge as the Director (Strategic Project) of Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) on May 1, 2026. Before joining HSL, he served as the Director (Strategic Project) in the Indian Navy. With more than three decades of operational and technical experience, he has worked on naval ships, submarines, DRDO facilities, and tri-service establishments. His educational background includes degrees in Mechanical Engineering, Marine Engineering, and Defence and Strategic Studies. At HSL, he is responsible for overseeing strategic initiatives and managing critical submarine projects for the Indian armed forces. HSL, headquartered in Visakhapatnam, is notable for building INS Arihant, India’s first nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine.