Current Affairs - Defence

INS Sudarshini reached Salalah, Oman, as the first international port call under Lokayan 26, a ten-month sail training deployment of the Indian Navy. This visit underscores the strong maritime relationship between India and Oman and includes planned training exchanges with the Royal Navy of Oman, along with community outreach activities. Lokayan 26 is designed to showcase India’s rich maritime heritage while fostering goodwill, mutual understanding, and public engagement across the Indian Ocean region, reinforcing India’s role as a responsible maritime partner.

Divakar Jayant took over as the Director General of Naval Armament, bringing with him more than three decades of experience in India’s naval armament ecosystem. A 1991-batch officer of the Indian Naval Armament Service, he has served in several senior leadership roles at key naval armament depots and at the Ministry of Defence. His technical background as an IIT Delhi graduate and expertise in areas such as torpedo life-cycle management and explosive infrastructure planning make him well-suited for the role. His appointment comes at a crucial time when India’s Navy is undergoing major modernisation and capability enhancement.

Tanzania partnered with India for the 4th Joint Defence Cooperation Committee meeting, which took place in Zanzibar in early February 2026. The meeting served as a platform to review existing defence cooperation and explore new avenues for collaboration. Discussions covered military training, service-to-service exchanges, maritime security, and defence industry partnerships. Both sides also identified emerging focus areas such as counter-terrorism, peacekeeping operations, military medicine, and advanced technologies, including cyber security and artificial intelligence. This engagement reflects the growing strategic defence relationship between India and Tanzania and their shared interest in regional and global security cooperation.

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd is undertaking a strategic initiative to expand its footprint in the civil aviation sector by planning the rollout of semi knock-down SuperJet 100 aircraft within the next three years. This move is part of a collaboration with Russia’s PJSC-UAC and reflects a long-term vision to significantly increase the share of civil aviation revenue. By focusing on domestic production and diversification of the aviation market, the company aims to raise its civil aviation contribution from the current low single-digit percentage to about one-fourth of its total revenue over the coming decade.

The high-altitude rescue and road restoration operation at Chatergala Pass was executed by the Border Roads Organisation, showcasing its critical role in maintaining connectivity in strategically important and inhospitable regions. Operating under Project Sampark, BRO personnel cleared massive snowfall ranging from 5 to 6 feet, reopening nearly 38 km of blocked roads. The mission enabled the safe evacuation of stranded civilians and Rashtriya Rifles troops without any casualties. Conducted under extreme weather and sub-zero temperatures, the operation highlighted BRO’s expertise in infrastructure resilience, humanitarian assistance, and close coordination with the Indian Army in sensitive border areas.