In Defence Current Affairs for 01 July 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 01 July 2026
General Dhiraj Seth Takes Charge as the 31st Chief of the Army Staff
India has a new Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) as General Dhiraj Seth officially assumed office as the 31st Army Chief, succeeding General Upendra Dwivedi, who retired on 30 June 2026 after serving the nation for more than four decades.
An alumnus of the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla, General Seth was commissioned into the Armoured Corps in December 1986. Throughout his nearly 40-year military career, he has gained extensive experience in operational leadership, strategic planning, capability development, and institutional reforms.
General Seth has commanded military formations at every operational level. His leadership assignments include commanding an Armoured Regiment in the desert sector, an Armoured Brigade in the western theatre, and a Counter-Insurgency Force in Jammu & Kashmir. His broad operational exposure is expected to strengthen the Indian Army’s modernization efforts and future combat preparedness.
Project BRAHMANK Celebrates 16 Years of Strategic Infrastructure Development
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) celebrated the 16th Raising Day of Project BRAHMANK on 29 June 2026 at Ranaghat, Arunachal Pradesh, highlighting its significant contribution to infrastructure development in India’s northeastern border areas.
Project BRAHMANK is responsible for constructing and maintaining strategic road networks across the districts of Siang, East Siang, West Siang, Upper Siang, Shi-Yomi in Arunachal Pradesh and parts of Dhemaji district in Assam.
At present, the project maintains approximately 811 kilometres of roads and nearly 86 bridges, ranging from small culverts to large steel and arch bridges. Among its major engineering achievements are the 100-metre steel arch bridge over Siyom Nallah and the 165-metre prestressed concrete (PSC) bridge over Simang Nallah on the Along–Yingkiong Road.
During the financial year 2025–26, the project completed several important milestones, including:
- Construction of 13 new bridges with a combined span of 390 metres.
- Blacktopping of 61 kilometres of roads to National Highways Development standards.
- Development of multiple helipads to improve strategic connectivity.
The Raising Day celebrations also included Sainik Sammelans, troop interactions, welfare programmes, and Bada Khana, promoting unity and morale among personnel.
Indian Army Expands Drone Fleet with Formation of ‘Baaz Battalions’
The Indian Army has significantly strengthened its unmanned warfare capabilities by expanding its drone inventory from only a few hundred systems two years ago to more than 50,000 drones today. The Army now plans to increase this number to nearly one lakh drones over the next two to three years.
To effectively manage this rapidly growing fleet, the Army is establishing specialised Baaz Battalions, dedicated units focused on surveillance, intelligence gathering, reconnaissance, and counter-drone operations.
These battalions will evolve from the existing Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) Flights and will consist of highly trained specialists capable of operating advanced unmanned aerial systems across various combat environments.
The integration of drones into regular military operations reflects the Army’s evolving doctrine of modern warfare. These systems will improve:
- Real-time battlefield surveillance
- Precision targeting
- Intelligence collection
- Force protection
- Counter-drone operations
The initiative marks a major step toward building a technology-driven, future-ready fighting force.
Skyroot Aerospace Moves Closer to India’s First Private Orbital Launch
India’s private space sector has reached a landmark achievement as Skyroot Aerospace completed the stacking of Stage 1 of its Vikram-1 launch vehicle at the First Launch Pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.
This is the first time a privately developed orbital rocket has been positioned on India’s government launch pad, bringing the country’s first private orbital mission closer to reality.
Stage 1 is the rocket’s largest section and houses its primary solid-fuel propulsion system. Earlier, the company successfully integrated Stage 2 (Kalam-250), which includes advanced guidance technologies such as flex nozzles, actuators, and inter-stage structures.
The remaining Stages 3 and 4 will provide precision orbital insertion capabilities before the rocket’s maiden launch.
Key features of the Vikram-1 rocket include:
- Payload capacity of up to 350 kilograms to Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
- Indigenous navigation systems
- Modular rocket architecture
- Clean stage separation technology
- Designed specifically for launching small satellites
The successful integration demonstrates India’s rapidly growing private space ecosystem and its increasing role in commercial satellite launches.
Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit Appointed Next Vice Chief of the Air Staff
The Government of India has appointed Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit as the next Vice Chief of the Air Staff (VCAS) of the Indian Air Force (IAF). He assumed office on 1 July 2026, succeeding Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor.
Commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force in December 1986, Air Marshal Dixit is a graduate of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, Defence Services Staff College (Bangladesh), and the National Defence College, New Delhi.
A highly experienced aviator, he is both a Qualified Flying Instructor and an Experimental Test Pilot, with over 3,300 flying hours on more than 20 different aircraft, including:
- Mirage-2000
- MiG-21
- Jaguar
Before assuming his new role, he served as the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (CISC) at Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS), a position he had held since May 2025.
His appointment is expected to further strengthen joint military planning, operational readiness, and modernization within the Indian Air Force.
Review Questions
- Who assumed charge as the 31st Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) on 30 June 2026?
A) General Upendra Dwivedi
B) General Manoj Pande
C) General Dhiraj Seth
D) General M.M. Naravane
Answer: C) General Dhiraj Seth - Project BRAHMANK of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is primarily
responsible for developing strategic infrastructure in which state?
A) Sikkim
B) Uttarakhand
C) Arunachal Pradesh
D) Himachal Pradesh
Answer: C) Arunachal Pradesh - The newly raised ‘Baaz Battalions’ of the Indian Army are mainly intended to
strengthen which capability?
A) Naval warfare
B) Missile defence
C) Drone operations, surveillance, and counter-drone missions
D) Cyber warfare only
Answer: C) Drone operations, surveillance, and counter-drone missions - Vikram-1, India’s first privately developed orbital rocket, has been designed and
manufactured by which company?
A) Agnikul Cosmos
B) Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)
C) Larsen & Toubro (L&T)
D) Skyroot Aerospace
Answer: D) Skyroot Aerospace - Who took over as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff (VCAS) of the Indian Air Force on 1
July 2026?
A) Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor
B) Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh
C) Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit
D) Air Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria
Answer: C) Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit - In which city was the 5th India-Tajikistan Joint Working Group on Counter
Terrorism held?
A) Tashkent
B) Dushanbe
C) Bishkek
D) Astana
Answer: B) Dushanbe - Which country formally notified a $482.2 million sustainment support package for
India’s AH-64E Apache attack helicopters and M777A2 ultra-light howitzers in June
2026?
A) United States
B) France
C) Russia
D) Israel
Answer: A) USA - Operation Cactus, conducted in 1988, aimed to protect the President of which
country?
A. Maldives
B. Sri Lanka
C. Mauritius
D. Seychelles
ANSWER: A - Operation Rajeev, carried out in 1987, targeted the capture of which post in
Siachen?
A. Kargil
B. Dras
C. Qaid
D. Batalik
ANSWER: C - UDHR Stands For
A. Universal Declaration of Human Rights
B. Universal Declaration of Human Riot
C. Universal Declared of Human Rights
D. None of the above
ANSWER: A - Which one of the following statements is/are correct regarding BRICS? 1. It was set up with the sole purpose of countering the NATO influence and emerging as its substitute. 2. The New Development Bank is one of the initiatives of BRICS.
Choose the correct answer using the codes given below:
A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2
ANSWER: B - World Economic Forum Hq Is In
A. Geneva, Switzerland
B. Lausanne, Switzerland
C. The Hague, The Netherlands
D. Gland, Switzerland
ANSWER: A - Which Is Not An Asian Country?
A. Singapore
B. Brunei
C. UAE
D. Peru
ANSWER: D - GPMG Stands For
A. General Purple Machine Gun
B. General Purpose Machine Gun
C. General Purpose Machine Gum
D. None
ANSWER: B - ‘Ex Zapad’ Conducted B/W India &
A. Qatar
B. Russia
C. UAE
D. Maldives
ANSWER: B - Padma Vibhushan Award Was Instituted on
A. 2nd January 1954
B. 2nd January 1955
C. 2nd January 1956
D. 2nd January 1957
ANSWER: A - Hq Of Department of Space Is In
A. New Delhi
B. Bengaluru
C. Kochi
D. Kolkata
ANSWER: B - CAIR Stands For
A. Centre for Artificial Intelligence & Robotics
B. Centre for Artificial Intelligent & Robotics
C. Centre for Artillery Intelligence & Robotics
D. Centre form Artificial Intelligence & Robotics
ANSWER: A - “An Odyssey in War and Peace” Book Written By
A. Shashi Tharoor
B. SHF Manekshaw
C. Hew Strachan
D. Lt Gen J.F.R. Jacob
ANSWER: D - With reference to the Project 15B warships, consider the following
statements: 1. They are equipped with BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles and long-range
Surface-to-Air Missiles. 2. ‘INS Surat’ was the first-ever ship of Project 15B Destroyers. 3. Project 15B warships are completely indigenous.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A. 1 only
B. 1 and 2 only
C. 3 only
D. 2 and 3 only
ANSWER: A
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