This post covers important Defence Current Affairs [2026 Updated] including military exercises, DRDO developments, Indian Navy updates, Coast Guard news, defence agreements and appointments. These notes are useful for exams like SSC, RRB NTPC, UPSC and other competitive exams.
Table of Contents
1. Bilateral Military Exercises
Edition
Exercise
Countries Involved
Location
Date
8th
Ekatha
Maldives
Maldives
15–17 December 2025
5th
Harimau Shakti
Malaysia
Rajasthan
05–18 December 2025
10th
Garuda Shakti
Indonesia
Himachal Pradesh
03–12 December 2025
8th
Garuda
France
France
27 November 2025
8th
Ajeya Warrior
UK
Rajasthan
17–30 November 2025
–
JAIMEX 2025
Japan
Japan
16–18 October 2025
5th
Samudra Shakti
Indonesia
Andhra Pradesh
14–17 October 2025
–
KONKAN 2025
UK
Western Coast of India
05–12 October 2025
12th
SLINEX
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
14–18 August 2025
32nd
SIMBEX
Singapore
Singapore
28 July – 01 August 2025
Important Point
During the 8th Garuda Exercise, the Indian Air Force participated with:
Su-30MKI fighter aircraft
IL-78 air-to-air refuelling aircraft
C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft
2. Joint Military Exercises
Edition
Exercise
Country with India
Location
Date
2nd
Desert Cyclone
UAE
Abu Dhabi, UAE
18–20 December 2025
14th
Ekuverin
Maldives
Kerala, India
02–15 December 2025
19th
Suryakiran
Nepal
Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand
25 Nov – 08 Dec 2025
11th
Mitra Shakti
Sri Lanka
Belagavi, Karnataka
10–23 November 2025
4th
AustraHind
Australia
Perth, Australia
13–26 October 2025
14th
Maitree
Thailand
Umroi, Meghalaya
01–14 September 2025
21st
Yudh Abhyas
USA
Alaska, USA
01–14 September 2025
14th
Bold Kurukshetra
Singapore
Jodhpur, Rajasthan
27 July – 04 August 2025
3. Multilateral Military Exercises
Exercise
Countries Involved
Date
ZAPAD
Russia & Belarus
10–16 September 2025
Bright Star
Egypt & USA
28 Aug – 10 Sep 2025
Khan Quest
Mongolia
14–28 June 2025
Talisman Sabre
Australia & USA
13 July – 04 Aug 2025
4. Exercise Malabar 2025
29th Edition of Exercise Malabar was held in November 2025.
Location: Guam (Northern Pacific Ocean)
Countries Involved
India
USA
Japan
Australia
Indian Participant
INS Sahyadri
Background
Exercise Malabar began in 1992 as a bilateral naval exercise between India and USA.
Japan joined in 2015
Australia joined in 2020
5. DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation)
Missile Tests and Defence Developments
DRDO conducted a salvo launch of two Pralay missiles from the same launcher off the Odisha coast on 31 December 2025.
DRDO completed User Evaluation Trials (UET) of Next Generation Akash missile (Akash-NG).
DRDO’s Naval Science & Technological Laboratory (NSTL), Visakhapatnam developed Man-portable Autonomous Underwater Vehicles for mine countermeasure missions.
Military Combat Parachute System (MCPS) developed by DRDO successfully conducted a combat freefall jump from 32,000 feet.
DRDO launched Intermediate Range Agni-Prime missile from a Rail-based Mobile Launcher.
DRDO conducted two successful flight tests of Pralay missile on 28 and 29 July 2025.
ULPGM-V3 (UAV Launched Precision Guided Missile) flight trials were conducted at National Open Area Range (NOAR), Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh.
Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket (LRGR-120) maiden test was conducted at Chandipur on 29 December 2025.
Agni-5 ballistic missile successfully test-fired on 20 August 2025.
DRDO conducted maiden test of Integrated Air Defence Weapon System (IADWS) on 23 August 2025.
Prithvi-II and Agni-I missiles were test-fired on 17 July 2025.
Akash Prime destroyed two high-speed unmanned aerial targets in Ladakh on 16 July 2025.
DRDO and IAF tested Astra Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) from Su-30 MKI aircraft on 11 July 2025.
DRDL conducted long duration ground test of Actively Cooled Scramjet Combustor achieving 12 minutes run time.
DRDO tested Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) with top attack capability at Ahilya Nagar, Maharashtra.
DRDO developed SWaDeS (Sea Water Desalination System) for soldiers in coastal and remote areas.
6. Indian Navy (IN)
Important Developments
INS Kaundinya sailed on maiden overseas voyage from Porbandar to Muscat (29 Dec 2025).
Anjadip, the third ASW Shallow Water Craft, delivered to Navy on 22 Dec 2025.
INAS 335 “The Ospreys” commissioned at INS Hansa, Goa operating MH-60R helicopters.
Diving Support Craft DSC A20 commissioned.
Tri-Services Exercise “Trishul” conducted by Navy with Army and Air Force.
Operation Sagar Bandhu launched for Humanitarian Assistance & Disaster Relief (HADR) in Sri Lanka after Cyclone Ditwah.
Ships Commissioned / Launched
Taragiri (Nilgiri Class – Project 17A)
INS Ikshak – Survey Vessel (Large)
INS Mahe – Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft
BY 528 Magdala – ASW SWC launched
LSAM-25 ACTCM Barge inducted
INS Sahyadri visited Busan Naval Harbour, South Korea
INS Trinetra firing facility commissioned
INS Abhay and INFAC T-82 decommissioned
INS Androth commissioned
India-Greece first bilateral maritime exercise conducted with INS Trikand
INS Aravali Naval Base commissioned at Gurugram
Other Developments
All-women sailing expedition “Samudra Pradakshina” flagged off from Gateway of India.
Udaygiri and Himgiri stealth frigates commissioned.
Ajay (ASW SWC) launched at GRSE Kolkata.
INS Nistar Diving Support Vessel commissioned on 18 July 2025.
7. Indian Coast Guard (ICG)
New Ships and Exercises
Pollution Control Vessel Samudra Pratap inducted on 23 Dec 2025.
