Defence Current Affairs 20 March 2025

In Defence Current Affairs for DCA 20 March 2025, 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 Daily Defence Current Affairs.

Defence Current Affairs 20 March 2025

Ordnance Factory Day

• Ordnance Factory Day, celebrated annually on March 18, commemorates the establishment of India’s first Ordnance Factory in Cossipore, Kolkata, in 1801.
• This day is significant as it highlights the contributions of the Indian Ordnance Factories (IOF) to the nation’s defence capabilities through their research, development, and production of various arms and ammunition.
• The origins of the IOF trace back to the British colonial period when the East India Company recognized the need for indigenous military hardware. In 1775, the Board of Ordnance was established at Fort William in Kolkata, marking the beginning of organized military production in India.
• The first gunpowder factory was set up in Ishapore in 1787, followed by the Gun Carriage Agency in Cossipore in 1801, which initiated production on March 18, 1802. This establishment laid the foundation for India’s defence manufacturing industry, which has evolved significantly over the years.

Exercise Sea Dragon 2025

• The Sea Dragon 2025 naval exercise, a significant multinational initiative aimed at enhancing anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities, has been successfully conducted off the coast of Guam from March 4 to March 19, 2025.
• This exercise involved the participation of the Indian Navy, Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF), Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), and the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN), all under the auspices of the United States Navy’s 7th Fleet.
• The primary objective of Sea Dragon 2025 was to improve tactical interoperability among these nations, focusing on maritime security operations in the Indo-Pacific region.
• Historically, Sea Dragon began in 2019 as a bilateral exercise between the U.S. and Australia and has since evolved into a vital platform for military cooperation among key allies.

Europe And Canada Are Eyeing Alternatives To American-Made Fighter Jets

• Questions are increasing in Canada and Europe regarding the wisdom of investing in high-end U.S. weaponry, particularly the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, amid concerns about reliance on U.S. defence technology.
• In a short span, U.S. President Donald Trump has significantly altered longstanding U.S. foreign policy, leading NATO members to doubt whether the U.S. will uphold its commitment to mutual defence in the event of Russian aggression against European nations.
• As the war in Ukraine stretches into its fourth year, it has become evident that many Eastern European NATO members are still equipped with outdated Soviet-era weapons that lack interoperability with Western systems.
• Consequently, there is growing momentum for a long-term strategy aimed at standardizing NATO’s military capabilities by replacing these old Soviet jets with Western alternatives, particularly the F-16 and, in some cases, the F-35.
• However, some NATO countries are reconsidering their dependence on U.S.-made systems and are exploring options for European jets such as the Saab Gripen, Eurofighter Typhoon, and Dassault Rafale as potential alternatives.

Parliamentary Panel Urges Fast-Tracking

• A parliamentary panel, chaired by BJP MP Radha Mohan Das, has urged for the immediate completion of the Census.
• In its report, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs highlighted significant downward revisions to the budgets for the IB, NATGRID, Central Police Organizations and Delhi Police. It recommended that the MHA engage with the Ministry of Finance to secure increased allocations in line with initial projections.
• The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs has highlighted significant downward revisions in budgets for key agencies such as the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs).
• It has urged the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to work with the Ministry of Finance to secure additional allocations that align with initial budget projections.

A UN Staff Was Killed And 5 Others Wounded

• An international United Nations staffer was killed and five others were wounded in a strike Wednesday on a U.N. guesthouse in the Gaza Strip.
• Jorge Moreira da Silva, head of the U.N. Office for Project Services, declined to say who carried out the strike in the central city of Deir al-Balah but said the explosive ordnance was “dropped or fired” and the blast was not accidental or related to demining activity.
• The Israeli military, which has carried out a heavy wave of airstrikes since early Tuesday, denied earlier reports that it had targeted the U.N. compound.
• But Moreira da Silva said strikes had hit near the compound on Monday and struck it directly on Tuesday and again on Wednesday, when the staffer was killed. He said the agency had contacted the Israeli military after the first strike and confirmed that it was aware of the facility’s location.

MCQs

1. Which country hosted the 6th edition of Exercise Dharma Guardian?
   A. Sri Lanka
   B. United States
   C. Japan
   D. Australia
   ANSWER: C
2. Which country is participating with India in the CORPAT and BONGOSAGAR
   naval exercises in 2025?
   A. Sri Lanka
   B. Maldives
   C. Myanmar
   D. Bangladesh
   ANSWER: D
3. Where was the Sea Dragon 2025 naval exercise conducted?
   A. Bay of Bengal
   B. Arabian Sea
   C. Off the coast of Guam
   D. South China Sea
   ANSWER: C
4. On which date is Ordnance Factory Day celebrated annually in India?
   A. March 15
   B. March 18
   C. March 21
   D. March 25
   ANSWER: B
5. What is the price tag for the MQ-9B Predator drones that the Indian Army and
   IAF are planning to jointly deploy?
   A. USD 2 billion
   B. USD 4 billion
   C. USD 6 billion
   D. USD 8 billion
   ANSWER: B
6. Which is the 6th largest Submarine Under P75?
   A. INS Karanj
   B. INS Vagsheer
   C. INS Kirpan
   D. INS Vela
   ANSWER: B
7. National College for Policing and Law Enforcement is one of India’s largest
   funded projects in
   A. USA
   B. UK
   C. Maldives
   D. None of the above
   ANSWER: C
8. The MiG-29 Is A
   A. Qatar
   B. Oman
   C. UAE
   D. UK
   ANSWER: D
9. “Naam Namak Nishaan” Is The Motto Of
   A. THE GRENADIERS
   B. Rajputana Rifles
   C. Gorkha
   D. None
   ANSWER: A
10. IATA Stands For
    A. International Air Transport Associate
    B. International Apex Transport Association
    C. International Air Transport Association
    D. None of the above
    ANSWER: C
11. K2 Black Panther Tank Belongs To
    A. Oman
    B. Qatar
    C. Sri Lanka
    D. South Korea
    ANSWER: D
12. Ankara Is The Capital Of
    A. Oman
    B. Qatar
    C. Turkey
    D. Maldives
    ANSWER: C
13. “India 2020: A Vision for the New Millennium” Book Is Written By
    A. Shashi Tharoor
    B. Rabindra Nath Tagore
    C. M K Gandhi
    D. Dr A P J Abdul Kalam & Dr Y S Rajan
    ANSWER: D
14. North-West Region Of ICG Located In
    A. Kochi
    B. Vishakhapatnam
    C. Gandhinagar
    D. Mumbai
    ANSWER: C
15. AH-64 Apache Is A
    A. Transport Helicopter
    B. Attack Helicopter
    C. Light Utility Helicopter
    D. None of the above
    ANSWER: B
16. Operation Ganga Was Conducted By IAF In
    A. UK
    B. USA
    C. Ukraine
    D. Afghanistan
    ANSWER: C
17. Department of Defence Production Comes Under
    A. Ministry of Culture
    B. MHA
    C. MOD
    D. MEA
    ANSWER: C
18. Defence Institute of High-Altitude Research Is In
    A. New Delhi
    B. Jammu
    C. Ladakh
    D. None of the above
    ANSWER: C
19. Dhanush (howitzer) Manufactured By
    A. L & T
    B. Boeing
    C. ISRO
    D. Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited
    ANSWER: D
20. BRICS Stands For
    A. Brazil Russia India China And South Africa
    B. Brazil Russia India China And South Asia
    C. Brazil Russia Indonesia China And South Africa
    D. None of the above
    ANSWER: A

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