This post covers all Important Current Affairs related to various Defence News, Defence Exercises, Defence Production, Missile Tests, Defence Acquisitions and Government Policy on Defence & Security. Defense related Current Affairs play a crucial role in competitive exams like UPSC NDA, CDS, CAPF AC, AFCAT, INET and various other competitive exams of India.
Apart from its importance in Defence related competitive exams, these important Defence & Security Current Affairs can be very helpful in your personal interview in the SSB Interview. Also Read: 25 Expected GK Topics for CDS NDA & AFCAT
MOST IMPORTANT DEFENCE CURRENT AFFAIRS 2026 FOR AFCAT CDS NDA EXAM
Also Read: Sports Current Affairs 2026 For UPSC AFCAT CDS NDA Also Check: Recommended Books for Various Defence Exams
The Indian Army will host the first-ever International Military Adventure Challenge Cup (IMACC) 2026 from 18 to 23 February 2026 in the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas. Participating countries include Bhutan, Brazil, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Saudi Arabia.
The Indian Navy has assumed command of Combined Task Force (CTF) 154, a multinational training task force under the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF). CTF upholds the International Rules Based Order (IRBO) by countering illicit non-state actors on the high seas.
Exercise Vayushakti-26 is scheduled to be conducted at Pokhran in Rajasthan. It will feature a wide array of assets, including fighter aircraft such as Tejas and Rafale, transport aircraft like C-130J and C-295, helicopters including Apache and Chinook, and unmanned aerial vehicles.
The Indian Navy inaugurated the MILAN Village at the Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam as part of its flagship multilateral exercise, Exercise MILAN 2026.
The Ministry of Defence has signed a ₹2,312 crore contract with HAL to procure 8 Dornier 228 aircraft for the Indian Coast Guard.The Dornier 228 is a twin-engine, turboprop Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL) utility aircraft designed for passenger, cargo, and special mission operations.
Agneevasthraa, a Mumbai-based company, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Indian Army to provide advanced carbon fabrics and high-performance composite materials for defence use.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh co-chaired the 6th India-France Annual Defence Dialogue with his French counterpart Catherine Vautrin in Bengaluru on February 17. The fifth edition of the dialogue was held in France from October 11 to 13, 2023.
The Defence Acquisition Council granted Acceptance of Necessity to the procurement of Air-Ships Based High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (AS-HAPS) for the Indian Air Force. HAPS are solar-powered unmanned aerial vehicles designed to operate in the stratosphere.
The Indian Air Force carried out its first international air exercise of 2026 with Thailand. The joint drills were conducted near the Strait of Malacca. The exercise featured IAF’s Su-30MKI fighters alongside Thailand’s Gripen aircraft.
The Agni-III, intermediate-range, surface to surface ballistic missile (IRBM), was test-fired from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, located along the coast of Odisha. The missile is two-stage and solid-fuelled, capable of carrying a 1,500 kg payload. Range: 3,000–3,500 km.
The 13th edition of the India–Kyrgyzstan Joint Military Exercise KHANJAR-XIII was held at Misamari in the state of Assam from February 4 to 17, 2026.
The fully automated 30 mm ammunition facility was inaugurated in Nagpur at Solar Defence & Aerospace by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
INS Sudarshini reached Salalah, Oman, as the first international port call under Lokayan 26, a ten-month sail training deployment of the Indian Navy.
The Defence Procurement Board (DPB) has cleared the proposal to acquire six additional Boeing P-8I Poseidon from the US to bolster the Indian Navy’s surveillance and combat capabilities in the Indian Ocean Region.
India and Tanzania held the fourth meeting of the Joint Defence Cooperation Committee (JDCC) in Zanzibar from February 2 to 3.
Operation Kiya is in the news due to a fierce counter-terrorism encounter in the forested Basantgarh area of Udhampur, where security forces have cordoned off Pakistani terrorists.
The Defence Minister granted Miniratna Category-I status to Yantra India Limited, recognising its swift transformation into a profit-making Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) within four years.
The Indian Navy’s First Training Squadron, comprising INS Tir, INS Shardul, INS Sujata, and ICGS Sarathi, made a port call at Phuket Deep Sea Port in Thailand.
Ravi Shankar Chhabi, a 2007-batch IPS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, has been appointed as Deputy Inspector General (DIG) in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
Uttarakhand has partnered with the Indo-Tibetan Border Police to strengthen healthcare delivery in remote and strategically important border areas through the Swasth Seema Abhiyan. The initiative focuses on providing integrated primary healthcare services to 108 border villages across Pithoragarh, Chamoli and Uttarkashi districts.
Mumbai served as the venue for the joint Hazardous and Noxious Substances response drill conducted by the Indian Coast Guard and the Japan Coast Guard. The exercise was held onboard the pollution response vessel ICGS Samudra Prahari.
Garuda Aerospace partnered with Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) to supply indigenous Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) to India’s defence forces.
The Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM), developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), was successfully flight-tested at the KK Ranges located in Maharashtra.
DRDO has developed the Sea Water Desalination System (SWaDeS), a portable water purifier designed for soldiers operating in remote, coastal, and high-altitude areas. The system can convert saline water into potable water, supporting the hydration needs of 10–12 personnel per unit, while the engine-operated version can serve 20–25 soldiers.
NIBE Limited collaborated with Israel to sign a ₹293 crore contract with the Indian Army for the Suryastra Rocket System. The Suryastra system is India’s first indigenously manufactured universal multi-calibre rocket launcher, capable of firing multiple rocket types from a single platform.
The Indian Army has entered into an emergency procurement agreement with NIBE Limited for the indigenous Suryastra long-range rocket launcher, allowing its rapid induction under the Emergency Procurement framework.
Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor has taken over as the Vice Chief of Air Staff, succeeding Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari, who superannuated on Wednesday after more than four decades of distinguished service in the Indian Air Force.
President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday (December 28) undertook a submarine sortie aboard the Indian Navy’s indigenously built Kalvari-class submarine, INS Vaghsheer, at the Karwar Naval Base in Karnataka.
Desert Cyclone II is the second joint military exercise between India and the UAE. The exercise is being held in Abu Dhabi from December 18 to 30.
INS Sindhughosh, the lead submarine of the Sindhughosh-class serving in the Indian Navy, was formally decommissioned, marking the end of four decades of distinguished service to the nation.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved two proposals of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Praveer Ranjan, of AGMUT cadre was appointed CISF DG. His batchmate, Praveen Kumar, of West Bengal cadre was appointed the ITBP DG.
An Indian Armed Forces contingent has departed for Russia to participate in the multilateral joint military exercise Zapad 2025, which will be held at the Mulino Training Ground in Nizhniy from September 10 to 16.
INS Aravali, Indian Navy's latest Naval Base, was commissioned at Gurugram to strengthen Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) capability.
DRDO has transferred three advanced materials technologies to industry partners. These materials are crucial for missile systems, defence-grade steel production, and naval shipbuilding.
Air Marshal Sanjiv Ghuratia AVSM VSM assumed the prestigious role of Air Officer-in-Charge Maintenance (AOM) at the Indian Air Force Headquarters.
The 14th edition of Exercise MAITREE, a bilateral military exercise between India and Thailand, commenced on Sep 1, 2025, at the Joint Training Node (JTN), Umroi in Meghalaya. India is represented by a battalion of the Madras Regiment, contributing 120 personnel.
The Indian Army is raising five new commando battalions named "Bhairav" to significantly boost its strike capabilities. Each battalion will consist of 250 soldiers selected from existing infantry units.
A contingent of the Indian Army has departed for Fort Wainwright, Alaska, to participate in the 21st edition of Yudh Abhyas, between India and the US, taking place from 1st to 14th Sep 2025. The Indian Army is represented by the Madras Regiment.
The Indian Army and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) successfully carried out the high-altitude exercise Achook Prahar in Arunachal Pradesh.
The Indian Army successfully conducted Exercise ‘Yudh Kaushal’ 3.0 in the Kameng region of Arunachal Pradesh, a high-altitude and extreme-climate zone of the eastern Himalayas.
Exercise Aarogya Setu was organised by the Indian Army at Rupai, Doomdooma, in the Tinsukia district of Assam. The focus of the exercise was on how Army and Civil medical fraternities can work together during disasters and war-like situations.
India and France have entered into a significant defence collaboration to co-develop a 120-kilo newton jet engine for India’s fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). The project involves DRDO from India & Safran from France, with an estimated cost of $7 billion.
MILMEDICON 2025, an international conference on military medicine, was inaugurated by Raksha Rajya Mantri Sanjay Seth at the Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi. It was organised by the Directorate General of Medical Services (Army).
DRDO successfully carried out the maiden test of the Integrated Air Defence Weapon System (IADWS) off the Odisha coast. This advanced system integrates the Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile (QRSAM), Very Short Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS), & a laser-based Directed Energy Weapon (DEW).
The ‘RAN SAMWAD-2025’ tri-service dialogue was inaugurated at the Army War College in Madhya Pradesh. This important event brings together representatives from the Army, Navy, and Air Force to deliberate on critical issues of war, warfare, and warfighting.
The Indian Navy commissioned two advanced Project 17A stealth frigates—INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri—on 26 August 2025 at Naval Base, Visakhapatnam. Here
India has approved the purchase of 97 Tejas Mark 1A fighter jets under a ₹62,000 crore deal. This order comes in addition to an earlier purchase of 83 jets, bringing the total number of Tejas Mark 1A aircraft ordered to 180.
The CISF has launched its first all-women commando unit in Madhya Pradesh. These women commandos will be deployed in Quick Reaction Teams (QRTs) and Special Task Forces (STFs).
India is set to deploy over 700 soldiers to participate in ‘Exercise Bright Star 2025’, a major tri-service multilateral military drill scheduled from Aug 28 to Sep 10 in Egypt. Exercise was initiated in 1980 as a bilateral drill between Egypt and the United States.
Also Read: Most Important GK Topics for AFCAT CDS NDA Exam Also Check: Recommended Books for Various Defence Exams
Must Read: 25 Expected GK Topics for CDS NDA & AFCAT 2026 Written Exam and NCERT Notes on GK Topics for Defense Exams like AFCAT CDS NDA
Also Check: Recommended Books for Various Defence Exams
