Current Affairs - Defence

Slovakia became the first nation to sign a defence Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with India through the JCBL Group during President Droupadi Murmu’s visit in April 2025. This partnership marks a milestone in India’s efforts to strengthen domestic defence manufacturing under the "Make-in-India" initiative. The MoU enables co-development of next-generation combat vehicle technologies, with JCBL Group’s defence division, ADSL, spearheading the work. Slovakia will contribute advanced technologies, while manufacturing will occur in India, ensuring technology transfer and boosting local industry. The collaboration also aims to position India as a potential exporter in the global defence market, further enhancing strategic ties.

India has set an ambitious goal to achieve ₹3 lakh crore in defence production by 2029. This target is a part of the country's broader strategy to enhance self-reliance in the defence sector, reduce dependency on imports, and strengthen indigenous capabilities. The goal aligns with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, emphasizing the importance of boosting domestic manufacturing and defence exports. Additionally, India plans to increase defence exports to ₹50,000 crore by 2029, which will play a crucial role in strengthening global supply chains and India's position as a defence manufacturer.

Uzbekistan is participating with India in the 6th edition of the Joint Military Exercise DUSTLIK-VI, which began on April 16, 2025, at Aundh in Pune. The exercise focuses on joint multi-domain operations in semi-urban environments, involving 60 Indian personnel from the JAT Regiment and Indian Air Force. Key features of the drill include counter-unmanned aerial systems (UAS) strategies, drone deployment, firepower coordination, and special forces operations. These bilateral exercises are aimed at improving mutual military cooperation, tactical skills, and interoperability between the armed forces of India and Uzbekistan in a variety of combat scenarios.

The 3rd edition of the Indian Navy’s Meteorological and Oceanological Symposium, Meghayan-25, was held at Nausena Bhawan in New Delhi on April 14, 2025. The event coincided with the celebration of World Meteorological Day and focused on enhancing collaboration and awareness in marine meteorology and oceanology. Inaugurated virtually by Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi and presided over by Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, the symposium brought together key figures from defence and scientific institutions. The choice of New Delhi as the venue highlighted the central role of national-level coordination in advancing maritime weather capabilities.

INSV Tarini was flagged off from Cape Town for the final leg of the Navika Sagar Parikrama II expedition, which is set to conclude in Goa by May 2025. This voyage underscores India's advancements in indigenous shipbuilding and its commitment to promoting ocean sailing. The expedition also highlights the role of Indian women in uniform, with Lieutenant Commander Dilna K and Lieutenant Commander Roopa A as the prominent crew members. INSV Tarini continues to symbolize India’s growing maritime presence and serves as an inspiration for promoting gender equality and showcasing national capabilities on the global stage.