In Defence Current Affairs for 07 October 2026, we will see the latest national and international current affairs news. These important current affairs will be beneficial for your upcoming NDA, CDS, CDS OTA, AFCAT, TA, Agniveer Army, Agniveer Navy, Agniveer Air Force, Women Military Police, INET, MNS, ACC exams, SCO, PCSL, CAPF, and SSB interviews, and direct entries for Army, Navy, and Air Force like SSC Tech, TGC, JAG, NCC, TES, 10+2 Cadet. Download a PDF file about current events at the end of this article. Let us now see the Current Affairs.
Defence Current Affairs 07 October 2026
Government Appoints Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit as 29th Chief of the Air Staff
The Government of India has appointed Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, PVSM, AVSM, VM, VSM, as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff (CAS). He will assume the post in the rank of Air Chief Marshal from the afternoon of 31 October 2026.
Air Marshal Dixit is currently serving as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff. He will succeed Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, who is scheduled to retire from service on 31 October 2026.
Born on 9 December 1966, Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit was commissioned into the Fighter Stream of the Indian Air Force on 6 December 1986. During his distinguished career, he has held several important operational and senior command appointments.
Before becoming Vice Chief of the Air Staff, he served as the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC) at Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff. He has also served as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Central Air Command.
His appointment as the next Chief of the Air Staff marks another significant step in the senior leadership of the Indian Air Force.
SAREX-2026 to Demonstrate India’s Maritime Search and Rescue Capabilities
The Indian Coast Guard will conduct the 12th National Maritime Search & Rescue Exercise (SAREX-2026) to strengthen India’s preparedness for complex maritime emergencies and improve coordination among national and international stakeholders.
Raksha Rajya Mantri Sanjay Seth will inaugurate the exercise on 7 October 2026, while a major Search and Rescue demonstration will be conducted off the Paradip coast on 8 October.
A notable feature of SAREX-2026 is the participation of 32 observers from 30 countries. Their presence highlights the importance of international cooperation, common operating procedures and interoperability in maritime search and rescue operations.
The exercise will involve a large number of assets, including 15 Indian Coast Guard ships, two Dornier aircraft, three ALH helicopters and a Chetak helicopter. The Indian Air Force C-130J and Mi-17 aircraft, two Indian Navy ships, civil and state resources, and shore-based support units will also participate.
The drill will simulate a challenging Mass Rescue Operation involving simultaneous aeronautical and maritime emergencies. The scenario includes the ditching of a passenger aircraft carrying 228 people at sea and its collision with the container vessel MV Zumba.
Alongside SAREX-2026, the Indian Coast Guard will host the 24th National Maritime Search & Rescue (NMSAR) Board Meeting at Bhubaneswar. The meeting will be chaired by Director General Paramesh Sivamani, Director General, Indian Coast Guard.
Together, the NMSAR Board Meeting and SAREX-2026 underline India’s efforts to develop a faster, technology-driven and globally connected maritime search and rescue system, in line with the vision of SAGAR and the spirit of MAHASAGAR.
Joint Indo-Argentine Army Mountaineering Expedition Successfully Concludes
A joint mountaineering expedition involving the Indian Army and Argentine Army successfully completed challenging high-altitude ascents in the Himalayas.
General Dhiraj Seth flagged in the expedition members in New Delhi following their successful climbs of Mt Abi Gamin (7,355 metres) on 17 September and Mt Kamet (7,756 metres) on 21 September 2026.
Located in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, Mt Kamet is the third-highest peak in India, after Mt Kanchenjunga and Mt Nanda Devi.
The 35-member team was led by Lieutenant Colonel Chirag Chatterjee and consisted of 25 Indian Army personnel and 10 Argentine Army personnel. The expedition was flagged off from the Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi, on 21 August 2026.
This was the third joint mountaineering expedition conducted by the two armies. The previous expeditions included an ascent of Mt Aconcagua (6,962 metres) in Mendoza, Argentina, in January 2025 and Mt Kun (7,077 metres) in the Suru Valley of Ladakh in August 2025.
The successful expedition reflects the growing cooperation between the Indian and Argentine armies in specialised high-altitude activities and mountaineering.
DRDO Conducts Maiden Live Jump of Advanced High-Altitude Parachute
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully conducted the maiden live jump of its Advanced High-Altitude Parachute (AHAP) at the Nyoma (Mudh DZ) drop zone.
The test was carried out at an altitude of 16,000 feet above mean sea level (AMSL). The parachute was deployed at 15,500 feet AMSL, while the landing was completed at Nyoma (Mudh DZ), located at approximately 13,700 feet.
The successful demonstration established the effectiveness and tactical suitability of the AHAP system for operations in extremely high-altitude terrain.
The parachute has been designed and developed by the Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE), Agra, a DRDO establishment.
The AHAP is a static-line parachute system developed for the mass deployment of paratroopers. Its successful live trial represents an important milestone in strengthening high-altitude airborne operational capabilities.
DRDO Successfully Tests Indigenous High-Altitude Platform
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully conducted a flight trial of an indigenously developed High-Altitude Platform (HAPS).
During the experimental flight, the platform reached an altitude of 21 km above mean sea level (AMSL). It subsequently maintained an altitude of 20 km AMSL for more than 30 minutes before being commanded to return to the ground.
Throughout the flight, the Ground Control Station received real-time video feeds and other vehicle-related parameters from the airborne platform. The data indicated that the system achieved its intended flight performance.
The HAPS is a lighter-than-air, long-endurance stratospheric aerial surveillance platform. It is being designed and developed by the Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE), Agra.
The successful flight trial represents an important step in the development of indigenous high-altitude surveillance capabilities and demonstrates the potential of the platform for prolonged operations in the stratosphere.
MoD Signs ₹661.50 Crore Contract with BrahMos Aerospace
The Ministry of Defence has signed a ₹661.50 crore contract with BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited (BAPL) for the procurement of BrahMos Fire Control Systems and launchers for Indian Navy ships.
The contract was signed in New Delhi on 6 October 2026 in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh. The procurement has been undertaken under the Buy (Indian-IDDM) category.
The project provides for a minimum of 68% indigenous content, thereby encouraging greater participation of Indian defence industries, including Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). It is also expected to create employment opportunities over a period of three years.
The acquisition will contribute to strengthening India’s maritime security framework and enhancing indigenous defence capabilities. It is also part of the broader effort to develop and integrate advanced military technologies within the country.
The BrahMos system, deployed aboard various frontline Indian Navy warships, serves as the Navy’s primary Surface-to-Surface Missile (SSM) system for maritime strike missions. It can engage both land and sea-based targets from extended ranges with high precision while operating at supersonic speeds.
Rajnath Singh Launches India’s First Indigenous Fleet Support Ship ‘Surya’
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched FSS-1, named ‘Surya’, the first Fleet Support Ship, at Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), Visakhapatnam. During the event, he also laid the keel of the fifth Fleet Support Ship (FSS-5) and inaugurated the upgraded Slipway-4 and a 300-tonne Goliath Crane.
The developments mark an important expansion of HSL’s shipbuilding infrastructure and its ability to construct larger and more complex vessels. They also support India’s objective of strengthening indigenous maritime manufacturing capabilities.
Recalling the launch of ‘Jala Usha’, the first ship built in independent India at Visakhapatnam in 1948, the Defence Minister highlighted the country’s long maritime heritage and its longstanding relationship with the sea.
The upgraded Slipway-4 has been extended and strengthened to enable HSL to construct and launch vessels of up to 45,000 DWT.
The newly installed 300-tonne Goliath Crane, which spans Slipways 3 and 4, has been designed and manufactured under the Make in India initiative by L&T Geostructure in collaboration with Konecranes.
These infrastructure upgrades are expected to enhance HSL’s shipbuilding capacity and contribute to India’s growing indigenous naval and maritime industrial capabilities.
Review Questions
- Who has been appointed as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff of India?
A) Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh
B) Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit
C) Air Marshal Tejinder Singh
D) Air Marshal Dhiraj Seth
Answer: B) Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit - Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit was commissioned into which stream of the Indian Air
Force?
A) Transport Stream
B) Helicopter Stream
C) Fighter Stream
D) Technical Stream
Answer: C) Fighter Stream - Where will the SAR demonstration of SAREX-2026 be conducted?
A) Mumbai Coast
B) Kochi Coast
C) Paradip Coast
D) Visakhapatnam Coast
Answer: C) Paradip Coast - How many international observers from how many countries are participating in
SAREX-2026?
A) 25 observers from 20 countries
B) 30 observers from 25 countries
C) 32 observers from 30 countries
D) 40 observers from 35 countries
Answer: C) 32 observers from 30 countries - Which two peaks were successfully ascended during the Joint Indo-Argentine
Army Mountaineering Expedition 2026?
A) Mt Kamet and Mt Kun
B) Mt Abi Gamin and Mt Kamet
C) Mt Aconcagua and Mt Kamet
D) Mt Nanda Devi and Mt Abi Gamin
Answer: B) Mt Abi Gamin and Mt Kamet - At what altitude was the maiden live jump of DRDO’s Advanced High-Altitude
Parachute executed?
A) 12,000 feet AMSL
B) 14,000 feet AMSL
C) 16,000 feet AMSL
D) 18,000 feet AMSL
Answer: C) 16,000 feet AMSL - What maximum altitude did DRDO’s High-Altitude Platform (HAPS) attain during
its successful flight trial?
A) 18 km
B) 20 km
C) 21 km
D) 25 km
Answer: C) 21 km - What is the value of the Ministry of Defence contract signed with BrahMos
Aerospace Private Limited for Fire Control Systems and Launchers?
A) ₹561.50 crore
B) ₹661.50 crore
C) ₹761.50 crore
D) ₹861.50 crore
Answer: B) ₹661.50 crore - What is the minimum indigenous content mandated under the BrahMos
procurement contract?
A) 50%
B) 60%
C) 68%
D) 75%
Answer: C) 68% - What is the name of the first indigenous Fleet Support Ship (FSS-1) launched at
Hindustan Shipyard Limited?
A) INS Samarthak
B) INS Surya
C) INS Sahyadri
D) INS Jala Usha
Answer: B) INS Surya - Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island Is Located At
A. A&N
B. Ladakh
C. J&K
D. Puducherry
ANSWER: A - V. O. Chidambaranar Port Trust Is Located In
A. T.N
B. M.H
C. Goa
D. A.P
ANSWER: A - Full-Form of ATAGS Is
A. Adventure Towed Artillery Gun System
B. Advanced To Artillery Gun System
C. Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System
D. Advanced Towed Artillery Gum System
ANSWER: C - At Which Of The Following Places Is The Heavy Vehicles Factory Located?
A. Kanpur
B. Khadki
C. Avadi
D. 24 Paraganas
ANSWER: C - Sofia Is The Capital Of
A. Brunei
B. Qatar
C. UAE
D. Bulgaria
ANSWER: D - “Prashata Ranvirta” Is A Motto Of
A. Jammu And Kashmir Rifles
B. Gorkha Regiment
C. Punjab Regiment
D. None
ANSWER: A - Exercises B/w India And Bangladesh Is Called:
A. GARUDA SHAKTI
B. SLINEX
C. SAMPRITI
D. Yudha Abhyas
ANSWER: C - Barrett M95 Is A
A. Sniper Rifles
B. Helicopter
C. ATAGS
D. ATGM
ANSWER: A - Astra Is A
A. Air-to-air Missile
B. Air-to-surface Missile
C. Air-to-sea Missile
D. None
ANSWER: A - Where Is The Hq Of The Southern Command of The IAF?
A. Kochi
B. Vishakhapatnam
C. Pune
D. Thiruvantpuram
ANSWER: D
ALSO READ:
- Latest Daily Current Affairs and Defence Updates
- Latest Daily Current Affairs September 2026[DOWNLOAD PDF]
- Latest Daily Current Affairs August 2026[DOWNLOAD PDF]
- Latest Daily Current Affairs July 2026[DOWNLOAD PDF]
- Latest Daily Current Affairs June 2026[DOWNLOAD PDF]
- Latest Daily Current Affairs May 2026[DOWNLOAD PDF]
- Latest Daily Current Affairs April 2026[DOWNLOAD PDF]
- Latest Daily Current Affairs March 2026[DOWNLOAD PDF]
- Latest Daily Current Affairs February 2026[DOWNLOAD PDF]
- Latest Daily Current Affairs January 2026[DOWNLOAD PDF]
- Latest Daily Current Affairs November 2025[DOWNLOAD PDF]
- Latest Daily Current Affairs October 2025[DOWNLOAD PDF]
- Latest Daily Current Affairs August 2025[DOWNLOAD PDF]
- Latest Daily Current Affairs July 2025[DOWNLOAD PDF]
