Current Affairs - Defence

The Indian Air Force carried out its first international air exercise of 2026 with Thailand, specifically with the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF). The joint drills were conducted near the strategically significant Strait of Malacca, a key maritime chokepoint handling nearly one-quarter of global seaborne trade and a substantial share of global energy shipments. The exercise featured IAF’s Su-30MKI fighters alongside Thailand’s Gripen aircraft and focused on advanced aerial combat, mid-air refuelling, surveillance integration, and maritime domain awareness. The engagement strengthens Indo-Thai defence cooperation and enhances India’s strategic presence in the Indo-Pacific region.

France is the country with which India is finalizing a €300M deal for SCALP missiles. The agreement comes after the successful and precise deployment of these missiles during Operation Sindoor in 2025, reinforcing confidence in their effectiveness. This deal reflects the strong and long-standing defence partnership between India and France, which extends beyond arms procurement to include joint exercises, technology transfer, and strategic cooperation. The collaboration aligns with India’s broader goals of modernising its armed forces while strengthening ties with reliable international partners in defence, technology, and manufacturing sectors.

The Agni-III missile was successfully test-fired from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, located along the coast of Odisha. Conducted under the supervision of the Strategic Forces Command, the launch was part of a routine training exercise aimed at validating operational readiness rather than developing new capabilities. The test confirmed the performance of key subsystems such as propulsion, guidance, and control. Such launches play a vital role in maintaining India’s credible minimum deterrence posture by ensuring that deployed missile systems remain reliable, responsive, and fully prepared for real-world operational conditions.

The 13th edition of the India–Kyrgyzstan Joint Military Exercise KHANJAR-XIII will be held at Misamari in the state of Assam from February 4 to 17, 2026. Misamari is a key military training location in Northeast India, offering diverse terrain suitable for advanced combat training. The exercise will involve elite Special Forces from both countries, focusing on counter-terrorism, urban warfare, and special operations under United Nations mandates. Hosting the exercise in Assam highlights India’s strategic emphasis on its eastern region and strengthens defence cooperation with Kyrgyzstan.

The fully automated 30 mm ammunition facility was inaugurated in Nagpur at Solar Defence & Aerospace by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The event highlighted the government’s push toward strengthening indigenous defence manufacturing and achieving self-reliance in the sector. Emphasis was placed on increasing private sector participation beyond 50 per cent to build a robust defence industrial base. The occasion also marked India’s growing stature as a defence exporter, with the flagging off of Pinaka rocket system exports to Armenia, reflecting a strategic shift from dependence on imports to global defence manufacturing leadership.