Daily Defence Current Affairs And Updates 18 March 2023 [DOWNLOAD PDF]

Divyanshu Pandey
March 18, 2023
402

In Daily current affairs for 18th March 2023, 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.

Defence Current Affairs 18 March 2023

SCO Ministerial: Russia Proposes To Host Maiden SCO Games

Russia’s sports minister has suggested that his country should host the first games of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Member States (SCO).
The proposal was made by Oleg Matytsin at this week’s meeting of the heads of ministries in charge of the development of physical education and sports in the SCO.
The meeting brought together officials from sports ministries and agencies from Russia, India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
SCO is a permanent intergovernmental international organization.
It’s a Eurasian political, economic and military organization aiming to maintain peace, security and stability in the region.
It was created in 2001.
The SCO Charter was signed in 2002 and entered into force in 2003.

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Indian, and Korean Air Force Interact At Closure Of Multilateral Air Exercise Desert Flag

As the multilateral air exercise, Desert flag concluded on Friday, the Korean Air Force interacted with the members of the IAF contingent, the official media coordination centre of IAF stated.
The IAF participated with five LCA Tejas and two C-17 Globemaster III aircraft, and the visitors were also given an overview of the supersonic combat aircraft, LCA Tejas.
Notably, the Indian Air Force contingent comprising 110 Air Warriors arrived at Al Dhafra airbase of the UAE for participating in Exercise Desert Flag VIII, the official press release of the Ministry of Defence read.
The air exercise which took place from February 27 to March 17 was the first occasion when the LCA Tejas shall participate in an international flying exercise outside India.
Exercise Desert Flag is a multilateral air exercise in which Air Forces from UAE, France, Kuwait, Australia, the UK, Bahrain, Morocco, Spain, the Republic of Korea, and the USA participated.

Droupadi Murmu Presents President’s Colour To INS Dronacharya

The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu presented the President’s Colour to INS Dronacharya in Kochi today (March 16, 2023).
Speaking on the occasion, the President said that the maritime strength remains critical to India’s strategic, military, economic and commercial interests. For a nation like India, the fifth largest economy in the world, with a long coastline, island territories and a substantial seafaring population, having a strong and modern Navy is of very high importance.
The President said that for the last 75 years, a combat-ready, multi-dimensional and versatile Indian Navy has not only deterred our adversaries and safeguarded our maritime interests, but also enabled the creation of a peaceful periphery to facilitate socio-economic growth. The Nation is proud of the Indian Navy’s commitment in protecting our maritime borders, securing our trade routes and rendering assistance during calamities.
The President noted that over the years, the Indian Navy has developed significant capabilities to be a mission-deployed and response-ready force across the Indian Ocean Region, and be the ‘First Responder’ to any contingency, in our maritime neighbourhood. She said that the country looks up to the Navy to protect our maritime interests.
Speaking about her visit to INS Vikrant, just before the Colour presentation function, the President said that the indigenously built modern aircraft carrier INS Vikrant is a shining example of Atmanirbhar Bharat. Today, India is among a select few nations with the capacity of building an aircraft carrier with indigenous technology. She appreciated the entire team of the Indian Navy, Cochin Shipyard Limited and everyone associated in the journey of INS Vikrant. She said that India is proud of the brave men and women of the Indian Navy for serving the nation with distinction and dedication.

Over 7,000 Women Personnel Serving In Army: Govt

Over 7,000 women personnel are serving in the Indian Army at present followed by 1,636 in the Indian Air Force and 748 in the Navy, according to details provided by the government in Lok Sabha on Friday.
Replying to a question, Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt said 7,093 women are in the Army, which included 6,993 in the Army Medical Corps, Army Dental Corps and Military Nursing Service (MNS). A hundred women are serving in other ranks.
Bhatt said, currently women are serving in officer’s cadre only in the Indian Air Force (IAF) and their strength as on March 1 (excluding medical and dental branches) is 1,636.
“As on date, women are employed in the Navy in the officer’s rank. The strength of women officers in the Indian Navy, as on March 9 is 748, including medical and dental officers,” he said

Turkey Agrees To Start Process For Finland’s NATO Bid

Turkey approved the process of ratifying Finland’s accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, according to the Anadolu Agency.
Citing negotiations on Sweden and Finland’s accession bids at the NATO Madrid summit in June 2022, Erdogan said that Turkiye is among the strong defenders of NATO’s open-door policy.
On Sweden’s process, Erdogan said that Turkey will continue its talk on the basis of the principles of the alliance and our approach to the fight against terrorism.
Earlier, Sweden and Finland jointly applied to join NATO, but Turkey has so far blocked the expansion, citing concerns that Sweden needs to crack down on exiled Kurdish militants and their sympathizers and extradite critics of Turkish President Erdogan.

Poland Becomes First NATO Member To Pledge Fighter Jets To Ukraine

Poland – the first NATO member to do so – on Thursday pledged that it would send four MiF-29 fighter jets to Ukraine. This was a significant development in Kyiv’s struggle to fend off Russian aggression.
President Andrzej Duda said that almost a dozen aircraft that Poland had inherited from the former German Democratic Republic would be handed over in the upcoming days after being serviced.
In providing Kyiv with heavy weaponry, Warsaw has assumed a leading position among NATO allies. A step beyond the rest of the alliance’s commitments, Poland’s statement that it will send the Soviet-designed aircraft may put pressure on other members to follow suit.
The US said on Thursday that Poland’s proposal would not require Washington to act, given that other NATO countries have been unwilling to go much beyond their earlier this year decision to send tanks to Kyiv.
The Polish president voiced the support of his nation and the Czech Republic for Kyiv while speaking at a news conference in Warsaw alongside his new counterpart.

Ex AFINDEX 2023

Armies of 25 African countries will attend the India-Africa Chiefs Conclave in Pune on March 28, a senior Indian Army official said. In the two sessions from the Indian side, the participants, including senior officials from the MOD and MEA & the Services, as well as ex-Servicemen, will also attend the conclave.
“The first session will explore the key pillars of India Africa Defence Partnership. The second session will focus on Indian Defence Industry’s Outreach to Africa. Eminent speakers from Africa will form part of the panel discussion,” the Army official said.
Along with the India-Africa chiefs’ conclave, the second iteration of the Africa-India Field Training Exercise (AFINDEX) will also be held from March 21.
For AFINDEX, 9 contingents, with 78 personnel each, will participate in the exercise. These contingents will arrive from Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Niger, Seychelles, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.
Another 11 countries — Botswana, Cameroon, Congo, Egypt, Eswatini / Swaziland, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Zimbabwe and Morocco — will send 21 Observers for AFINDEX.

Review Questions

Which Country Becomes 1^st NATO Member To Pledge Fighter Jets To Ukraine?
Turkey
France
Poland
Norway

ANSWER: C

Ex ‘KHANJAR 2023’ Conducted b/w India &
Qatar
Oman
UAE
Kyrgyzstan

ANSWER: D

Which of the following is/are related to promoting the ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship in the country?
1. CollabCAD, 2. Icrest, 3. PRAGYATA, 4. Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
1 and 2 only
1, 2 and 3 only
1 and 4 only
2 and 4 only

ANSWER: A