In Defence Current Affairs for Monthly January 2024, 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.

Monthly Defence Current Affairs January 2024

DRDO Celebrates 66^th Foundation Day 

• DRDO celebrated the 66^th Foundation Day of its establishment. Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat DRDO paid floral tributes to the Missile Man of India and former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.
• He expressed happiness that the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) has also been accorded this year for induction of several DRDO developed systems worth more than 1 lakh 42 thousand crores.
• This is the highest ever accorded to DRDO developed systems in any year. This constitutes a significant component of Aatmanirbharta in Defence Production.
• The Defence Research and Development Organisation is the premier agency under the Department of Defence Research and Development in Ministry of Defence of the Government of India, charged with the military’s research and development, headquartered in Delhi, India.
• Headquarters: DRDO Bhavan, New Delhi
• Agency executive: Sameer V. Kamat, Chairman, DRDO

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh Inaugurates First All-girls Sainik School

• Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh inaugurated Samvid Gurukulam Girls Sainik School at Vrindavan in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh on January 01, 2024. The first all-girls Sainik School, with a strength of approx.
• 870 students, has been inaugurated under the initiative of establishing 100 new Sainik Schools in partnership mode with NGOs/Private/State Government Schools in all State/Union Territories, of which 42 have been set up.
• The objectives behind the vision of setting up of 100 new Sainik Schools are to provide quality education to the students in tune with the National Education Policy 2020 and give them better career opportunities, including joining the Armed Forces.

Vice Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi Takes Over As VCONS

• Vice Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, AVSM, NM took over as Vice Chief of the Naval Staff on 04 Jan 24. On taking over, the Flag Officer paid homage to the Bravehearts at the National War Memorial.
• Prior to taking over as Vice Chief of the Naval Staff, VAdm Dinesh K Tripathi served as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command.
• An alumnus of Sainik School Rewa and National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, he was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 01 Jul 1985. A Communication and Electronic Warfare specialist, he served on frontline warships of the Navy as Signal Communication Officer and Electronic Warfare Officer, and later as the Executive Officer and Principal Warfare Officer.

Defence Ministry Signs Contracts Worth ₹802 crore With Jupiter Wagons, BEML

• The Ministry of Defence inked two contracts for procurement of 697 Bogie Open Military Wagons at ₹473 crore with Jupiter Wagons Limited and procurement of 56 Mechanical Minefield Marking Equipment Mark II at a cost of ₹329 crore with BEML Ltd.
• The BOM Wagons and MMME will be produced with equipment and sub-system sourced from indigenous manufacturers, giving a boost to the indigenous manufacturing and participation of the private sector in defence production, the defence ministry said in a statement.
• BOM wagons, designed by Research Design and Standard Organization are specialist wagons used by the Indian Army for mobilisation of the Army units. BOM wagons are used to transport light vehicles, Artillery Guns, BMPs, Engineering Equipment etc. from their peacetime locations to operational areas.
• MMME has been designed to operate cross country with complete load of stores and carry out marking of minefields with minimal time and manpower employment, as per the defence ministry.

Indian Navy Rescues All 21 Crew Of Hijacked Vessel Off Somalia Coast

• After a high-voltage drama in the high seas, all 21 crew members including 15 Indian nationals from the hijacked vessel MV Lila Norfolk off Somalia coast were safely evacuated by the Indian Navy on Friday.
• The attempt of hijacking by the pirates was probably abandoned with the forceful warning by the Indian Navy, MPA of interception by Indian Naval warship, the statement read.
• INS Chennai is in the vicinity of MV and rendering support to restore the power generation and propulsion and commence her voyage to next port of call.
• According to the officials, MARCOS didn’t found any pirates on the hijacked vessel. The rescue crew has informed that the pirates had fired at the ship during hijack attempt after which they all hid themselves in the citadel.
• “MV was kept under continuous surveillance using Maritime Patrol Aircraft, Predator MQ9B and integral helos. The Indian Navy Marine Commandos present onboard the Mission Deployed warship boarded the MV and have commenced the Sanitisation,” the earlier statement from Indian Navy stated.

DRDO Launches Indigenous Assault Rifle ‘Ugram’ For Armed Forces

• The DRDO has launched an indigenous assault rifle named ‘Ugram’, intended to meet the operational requirements of armed forces, paramilitary, and state police entities.
• The rifle, with a calibre of 7.62 x 51 mm, has been designed, developed, and manufactured in collaboration with a private industry partner.
• The first operational prototype of the rifle was unveiled at the DRDO’s Armament and Combat Engineering Systems in Pune. It has an effective range of 500 m and weighs less than four kilograms.
• The Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE), it was said “The ARDE developed 7.62x51mm Assault rifle UGRAM through private industry was launched by Dr S V Gade, Director General ARDE, other senior scientists of the lab and industrial representatives.”

IAF’s C-130 J Aircraft Achieves Milestone Night Landing

• IAF reached a significant milestone with a night landing by an IAF C-130 J aircraft at the Kargil airstrip. Demonstrating prowess in challenging terrains, the mission incorporated innovative terrain masking techniques.
• The night landing at Kargil involved strategic terrain masking techniques during the flight. The IAF stated, “In a first, an IAF C-130 J aircraft recently carried out a night landing at the Kargil airstrip. Employing terrain masking en route, the exercise also dovetailed with a training mission for the Garuds.”
• The Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft.
• Range: 3,334 km
• Cruise speed: 643 km/h
• Length: 30 m
• Top speed: 670 km/h

DRDO Conducts Successful Flight-test of New Generation AKASH 

• DRDO conducted a successful flight-test of the New Generation AKASH (AKASH-NG) missile from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Odisha at 1030 hrs on January 12, 2024.
• The flight-test was conducted against a high-speed unmanned aerial target at very low altitude. During the flight-test, the target was successfully intercepted by the weapon system and destroyed.
• The flight-test was witnessed by senior officials from DRDO, IAF, Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL). The AKASH-NG system is a state-of-the-art missile system capable of intercepting high speed, agile aerial threats.

Project SAMBHAV

• In line with the ethos of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, the Indian Army has indigenously developed an “end-to-end secure mobile ecosystem” to provide secure communication with instant connectivity on the move, according to officials.
• The ecosystem — SAMBHAV (Secure Army Mobile Bharat Version) — operates on the state-of-the-art contemporary 5G technology and will represent a “significant leap forward in India’s defence capability”, a senior official said.
• It has been developed in close collaboration with national centres of excellence from the academia and industry.
• In the context of the SAMBHAV ecosystem, “35,000 sets are to be configured in two phases, with initial 2,500 sets to be configured by January 15, and the remaining by May 31 this year,” they added.

Indian Light Tank Zorawar Begins Trials

• The development trials of the light tank Zorawar have already started and the DRDO is expected to hand it over to the Indian Army for further testing by April this year.
• “The light tank with its new engine has started in our development cum production partner’s facilities. The tank has been moved around for more than 100 km, and it is expected to be given to the Indian Army by April this year,” defence officials.
• The Army has given orders for producing and supplying 59 Zorawar light tanks to DRDO, which is producing them with its partners Larsen and Toubro.
• The Indian Army will also be holding a competition for buying 295 more light tanks under a different programme, for which six to seven firms are offering their light tanks.

Indian Air Force AN-32(K-2743)

• An Indian Air Force An-32 aircraft (registration K-2743) had gone missing over the Bay of Bengal on 22 July 2016 during an op mission. 29 Personnel were on board this flight.  Large scale Search and Rescue operations by aircraft and ships could not locate any missing personnel or the aircraft debris.
• The National Institute of Ocean Technology which functions under the aegis of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, had recently deployed an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) with deep sea exploration capability at the last known location of the missing An-32. 
• This search was conducted at a depth of 3400 m using multiple payloads, including a multi-beam SONAR (Sound Navigation and Ranging), synthetic aperture SONAR and high resolution photography.
• The search images were scrutinised and found to be conforming with an An-32 aircraft. This discovery at the probable crash site, with no other recorded history of any other missing aircraft report in the same area, points to the debris as possibly belonging to the crashed IAF An-32 (K-2743).

Exercise Topchi

• The Indian Army conducted the firepower demonstration ‘Exercise Topchi’ at Devlali in Maharashtra’s Nashik.
• As part of Atmanirbhar Bharat, indigenously manufactured artillery equipment such as the K-9 Vajra, SP gun system, Dhanush, 105 mm Indian field gun (IFG) and light field gun (LFG) systems and Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launchers were showcased in the event held on Sunday.
• K-9 Vajra is a 155 mm, 52-caliber tracked self-propelled artillery system. It is built by Larsen & Toubro with technology transferred from South Korean defence major Hanwha.

76^th Indian Army Day

• The country is celebrating 76th Indian Army Day on January 15 with the main parade being held in Lucknow for the first time. Traditionally, the parade was conducted at Delhi Cantonment every year.
• The President who is the Supreme Commander of the Armed forces in her address to the Indian Army said, “I extend my warm felicitations to the Indian Army on the occasion of Army Day 2024.”
• Army Day is celebrated on this day to remember General (later Field Marshal) KM Cariappa taking over the command of the Indian Army from General Sir FRR Bucher, the last British Commander-in-Chief in 1949. He became the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of Independent India.

Eighth Tri-services Armed Forces Veterans Day

• The eighth Tri-services Armed Forces Veterans Day was celebrated on January 14. This day is celebrated every year in a bid to offer “respect and recognition of the services” and sacrifices rendered by the Veterans.
• Armed Forces Veterans’ Day is celebrated on 14th January every year to recognise the service rendered by the First Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Field Marshal KM Cariappa, who retired on this day in 1953. The day was first celebrated in 2016 and it is commemorated every year since by hosting such interactive events in the honour of the Ex-Servicemen.

Vice Admiral Pramod Assumes Charge As DGNO

• Vice Admiral AN Pramod assumed charge as the Director General Naval Operations on 15 Jan 2024. An alumnus of the 38th Integrated Cadet Course, Naval Academy, Goa, he was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 01 July 1990.
• The Flag Officer is a CAT ‘A’ Sea King Air Operations Officer and a Communication & Electronics Warfare Specialist. He did the Staff Course at DSSC Wellington (Nilgiris) and the Naval Higher Command Course at NWC, Goa.

INDO-THAI Coordinated Patrol

• The maiden Bilateral Maritime Exercise between the Indian Navy (IN) and Royal Thai Navy (RTN) was conducted from 20 to 23 December 2023.
• Indigenously built Indian Naval ships Kulish and IN LCU 56 participated in the inaugural edition of the exercise. The RTN side was represented by His Thai Majesty’s Ship (HTMS) Prachuap Khiri Khan. The 36th edition of India-Thailand Coordinated Patrol (Indo-Thai CORPAT) was also conducted along with the maiden bilateral exercise. Maritime Patrol Aircraft from both navies participated in the Sea Phase of the exercise.
• The Indo-Thai Bilateral Exercise is being named as ‘Ex-Ayutthaya’, which literally translates to ‘The Invincible One’ or ‘Undefeatable’, and symbolises the significance of two of the oldest cities Ayodhya in India and Ayutthaya in Thailand.

DRDO To Continue With Tapas Drone Project

• The DRDO is continuing with its project to further develop the Tapas medium-altitude, long endurance (MALE) drone in which one of the three services has shown interest to use them around the Andaman and Nicobar Islands for operations.
• The Tapas drones being developed by the Aeronautical Development Establishment Laboratory have not been able to fully meet the Joint Services Qualitative Requirements of flying at 30,000 feet for over 24 hours at a stretch and have been excluded from the category of mission mode projects.
• The Tactical Airborne Platform for Aerial Surveillance-Beyond Horizon-201 or TAPAS BH-201 is a medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle being developed in India by Aeronautical Development Establishment on the lines of General Atomics MQ-1 Predator.
• Range: 1,000 km
• Weight: 1,800 kg
• First flight: 15 November 2016
• Top speed: 225 km/h
• Manufacturer: Bharat Electronics; Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
• Designer: Aeronautical Development Establishment
• Developed from: DRDO Rustom-H

Committee Recommends Major Changes In DRDO

• A high-level committee set up to revamp the Defence Research and Development Organisation has suggested having two secretaries in the organisation along with setting up a Defence Technology Commission.
• The recommendations have been made by the Professor Vijay Raghavan committee, which submitted its report to the Defence Ministry on January 1.
• Defence sources said the commission has been recommended to be set up under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister, with various other stakeholders as its part. The committee has also recommended the merger of existing over 50 laboratories into around 10 larger ones, reducing the number of directors and removing the role of the cluster Director generals.

BEL Receives Additional Orders Worth Rs 1034.31 Cr

• Aerospace and defence PSU Bharat Electronics on Wednesday announced that it had received two orders amounting to Rs 1034.31 crore since its last disclosure on December 26. The company received a order worth Rs 695 crore from MDL, for supply of spares related to missile systems.
• The Bengaluru-based company had also received an order worth Rs 339.31 crore, related to Combat Management System, Composite Communication System, Transmit / Receive Modules, Mobile Autonomous Stabilization System and other spares / services. Its cumulative orders are now up to Rs 27,647.31 crore for the current fiscal year 2023-24.
• BEL, one of the sixteen PSUs under the Union Ministry of Defence and primarily manufactures advanced electronic products for ground and aerospace applications.

Global Firepower Rankings 2024

• The United States continues to have the most powerful military in the world, followed by Russia and China, according to the Global Firepower rankings 2024.
• India has the fourth strongest military globally, according to the index which evaluated the strength of 145 countries.
• According to the ranking, Pakistan is at number 9 while Bhutan has the least powerful military in the world.
• Notably, South Korea overtook UK and became the fifth most powerful country in the world in terms of military strength.
• GFP also analyzed the defence budgets of the 145 countries.
• US spends the most money on its military with a defence budget of $831 billion. It’s followed by China ($227 billion), Russia ($107 billion) and India ($74 million).

NDA, India’s Best Defence Institution, Completes 75 Years Of March To Glory

• The National Defence Academy (NDA) in Pune, India, celebrates its 75th anniversary. The NDA has produced over 42,000 officers for the Indian armed forces and trained officers for friendly foreign countries.
• It has also trained the chiefs of staff of all three services from the same batch three times. The NDA is considered one of the country’s most prestigious military academies and has played a crucial role in India’s battles and wars since independence. The academy has adapted to changing warfare dynamics and continues to strive for excellence and innovation.
• The committee transformed the Indian Military Academy at Dehradun in 1946, naming it the Armed Forces Academy and splitting it into two wings — the “Inter-Services Wing” (later known as the Joint Services Wing) and the “Military Wing”.
• Eventually, the joint-training for all three services began in the Inter-Services Wing in January 1949, working out of Dehradun for exactly six years, before moving to the current NDA in Khadakwasla, near Pune, on the same day in 1955.
• To be sure, though NDA operated out of Dehradun for six years and has been based out of the Khadakwasla complex for 69 years, the army is considering January 16, 1949 as the institution’s foundation day.

Parakram Diwas

• Parakram Diwas is celebrated to commemorate the 127th birth anniversary of freedom fighter Subhas Chandra Bose.
• Subhash Chandra Bose Jayanti officially known as Parakram Diwas, every year on January 23, people commemorate Bose Jayanti, also known as Parakram Diwas, in remembrance of Netaji’s courage as one of India’s greatest liberation fighters. This year it will also be celebrated on 23rd January 2024.
• It aims to pay tribute to Indian heroes, several of whom had made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the sovereignty and integrity of India.
• Subhas Chandra Bose was born on 23rd January 1897, in Cuttack, Orissa Division, Bengal Province, to Prabhavati Dutt Bose and Janakinath Bose.

EXERCISE KHANJAR 2024

• The 11th edition of India-Kyrgyzstan Joint Special Forces Exercise KHANJAR has commenced at the Special Forces Training School in Bakloh, Himachal Pradesh. The exercise is scheduled to be conducted from 22nd January to 3rd February 2024. It is an annual event conducted alternatively in both the countries.
• The Indian Army contingent comprising 20 personnel is being represented by troops from The Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) and the Kyrgyzstan contingent comprising 20 personnel is represented by Scorpion Brigade.
• Aim of the exercise is to exchange experiences and best practices in Counter Terrorism and Special Forces Operations in Built-up Area and Mountainous Terrain under Chapter VII of UN Charter. The exercise will emphasise on developing Special Forces skills, advanced techniques of insertion and extraction.

EXERCISE ‘CYCLONE’

• The Indian Army contingent comprising 25 personnel reached Egypt to take part in the 2nd edition of India-Egypt Joint Special Forces Exercise CYCLONE.  The Exercise will be conducted at Anshas, Egypt from 22nd January to 1st February 2024.  The first edition of the exercise was conducted last year in India.
• The Indian contingent is being represented by troops from The Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) and Egyptian contingent comprising 25 personnel is being represented by Egyptian Commando Squadron and Egyptian Airborne Platoon.

NATO’s Steadfast Defender Exercise

• Russia has strongly reacted to NATO’s Steadfast Defender 2024 exercises involving about 90,000 troops. Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko sharply criticised the military exercises in an interaction with the state RIA news agency in remarks published on Sunday.
• NATO said on Thursday it was launching its largest exercise since the Cold War involving some 90,000 troops. The exercise is aimed at rehearsing how US troops could aid European allies in countries bordering Russia and on the alliance’s eastern flank in a situation of a conflict. However, the alliance didn’t mention Russia by name in its announcement.
• Steadfast Defender 2024 exercise has sparked discussions among some social media users, leading to conjecture that Nato might be preparing for a prospective confrontation with Russia in the future. As per a Newsweek report, on Alex Jones’ InfoWars podcast, conservative commentator Jack Posobiec interpreted Nato’s description of the exercise as “a simulated emerging conflict scenario against a near-peer adversary” to mean “it’s going to be a war game with Russia.”

UK Successfully Tests Groundbreaking Laser Technology

• A team of UK scientists and engineers has recently demonstrated the successful deployment of a high-power laser system to neutralize drones. This achievement, part of the GBP 30 million Dragon Fire technology program, marks a significant advancement in defensive capabilities.
• The recent field test, conducted off the coast of Scotland, showcased the effectiveness of lasers in countering unmanned aerial threats without the need for costly missiles.
• In 2017, the UK government agency Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, in collaboration with missiles manufacturer MBDA, aerospace company Leonardo UK, and defense technology company QinetiQ, launched the Dragon Fire program.
• This ambitious initiative, costing GBP 30 million, aimed to develop a laser-based system capable of shooting down drones. Recently, DragonFire passed its first field test by successfully intercepting and deactivating several drones with laser beams off the Scottish coast.

Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar-2024

• For the year 2024, 60 Parachute Field Hospital, Uttar Pradesh, in the Institutional category, has been selected for the Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar-2024 for its excellent work in Disaster Management.
• The Government of India, under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi, has instituted an annual award known as Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar to recognize and honour the invaluable contribution and selfless service rendered by individuals and organizations in India in the field of disaster management.
• The award is announced every year on 23rd January, the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. The award carries a cash prize of Rs. 51 lakh and a certificate in case of an institution and Rs. 5 lakh and a certificate in case of an individual.

Daljit Singh Chawdhary Assumes Charge As New SSB Chief

• A 1990-batch senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, Daljit Singh Chawdhary, took over the charge of Director General of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) on Tuesday.
• Chawdhary would be heading the SSB till November 2025, the date of his superannuation, or till further orders. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet had approved the proposal of the Ministry of Home Affairs for the appointment of Chawdhary as the new SSB Director General.
• Central Reserve Police Force’s (CRPF’s) incumbent DG and present acting SSB DG Anish Dayal Singh handed over the customary baton to Daljit Singh Chawdhary at SSB headquarters in New Delhi.

Exercise Desert Knight 2024

• On 23 Jan 24, the IAF conducted Exercise Desert Knight along with French Air and Space Force and UAE Air Force. While the French participation included the Rafale fighter aircraft and a Multi Role Tanker Transport, the UAE Air Force fielded the F-16.
• These aircraft operated from the Al Dhafra air base in the UAE. The IAF contingent comprised of Su-30 MKI, MiG-29, Jaguar, AWACS, C-130-J and Air to Air Refueller aircraft. The exercise in Indian FIR was conducted over the Arabian Sea, with IAF aircraft operating from bases within India.
• The main focus of Exercise Desert Knight was on enhancing synergy and interoperability between the three Air Forces. The interactions during the exercise facilitated the exchange of operational knowledge, experiences and best practices amongst the participants.
• Such exercises are indicative of the growing diplomatic and military interactions in the region, apart from showcasing the prowess of the IAF.
• Other Defence Exercises
• Garuda – Air exercise
• Desert Knight – Air exercise
• Shakti – Army exercise
• Varuna- Naval Exercise

Defence Ministry Seals Rs 1,070 Cr Deal With MDL

• The defence ministry sealed a Rs 1,070 crore deal with Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd for procurement of 14 fast patrol vessels for the Indian Coast Guard. The multi-role fast patrol vessels will be indigenously designed, developed and manufactured by MDL and will be delivered in 63 months.
• “Along with several high-tech advanced features and equipment, these FPVs will be equipped with multipurpose drones, wirelessly-controlled remote water rescue craft lifebuoy and AI capability,” it said.
• “In line with the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, the contract will boost the nation’s indigenous shipbuilding capability, bolstering maritime economic activities and foster growth of ancillary industries especially the MSME Sector,” it said.

Launch Of Ammunition Cum Torpedo Cum Missile Barge 

• The launch of ‘Ammunition Cum Torpedo Cum Missile Barge, LSAM 19 (Yard 129)’, 5th Barge of 11 x ACTCM Barge Project, built by MSME Shipyard, M/s Suryadipta Projects Pvt Ltd, Thane for Indian Navy, was undertaken on 24 Jan 24 at M/s Suryadipta Project Pvt Ltd (Launch site of M/s SPPL).
  • The contract for building 11 X ACTCM Barge was signed between MoD and M/s Suryadipta Projects Pvt Ltd, Thane on 05 Mar 21. The availability of these Barges would provide impetus to operational commitments of IN by facilitating Transportation, Embarkation and Disembarkation of articles/ ammunition to IN Ships both alongside jetties and at outer harbours.
  • These Barges are indigenously designed and built under relevant Naval Rules and Regulation of Indian Register of Shipping. The model testing of the Barge during design stage was undertaken at Naval Science and Technological Laboratory, Visakhapatnam.

Milan 2024: Indian Navy To Play Key Role In Nation-Building

• The significance of the maritime domain has held its importance for ages, as it has helped bridge the continents for a long time. Navies across the world have been the shining ambassadors of their respective nation’s international diplomatic efforts.
• The strategic location of the Indian subcontinent has made it a focal point for trade and international relations, through which there has been a constant exchange of cultures, resources, assets and ideas.
• MILAN 24 would be the twelfth edition of this exercise and it would be conducted from February 19-27 at Visakhapatnam.
• MILAN 24 is likely to witness its largest-ever participation, with invites being extended to over 50 friendly foreign navies.
• The exercise resonates with India’s international diplomatic efforts, namely ‘Act East policy’ and ‘Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR)’.
• The exercise—MILAN, which translates into ‘meeting’ or ‘gathering’ in Hindi, was incepted in 1995 as a biennial multinational event that flourished under the aegis of the Andaman and Nicobar commands till its 10th edition and later shifted to Visakhapatnam with the 11th edition.

Ace Shooter Preeti Rajak becomes first woman Subedar of Indian Army   

• In a proud moment for the Indian Army, Havildar Preeti Rajak, ace trap shooter was promoted to the rank of Subedar. Subedar Preeti Rajak is now the First woman Subedar of Indian Army. Her achievement is an extraordinary display of Nari Shakti.
• Subedar Preeti Rajak joined the Indian Army in the Corps of Military Police on December 22, 2022, based on her proven performance in Trap Shooting. She is the 1^st Meritorious Sportswoman in Shooting discipline enrolled in the Indian Army as a Havildar.
• During the 19th Asian Games 2022, held in Hangzhou, China on 21 Sep-01 Oct 2023, Sub Preeti Rajak won the Silver Medal in the Trap Women Team Event.
• Based on her extraordinary performance, she was awarded the first out-of-turn promotion to Subedar and Lt Gen Gajendra Joshi, Commandant Infantry School chaired the pipping ceremony and hailed the shooter for her excellent performance.

Exercise ‘SADA TANSEEQ’

• The inaugural edition of joint military exercise ‘SADA TANSEEQ’ between India and Saudi Arabia will be held from January 29 to February 10 in Rajasthan, Army officials said.
• Taking to X, the Indian Army said, “JOINT MILITARY EXERCISE BETWEEN INDIA & SAUDI ARABIA. Exercise #SadaTanseeq. The inaugural edition of Joint Military Exercise ‘SADA TANSEEQ’ between India and Saudi Arabia will be held from 29 Jan to 10 Feb 2024 in #Rajasthan.”
• “The exercise aims to enhance synergy, interoperability and joint manship by learning & sharing best practices between the Armies of both nations,” the post added.

Squadron Leader Nikita Malhotra Conferred With Vayu Sena Medal

• Nikita Malhotra, a Squadron Leader of the Indian Air Force (IAF), was awarded the Vayu Sena Medal for Gallantry on the 75th Republic Day.
• She was also part of the Tangail formation of fighters during the flypast over the Kartavya Path on Friday. She was piloting a Dornier aircraft of the formation which included one Dakota aircraft and two Dorniers.
• Based on the twin themes of ‘Viksit Bharat’ and ‘Bharat-Loktantra ki Matruka‘, this year’s parade witnessed the participation of around 13,000 special guests.

Delhi Police All-Women Team Wins Republic Day Best Marching Contingent Award

• An all-women contingent of the Delhi Police that marched down the Kartavya Path during the 75th Republic Day Parade has been adjudged the Best Marching Contingent this year. On Martyrs’ Day (January 30), the Delhi Marching Contingent will receive the esteemed award.
• On January 26, the Delhi Policewomen contingent made headlines as it was the first time in the history of the force that only women personnel marched on Republic Day. In addition to this, 80 percent of the participants this year were from the northeastern states.

Defence Current Affairs Monthly January Question

1. DRDO Celebrated 66th Foundation Day On
   A. 31 Dec 2023
   B. 01 January 2024
   C. 02 January 2024
   D. None
   ANSWER: C
2. Rajnath Singh Inaugurates First All-girls Sainik School At
   A. Pune
   B. Lucknow
   C. Vrindavan
   D. None
   ANSWER: C
3. Ex ‘Desert Cyclone Conducted b/w India &
   A. Qatar
   B. Oman
   C. UAE
   D. Maldives
   ANSWER: C
4. ___Took Over As Vice Chief of the Naval Staff.
   A. Vice Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi
   B. Vice Admiral Aman Rastogi
   C. Vice Admiral R Hari Kumar
   D. None
   ANSWER: A
5. Ugram Is A
   A. Assault Rifle
   B. Tank
   C. Helicopter
   D. Destroyer
   ANSWER: A
6. Which Edition of Exercise Sea Dragon Conducting in 2024?
   A. 4th
   B. 55th
   C. 6th
   D. 7th
   ANSWER: A
7. __Conducted a successful flight-test of the New Generation AKASH Missile.
   A. DRDO
   B. ICG
   C. ISRO
   D. None
   ANSWER: D
8. Who Assumed Charge As The Director General Naval Operations (DGNO) on 15 Jan 2024.
   A. Vice Admiral AN Pramod
   B. Admiral AN Pramod
   C. Rear Admiral AN Pramod
   D. None
   ANSWER: A
9. Tapas Drone Developed By
   A. DRDO
   B. Boeing
   C. NASA
   D. IAI
   ANSWER: A
10. Armed Forces Veterans Day Celebrated On
    A. Jan 14
    B. Jan 15
    C. Jan 16
    D. Jan 17
    ANSWER: A
11. In The 2024 Global Firepower Military Strength Rankings, Which Position Did
    India Claim?
    A. Fifth
    B. Second
    C. Fourth
    D. Sixth
    ANSWER: C
12. In Which Country Did The Indian Navy’s P-8I Aircraft Arrived For Exercise Sea
    Dragon 24?
    A. UAE
    B. United States of America
    C. United Kingdom
    D. Australia
    ANSWER: B
13. Theme of 75th Republic Day Parade Is
    A. Viksit Bharat
    B. Bharat – Loktantra ki Matruka
    C. Only A
    D. Both A & B
    ANSWER: D
14. __Has Been Selected For The Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan
    Puraskar-2024.
    A. 40 Parachute Field Hospital, UP
    B. 50 Parachute Field Hospital, MP
    C. 60 Parachute Field Hospital, UP
    D. 70 Parachute Field Hospital, UP
    ANSWER: C
15. __Edition of India-Kyrgyzstan Joint Special Forces Exercise KHANJAR has
    commenced.
    A. 10th
    B. 11th
    C. 12th
    D. 13th
    ANSWER: B
16. Exercise Desert Knight Conducted B/W Bharat &
    A. Qatar
    B. Oman
    C. France
    D. Maldives
    ANSWER: C
17. Defence Ministry Seals Rs 1,070 Cr Deal With
    A. MDL
    B. CSL
    C. GRSE
    D. HSL
    ANSWER: A
18. MILAN 24 Would Be The __ Edition of This Year.
    A. 11th
    B. 12th
    C. 13th
    D. 14th
    ANSWER: B
19. The DRDO tableau was themed In RD Parade 2024 __.
    A. Self-reliance in Defence
    B. Self-reliance in Technology
    C. Self-reliance in Defence Technology
    D. None
    ANSWER: C
20. President’s Tatrakshak Medal Is Given To
    A. ICG
    B. IAF
    C. BSF
    D. NSG
    ANSWER: A
21. Who Becomes First Woman Subedar Of Indian Army?
    A. Havildar Preeti Rajak
    B. Havildar Sucheta
    C. Havildar Neha Tyagi
    D. None
    ANSWER: A
22. Exercise ‘SADA TANSEEQ’ Conducted b/w India &
    A. Qatar
    B. Oman
    C. UAE
    D. SAUDI ARABIA
    ANSWER: D
23. Bharat Drone Shakti 2023 Held In
    A. UP
    B. MP
    C. MH
    D. HP
    ANSWER: A
24. _Wins Republic Day Best Marching Contingent Award.
    A. CRPF
    B. Delhi Police
    C. IAF
    D. NSG
    ANSWER: B
25. Which INS Has Successfully Rescued Iranian Fishermen?
    A. INS Sumitra
    B. INS Delhi
    C. INS Kripan
    D. INS Mumbai
    ANSWER: A
26. __ Is The Largest Defense Contractors in the World.
    A. Lockheed Martin
    B. Boeing
    C. Raytheon Technologies
    D. None of the above
    ANSWER: A
27. Ex ‘IBSAMAR’ Conducted b/w India &
    A. South Africa, Oman
    B. South Africa, Brazil
    C. Sri Lanka, Oman
    D. None
    ANSWER: B
28. ECIL Stands For
    A. Electronics Corporation of India Limited
    B. Electronics Corporate of India Limited
    C. Electrical Corporation of India Limited
    D. None
    ANSWER: A
29. The World’s Biggest Employer of The World Is
    A. Walmart
    B. Amazon
    C. Ministry of Defence(India)
    D. Foxconn
    ANSWER: C
30. ISRO Is Ramping Up Its Efforts To Build Its Own Space Station By__.
    A. 2022
    B. 2025
    C. 2027
    D. 2035
    ANSWER: D

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