6 Months Defence Current Affairs For Written Exams (Aug 17 to Feb 18)

India conducts various exercises with friendly foreign countries on a regular basis to maintain its diplomatic ties. Here is a list of 33 advancements made by India in the defence sector since August 2017.

August:

Indian Coast Guard Ship Shaurya commissioned:

ICGS Shaurya was commission in Vasco, Goa. ICGS Shaurya is an offshore patrol vessel designed and built indigenously by GSL.

Proposal to procure 6 Apache attack helicopters cleared:

The Union Defence Ministry has cleared a proposal to procure six AH-64-E Apache attack helicopters along with weapons systems from Boeing.

Indian Navy’s second LCU Mark IV L52 ship commissioned:

Indian Navy’s second LCU (landing craft utility) Mark IV L52 ship was commissioned at Port Blair, designed and built by GRSE.

September:

SLINEX 2017:

The seventh edition of India-Sri Lanka joint maritime naval exercise SLINEX 2017 was held near Vishakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) in the Bay of Bengal.

Navika Sagar Parikrama expedition flagged-off:

India’s first all-women crew circumnavigation expedition named as Navika Sagar Parikrama was flagged off by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Goa.

Yudh Abhyas 2017:

The 13th edition Yudh Abhyas 2017, a joint military training exercise between India and United States was held at Joint Base Lewis McChord, Washington.

World Record by ATAGS:

The advanced towed artillery gun system (ATAGS) has set a world record in terms of range by hitting targets at distance of 48 km during trial firings.

Interceptor Boats Commissioned into ICG:

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) commissioned two high-speed interceptor boats C-433 and C-434 boats at the Dighi Port in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

INS Kalavari handed over to Indian Navy:

India’s first ingenuously built INS Kalavari submarine was handed over to Indian Navy by state-owned Mazagon Dock Limited in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

INS Tarasa Commissioned:

INS Tarasa (T94), the fourth and last ship in series of Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (WJFAC) was commissioned into Indian Navy at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai.

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October:

India-Japan Exercise Passage:

Indian Naval Ships Satpura and Kadmatt participated in Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with Japanese Marine Self Defence Force (JMSDF) held in Sasebo, Japan.

Mitra Shakti 2017:

The 5th India-Sri Lanka joint training exercise “Mitra Shakti 2017” was held Aundh Military Station in Pune, Maharashtra.

INS Kiltan commissioned:

Indigenously-built anti-submarine warfare stealth corvette INS Kiltan was commissioned an into the Indian Navy at the Eastern Naval Command (Naval Dockyard) in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.

First tri-service INDRA 2017:

The first tri-service Armed Forces (Army, Navy, & Air Force) exercise INDRA 2017 between India and Russia began at the 249th Combined Army Range Sergeevisky and in the Sea of Japan near Vladivostok.

27 October, Infantry Day:

The Infantry Day is observed every year in India on 27 October to commemorate supreme sacrifices made by Indian Army’s infantry against Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) in 1947.

November:

PRABAL DOSTYK – 2017:

The bilateral military exercise “PRABAL DOSTYK – 2017” between India and Kazakhstan began at Bakloh, Himachal Pradesh. ‘Prabal Dostyk’ means ‘Robust Friendship’.

Ex Sagar Kavach:

The Governments of Odisha and West Bengal conducted joint security exercise named ‘Sagar Kavach’ to further tighten the existing coastal.

Sampriti 2017:

Joint Indo-Bangladesh Training Exercise SAMPRITI 2017 culminated at Counter Insurgency & Jungle Warfare School, Vairengte in Mizoram.

IMBAX 2017:

The first India-Myanmar Bilateral Military Exercise 2017 (IMBAX 2017) was held at Joint Warfare Centre at the Umroi Joint Training Node in Meghalaya.

DANX-2017:

The Defence of Andaman and Nicobar Islands Exercise (DANX-2017) was conducted under the aegis of Andaman & Nicobar Command from 20 to 24 November 2017.

IMMSAREX 2017:

The 2017 International Multilateral Maritime Search and Rescue Exercise (IMMSAREX) was held in Bangladesh from November 26 to 28 2017.

December:

Ajeya Warrior- 2017:

The Combined Military exercise ‘Ajeya Warrior- 2017’ between India and the UK was held at Mahajan Field Firing Range near Bikaner of Rajasthan.

46^th Navy Day:

The Indian Navy Day is observed every year on 4 December to celebrate achievements and role of the naval force to the country.

Armed Forces Flag Day:

The Indian Armed Forces Flag Day is observed every year on December 7 to honour the soldiers, airmen and sailors of India who fought on the borders to safeguard country’s honour.

EKUVERIN 2017:

The eight edition of India, Maldives bilateral military exercise EKUVERIN 2017 was held in India in Belagavi, Karnataka.

Hamesha Vijayee:

The Southern Command of Indian Army conducted major army exercise called ‘Hamesha Vijayee’ in deserts of Rajasthan from December 16 to 22, 2017.

Naseem-Al-Bahr 2017:

The 11th edition of Naseem-Al-Bahr (Sea Breeze) 2017 Naval exercise between India and Oman was held at Said Bin Sultan Naval Base, Wudam in Oman:

IAF conquers 7 summits:

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has scaled seven highest peaks in every continent as part of its mountaineering expedition Mission Seven Summits.

January 2018:

India-Japan Coast Guard Exercise:

The biennial search and rescue exercise between Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and Japan Coast Guard (JCG) were held near Chennai, Tamil Nadu in the Bay of Bengal.

VINBAX-2018:

The India-Vietnam Bilateral Army Exercise (VINBAX-2018) was conducted at Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh.

February:

2300 personnel for UN:

Indian Army is contributing approximately 2300 personnel to support United Nations Peacekeeping Missions to South Sudan (UNMISS).

Paschim Lehar:

Tri-service maritime exercise ‘Paschim Lehar’ was held off India’s western coast with an aim to build interoperability between Indian Navy, Indian Army, Indian Air Force and Coast Guard.

FO Avani Chaturvedi:

Flying officer Avani Chaturvedi (24) created history by becoming first Indian woman pilot of Indian Air Force (IAF) to complete a solo flight in a MiG-21 Bison fighter aircraft.