Current Affairs - Defence

The Indian Navy showcased its operational capabilities at Blue Flag Beach in Puri, Odisha, during the Navy Day event on December 4, 2024. The demonstration highlighted the Navy's ability to neutralize threats across air, surface, and subsurface within a 300 km radius, with over 3,500 personnel and 90,000 tons of naval assets involved. This event emphasized the Navy’s strength and its commitment to safeguarding national maritime security.

The 4th edition of the India-Malaysia Joint Military Exercise, HARIMAU SHAKTI, is being conducted with Malaysia. The exercise, which began on December 2, 2024, at Bentong Camp in the Pahang district of Malaysia, aims to improve joint military capabilities, particularly in counterinsurgency operations in jungle terrain. This annual event enhances defence cooperation between the two nations and fosters stronger bilateral relations.

The India-Cambodia Joint Exercise CINBAX is taking place at the Foreign Training Node in Pune from 1st to 8th December 2024. This exercise marks the first-ever joint tabletop exercise between the Indian Army and the Cambodian Army. It focuses on enhancing strategic cooperation, trust, and interoperability, particularly in counter-terrorism operations under the United Nations Charter. The event highlights the growing defence cooperation between the two nations.

The Indian Army has successfully installed Optical Fibre connectivity at Siachen and Daulet Beg Oldie (DBO). Siachen, being the world’s highest and coldest battlefield, is strategically important due to its location between Pakistan and China. The installation of high-speed broadband connectivity in such challenging conditions highlights India’s efforts to enhance communication and surveillance capabilities in the region. Siachen has been under Indian control since 1984 and is vital for maintaining India's territorial security in the northernmost region.

India tested the nuclear-capable K-4 ballistic missile with a range of approximately 3,500 km from the nuclear-powered INS Arighaat submarine in the Bay of Bengal. This successful test strengthens India's nuclear deterrence capabilities, showcasing its ability to launch nuclear missiles from land, air, and undersea. The INS Arighaat, commissioned on August 29, 2024, is a state-of-the-art submarine with fully Indigenous systems, underlining India's technological advancements in defence.