Monthly Defence Current Affairs June 2024

In Monthly Defence Current Affairs for June 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 June 2024

16-yr-old Kaamya Karthikeyan becomes youngest Indian to scale Mt Everest

• Sixteen-year-old Kaamya Karthikeyan claims to be the youngest Indian and second-youngest girl in the world to scale Mount Everest.
• The 16-year-old said she was 7 when she took her first trek in Uttarakhand.
• A class 12 student of Navy Children School, Mumbai, at 16, Karthikeyan successfully summitted Mt Everest on May 20, 2024, with her father, Cdr S Karthikeyan of the Indian Navy. S Karthikeyan said “it is a “proud moment for the country.”
• Mount Everest is Earth’s highest mountain above sea level, located in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas. The China–Nepal border runs across its summit point. Its elevation of 8,848.86 m was most recently established in 2020 by the Chinese and Nepali authorities.

Agnikul Launches Agnibaan With India’s First 3D-Printed Rocket Engine

• In a significant milestone for India’s private space industry, Agnikul Cosmos successfully launched its SOrTeD mission, a single-stage launch vehicle demonstration powered by a semi-cryogenic 3D-printed engine.
• The mission, which lasted approximately two minutes, marked a major achievement for the company and the country in the development of indigenous space technology.
• ISRO congratulated the Chennai-based space start-up, terming the launch “a major milestone”.
• The SOrTeD mission, which was initially scheduled to launch on April 7 but was postponed due to technical glitches, finally took off from India’s first private launchpad, ALP-01, located at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
• The mission featured a 6.2-meter-tall single-stage launch vehicle with an elliptical nose cone and was equipped with advanced avionics architecture and autopilot software developed in-house.
• The Agnilet engine, the world’s first single-piece 3D-printed semi-cryogenic rocket engine, powered the vehicle. The mission included a series of precise manoeuvres, including a pitch-over manoeuvre and wind biasing, before splashing down in the Bay of Bengal.

India-US Discussions Underway For $3.9 Billion MQ-9B Drones Acquisition

• A team from the United States is in India for discussions on the MQ-9B drones being acquired by the armed forces for an estimated $3.9 billion which is yet to be inked as final talks on technology sharing continue.

Here’s your 5-point cheatsheet on the drone deal

• The MQ-9B is a next-generation remotely piloted aircraft that delivers persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance around the globe, says General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc.
• India will buy 31 MQ-9Bs. Of this, the navy will get 15 MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones, and the army and the air force will get eight each of the land attack and reconnaissance version called SkyGuardian.
• The Biden administration yesterday informed the US Congress on its plan to sell 31 MQ-9B long-endurance drones to India. The deal was announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US in June 2023.
• The MQ-9B SkyGuardian is the army and air force version. It can fly over the horizon via satellite for up to 40 hours or more in all types of weather, and safely integrate into civil airspace, enabling joint forces and civil authorities to deliver real-time situational awareness anywhere in the world, day or night.
• The MQ-9B SeaGuardian is the maritime-focused sibling of the SkyGuardian. SeaGuardian can also fly over the horizon via satellite for over 30 hours (depending on configuration). This versatile maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft also has a self-contained anti-submarine warfare mission kit.

Maj Gen Harsh Chhibber takes over as Commandant, College of Defence Management

• Maj Gen Harsh Chhibber took over as the Commandant, College of Defence Management, Secunderabad on 31 May 24 from Rear Admiral Sanjay Datt. An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Major General Harsh Chhibber was commissioned into the Army Service Corps in December 1988.
• Maj Gen Harsh Chhibber holds a PhD on Public Policy along with two M.Phil degrees in Business Management and Public Administration. He has also undertaken Technical Staff Officers Course, Higher Defence Management Course and the Advanced Professional Programme in Public Administration.

MoD Inks MoU With Four Banks To Onboard Them As SPARSH Service

• Defence Accounts Department, Ministry of Defence has signed MoUs with Bank of India, Canara Bank, Central Bank of India and Utkarsh Small Finance Bank in New Delhi to onboard them as SPARSH [System for Pension Administration (Raksha)] Service Centres across 1,128 branches of the four banks across the country.
• The MoUs will provide last-mile connectivity to pensioners, especially in remote areas where they do not have technical wherewithal to log on to SPARSH.
• These Service Centres will become an interface for pensioners for SPARSH, providing an effective medium to update their profile; register grievances; digital annual identification; data verification, besides fetching detailed information regarding their monthly pension.
• With these MoUs, SPARSH Services would now be available at over 26,000 branches of a total of 15 banks across the country. This is in addition to 199 dedicated service centres of DAD, and more than 3.75 lakh Common Service Centers across the country.

ISRO Chairman Inaugurates HAL Facilities

• ISRO Chairman S Somnath inaugurated state-of-the-art propellant tank production and computer numerical control (CNC) machining facilities at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s Aerospace Division here, boosting rocket manufacturing capacity .
• HAL said the facilities would provide a major boost to ISRO’s ability to meet its growing production needs, particularly for the Launch Vehicle Mark-3, India’s heaviest and most powerful rocket.
• During the inauguration, Somanath said HAL has enormous capacities and this potential should be explored in the larger interest of both the organisations.
• The propellant tank production facility will specialize in manufacturing of high-performance fuel and oxidizer tanks, critical components for the LVM3 launch vehicle of size 4m in diameter and up to 15m in length.

First Command And Control Compatibility Board Meeting

• The first Command and Control Compatibility Board (CCCB) meeting for 2024 between India and the U.S. was held at Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi from 04-07 June 2024.
• The meeting had participation of a 29-member United States delegation led by Mr Paul Nicholson, Executive Director, US INDOPACOM and a 38 member Indian delegation led by Brigadier Rahul Anand of Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff.
• The CCCB is the Technical Expert Group formed under Article XI of the Communication Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) between India and USA and is held twice a year.  After signing of the historic agreement in September 2018, this is the seventh such meeting between both nations to calibrate, reinforce and achieve steady progress in the bilateral Defence partnership.

Sub-Lt Anamika Rajeev is Navy’s First Woman Helicopter Pilot

• After IAF and Army, Indian Navy has also begun inducting women as helicopter pilots, with sub-lieutenant Anamika B Rajeev becoming the first to get the “golden wings” at the passing-out parade at naval air station INS Rajali in Tamil Nadu’s Arakkonam.
• In another milestone, Lieutenant Jamyang Tsewang, the first officer from Ladakh to be commissioned into the Navy, also successfully graduated as a qualified helicopter pilot.
• The two were among the 21 pilots of the 102nd helicopter conversion course to be awarded the “golden wings” by Eastern Naval Command chief vice admiral Rajesh Pendharkar at the parade on Friday.
• The naval pilots underwent the 22-week training programme at INS Rajali after initial training with IAF. While the Navy already has women pilots flying the Dornier-228 maritime patrol aircraft, Sub-Lt Rajeev is the first to gain entry into the force’s helicopter fleet that includes Chetaks, Sea Kings, Dhruvs and the spanking new submarine-hunting MH-60R Seahawk helicopters, which are armed with Hellfire missiles, MK-54 torpedoes and precision-kill rockets.

Army Gets Nagastra-1, India’s First Indigenous Suicide Drone

• In a significant stride towards achieving ‘atmanirbharta’ (self-reliance) in ammunition and defence systems, the Indian Army is set to induct its first indigenous loiter munition, Nagastra-1. Developed by Solar Industries, Nagpur, the Army has placed a supply order for Economics Explosives Ltd (EEL), a 100 per cent subsidiary of Solar Industries, to supply 480 loiter munitions.
• Following a successful Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI) from May 20-25, EEL delivered the first batch of 120 units to the ammunition depot at Pulgaon. The Nagastra-1 excels in “kamikaze mode” by neutralising hostile threats with GPS-enabled precision strikes, boasting an accuracy of up to two metres.
• Weighing 9 kg, this man-portable fixed-wing electric UAV has an endurance of 30 minutes. It offers a 15 km range with man-in-loop control and extends up to 30 km in autonomous mode. Due to its electric propulsion system, Nagastra-1 provides a low acoustic signature, making it almost undetectable at altitudes over 200 metres.

Ajit Doval Reappointed As National Security Adviser: Government Order

• Ajit Doval has been reappointed as the National Security Adviser for a third term, as per a government order issued on Thursday.
• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved Doval’s appointment with effect from June 10.
• “His appointment will be co-terminus with the term of the Prime Minister or until further orders, whichever is earlier,” the order read.
• Even before the extension, Doval is the longest-serving NSA. He served his first term of 5 years beginning 2014, and his second term in 2019. His last term ended on June 5.
• Meanwhile, the Centre on Thursday reappointed Pramod Kumar Mishra as the principal secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• The appointments committee of the cabinet also re-appointed PK Mishra as the Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• With PM Narendra Modi reappointing Dr P K Mishra as Principal Secretary to PM and Ajit Doval as National Security Advisor, the two retired bureaucrats have become the longest-serving principal advisors to the Prime Minister.

Exercise Red Flag 2024 Concluded

• IAF contingent participated in the Exercise Red Flag 2024 conducted at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska of the United States Air Force, from 04 Jun to 14 Jun 24. This was the second edition of Ex Red Flag 2024, which is an advanced aerial combat training exercise, held four times in a year by the US Air Force.
• The exercise witnessed participation of the Indian Air Force along with Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), Royal Air Force of the United Kingdom, Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF), German Luftwaffe, and the US Air Force.
• This was the first time the IAF Rafale aircraft participated in Ex Red Flag, wherein, they operated alongside the RSAF and USAF F-16 and F-15s, and the USAF A-10 aircraft.

HAL Gets Over Rs 45,000-crore Defence Ministry Tender For 156 LCH

• In a big boost for Made in India in defence, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on Monday said the Defence Ministry has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for 156 Light Combat Helicopters (LCH).
• “In terms of Regulation 30 of the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015, we would like to inform that, Request for Proposal (RFP) has been issued by the Ministry of Defence for the procurement of 156 Light Combat Helicopter (90 nos. for IA and 66 nos. for IAF),” the Bengluru-based PSU stated in a regulatory filing on Monday.
• LCHs also known as the Prachand, is the world’s only attack helicopter that can land and take off at an altitude of 5,000 meters (16,400 ft), which makes it ideal to operate in the high-altitude areas of the Siachen glacier and Eastern Ladakh.
• The HAL Prachand is an Indian multi-role light attack helicopter designed and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited under Project LCH. It has been ordered by the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army. Its flight ceiling is the highest among all attack helicopters.
• Engine type: Safran Ardiden
• Manufacturer: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
• Top speed: 268 km/h
• Range: 700 km
• Weight: 2,250 kg

India’s Nuclear Stockpile Crosses Pakistan For First Time In 25 years: SIPRI

• For the first time in 25 years, the Indian nuclear weapons stockpiled has surpassed that of Pakistan, with a leading global tracker assessing that India now has 172 warheads, against 170 estimated to be with Pakistan.
• The latest report by arms tracker SIPRI also suggests that for the first time, China has put its nuclear weapons on high operational alert, mating warheads with delivery platforms like long-range missiles for short-notice strikes.
• Nine nuclear-armed nations including the US, Russia, France, China, India and Pakistan, continued to modernise their nuclear arsenals and several of them deployed new nuclear-capable weapon systems in 2023.
• In its analysis, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said China’s nuclear arsenal increased from 410 warheads in January 2023 to 500 in January 2024, and it is expected to keep growing.

iCET Meet: Doval, Sullivan focus on co-production, co-development, R&D

• NSA Ajit K Doval and US NSA Jake Sullivan set the vision for the next chapter of strategic technology partnership with a focus on co-production, co-development, and research and development (R&D) opportunities during the second iCET meeting held here on Monday.
• Under iCET, both countries have identified six areas of cooperation which would include co-development and co-production, that would gradually be expanded to QUAD, then to NATO, followed by Europe and the rest of the world.
• Under iCET, India is ready to share its core technologies with the US and expects Washington to do the same.
• It aims to promote collaboration in critical and emerging technology areas, including AI, quantum computing, semiconductors, and wireless telecommunication.

Focus Areas of the Initiative

• AI research agency partnership.
• Defense industrial cooperation, defense technological cooperation, and defense startups.
• Innovation Ecosystems.
• Semiconductor ecosystem development.
• Cooperation on human spaceflight.
• Advancement in 5G and 6G technologies, and adoption of OpenRAN network technology in India.

CDS Gen Anil Chauhan Releases Joint Doctrine For Cyberspace Operations

• CDS Gen Anil Chauhan unveiled a joint doctrine for conducting cyberspace operations by the three services, in a significant move aimed at streamlining operations in the key domain.
• The doctrine lays emphasis on understanding military aspects of cyberspace operations and provides conceptual guidance to the military in planning and achieving desired objectives in the domain.
• The release of the key document came as the government looked at rolling out theatre commands to bolster India’s military might.
• The defence ministry said operations in cyberspace need to be “dovetailed” into the national security fabric, to evolve the ‘ends’, ‘ways’ and ‘means’ to “create advantage and influence events in all other operational environments and across all instruments of power”.

Submachine Gun Made By Hyderabad Company Set To Be Inducted By Army

• A city-based new small arms manufacturing entrant has hit the bull’s eye with its debut weapon – a 9×19 mm calibre submachine gun ‘ASMI’ – making it the first indigenously designed, developed and manufactured weapon to be inducted into the Army.
• The Army is not the only taker for ASMI. It has already delivered pilot lots of 10 guns each to NSG, which is testing it, and to Assam Rifles, which has cleared the gun for further induction. It has also bagged a pilot order for four guns from the Border Security Force (BSF). The Army order has to be fulfilled by Sept 28.
• The firm, which got the basic design from Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE), Pune, and the Army, developed it further and manufactured it at its 12,000 units per annum factory at Toopran on city outskirts.

Putin And Kim Jong-un Forge ‘Breakthrough’ Partnership

• Vladimir Putin has declared a significant elevation in ties b/w Russia and North Korea, emphasising a commitment to mutual assistance in the event of aggression, following what he described as a “breakthrough” strategic partnership announced during his rare visit to the reclusive state.
• Thousands of North Koreans chanting “welcome Putin” lined the city’s wide boulevards brandishing Russian and North Korean flags and bouquets of flowers as Putin commenced his first visit to North Korea in 24 years.
• The leaders signed a comprehensive partnership agreement that supersedes previous accords from 1961, 2000, and 2001. Putin elaborated on the agreement, stating, “The comprehensive partnership agreement signed today includes, among other things, the provision of mutual assistance in the event of aggression against one of the parties to this agreement.”
• Russia received over 10,000 containers from North Korea since September, equivalent to 260,000 metric tons of munitions or related material, with at least 10 North Korean-made missiles launched on Ukraine by Russian forces.

Cabinet Approves N. F. l. E. S.

• The Union Cabinet chaired by PM Narendra Modi today approved  the proposal of Ministry of Home Affairs for Central Sector Scheme “National Forensic Infrastructure Enhancement Scheme (NFIES) with a total financial outlay of Rs. 2254.43 crore during the period from 2024-25 to 2028-29.
• The Cabinet has approved the following components under this Scheme:
• i. Establishment   of  Campuses   of  the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) in the country.
• ii. Establishment of Central Forensic Science Laboratories in the country.
• iii. Enhancement of existing infrastructure of the Delhi Campus of the NFSU.
• The Government of India is committed to put in place an effective and efficient criminal justice system, based on scientific and timely forensic examination of evidence. The scheme underscores the importance of high quality, trained forensic professionals in the timely and scientific examination of evidence for an efficient criminal justice process, leveraging the advancements in technology & evolving manifestations and methods of crime.

Lt Gen NS Raja Subramani To Be Next VCOAS

• Lt Gen NS Raja Subramani is set to be the next Vice Chief of Army Staff with the government clearing his appointment to the post, official sources said on Thursday. The officer, who is presently helming the Army’s Central Command, will succeed Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi.
• Lt Gen Dwivedi, currently serving as the Vice Chief, will be the next Chief of the Army Staff when incumbent Gen Manoj Pande retires on June 30. Lt Gen Subramani was commissioned into the Garhwal Rifles in 1985. He has a distinguished and illustrious military career spanning more than 37 years.
• Two new officers will take over as Army Commanders including Northern Command Chief of Staff Lt Gen Anindya Sengupta, who is likely to head Central Command in Lucknow on promotion.
• Western Command Chief of Staff Lt Gen Devendra Sharma is likely to move to Shimla to head the Training Command there.
• The Corps are also going to get new chiefs as the Leh-based 14 Corps is going to get a new chief in Major General Hitesh Bhalla. He will be putting up his new rank of Lieutenant General on July 1 in his new office and will succeed Lt Gen Rashim Bali.

World Hydrography Day 2024

• On 21 June every year, the International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO) celebrates the World Hydrography Day to raise awareness about hydrography and how it plays a vital role in improved knowledge of the seas and oceans.
• The theme for 2024 is “Hydrographic Information – Enhancing Safety, Efficiency and Sustainability in Marine Activities” in consideration of the on-going transformation in navigation, such as e-navigation, autonomous shipping and reduction of emissions leading to a profound evolution of hydrographic services.
• The department as NAVAREA VIII coordinator, covering an area of 26 Million sq. km of Indian Ocean, shares information concerning safety of navigation at sea through the web portal “India WINS – Indian Warning Information and Navigation Services”.
• In line with Government of India’s SAGAR initiative, the survey ships of the Indian Navy have conducted various joint survey operations with friendly foreign nations covering an area of 89000 sq. km in the last five years and have produced 96 charts.

India, Qatar discuss sale of Mirage 2000 fighters to IAF

• A high-powered team from Qatar is in the capital to discuss the possible sale of 12 ‘sparingly used’ Mirage 2000 fighters to the Indian Air Force, which will boost its combat aircraft strength at a time when legacy MiG fighters are being steadily retired from service.
  • Sources said that the Qatari jets, which are configured to Mirage 2000-5 modernisation standards, can be a good addition to the two Mirage squadrons already in service with the air force. One of the mainstay strike fighters of the IAF, the French origin Mirage 2000s are no longer in production but are expected to stay in the Indian inventory for another decade.
  • The Dassault Mirage 2000 is a French multirole, single-engine, delta wing, fourth-generation jet fighter manufactured by Dassault Aviation. It was designed in the late 1970s as a lightweight fighter to replace the Mirage III for the French Air Force.
  • Top speed: 2,336 km/h
  • Engine types: Turbofan, Snecma M53
  • First flight: 10 March 1978
  • Unit cost: 23,000,000–23,000,000 USD
  • Manufacturer: Dassault Aviation
  • Wingspan: 9.13 m
  • Length: 14 m

Pakistan Govt Approves Deployment Of Frontier Constabulary In PoK

• Pakistan’s federal government on Sunday approved the deployment of the paramilitary force Frontier Constabulary in PoK which was rocked by protests last month, during which several people were killed. As many as six platoons of the paramilitary force will be deployed in the region for three months.
• The decision to deploy the Frontier Constabulary comes a day after Pakistan announced to launch a major new operation against terrorism with a renewed commitment.
• The protests, against inflation and high electricity prices, were led by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) and had traders at the forefront in most parts of the region.
• Pakistan on Saturday announced to launch Operation Azm-i- Istehkam (strong commitment), against terrorism with a renewed commitment to eradicate militancy from the country.

IAF To Acquire 6 Tapas Drones

• In a major boost to enhancing indigenous unmanned surveillance capabilities of defence forces, the Indian Air Force has made a proposal to the central government to buy 10 Tapas drones, officials said.
• Out of the 10, six Made-in-India drones would be for the Indian Air Force, while the remaining four would be for the Indian Navy.
• Tapas drones are medium-altitude long, endurance-category drones that have been developed indigenously by the Defence Research and Development Organisation and have to be manufactured by a consortium of Bharat Electronics Limited and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

MDL In Advanced Talks With Defence Ministry For Rs 35,000 Crore Kalvari Submarine Deal

• Talks on acquiring additional Kalvari-class (Scorpene) submarines for the Navy have progressed, with state-owned Mazagaon Dockyard Limited (MDL) in advanced discussions for a potential ₹35,000-crore deal that will help boost India’s underwater strength.
• Sources said that the new submarines — three additional Kalvari-class which are under negotiation — will be larger than their predecessor and will be packed with modern electronics that will give them better strength and longer endurance.
• That came two days after Moscow and Pyongyang reached a pact vowing mutual defense assistance if either is attacked, and a day after Seoul responded by saying it would consider providing arms to Ukraine to fight Russia’s invasion.

India, US Discussing Co-production Of Javelin Anti-Tank Missiles

• India and the US held discussions on the co-production of American javelin missiles in India to meet the requirements of the Indian military.
• The discussions on the joint production of the missiles took place recently during a high-level visit from the US to India.
• India and the US have been discussing expanding their cooperation, including joint production of military equipment. Sources said the requirement of the Army for the latest anti-tank guided missiles is quite significant and the force had to acquire a limited number of Israeli Spike ATGMs under emergency procurement to meet its requirements.

Landmark 350^th iDEX Contract Inked

• Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX), the flagship initiative of the Ministry of Defence, signed the landmark 350th contract in New Delhi on June 25, 2024. The contract was inked with Space Pixxel Technologies Pvt Ltd for the design and development of a ‘Miniaturised satellite capable of carrying Electro-Optical, Infrared, Synthetic Aperture Radar, and Hyperspectral payloads up to 150 kgs’.
• This challenge is being led by the Indian Air Force. The 150th iDEX contract was signed in December 2022, and within a span of 18 months, the 350th contract has been signed.
• iDEX, the recipient of the esteemed Prime Minister Award for Public Policy in Innovation Category in 2021, has emerged as a game-changer in the defence ecosystem.
• Established by the DIO under Department of Defence Production, iDEX has launched 11 editions of the Defence India Start-up Challenge (DISC), and recently unveiled the Acing Development of Innovative Technologies with iDEX (ADITI) scheme to promote innovations in critical and strategic defence technologies.

DRDO Hands Over Medium Range-microwave Obscurant Chaff Rocket To Indian Navy

• DRDO handed over the Medium Range-Microwave Obscurant Chaff Rocket (MR-MOCR) to the Indian Navy at a ceremony held in New Delhi on June 26, 2024.
• Microwave Obscurant Chaff (MOC), a niche technology developed by DRDO’s Defence Laboratory, Jodhpur, obscures radar signals and creates a microwave shield around platforms and assets, thus reducing radar detection.
• The Phase-I trials of MR-MOCR were successfully conducted from Indian Navy ships, demonstrating the MOC cloud blooming and being persistent in space. In Phase-II trials, the Radar Cross Section (RCS) reduction of an aerial target to the extent of 90 per cent has been demonstrated and cleared by the Indian Navy.

Mark Rutte Appointed Next NATO Chief Amid Concerns Over Russia-Ukraine Conflict

• Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte was appointed as the next chief of the transatlantic military alliance NATO on Wednesday, a development that comes during a critical time for European security amid Russia’s war in Ukraine.
• Ambassadors from the alliance’s 32 members took the decision at a meeting at the NATO headquarters in Brussels.
• The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) pompously celebrated the anniversary of its establishment on April 4, 75 years ago. On this day in 1949, western nations gathered in Washington, DC, to commit their nations to one another’s defence.
• The NATO is an intergovernmental military alliance formed in 1949. It was established with the primary goal of providing collective defence against potential aggression, particularly from the Soviet Union during the Cold War era. Over the years, NATO has evolved to address a range of security challenges beyond its original mandate.

Adani Defence and Thales Group to manufacture 70mm rockets in India

• Adani Defence & Aerospace has signed an agreement with Thales Group to manufacture 70mm rockets locally. This strategic collaboration aligns with the Indian government’s “Make in India” initiative, aiming to enhance self-reliance in defence production.
• The 70mm rockets produced under this partnership will be used by the HAL Rudra and Prachand helicopters, critical assets in India’s military operations.
• Adani Defence has partnered with Thales, Belgium to establish the manufacturing, assembly and testing in India under Buy Indian category of Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020. An exclusive partnership for India, it will also provide avenues for exports based on the competitiveness of the supply chain in India, sources said.
• India operates the HAL Rudra – attack variant of the Dhruv chopper, Light Combat Helicopter Prachand, the Apache AH-64 and the Mi-35 choppers in its attack fleet.

Multiple Choice Questions of DCA

1. Who claims to be the youngest Indian and second-youngest girl in the world to
   scale Mount Everest?
   A. Arjun Vajpai
   B. Malavath Purna
   C. Kaamya Karthikeyan
   D. Krushnaa Patil
   ANSWER: C
2. Who took over as the Commandant of the College of Defence Management,
   Secunderabad?
   A. Maj Gen Harsh Chhibber
   B. Rear Admiral Sanjay Datt
   C. Maj Gen Anil Chauhan
   D. Rear Admiral Sandeep Mehta
   ANSWER: A
3. In which location is the ‘Red Flag 24’ exercise held?
   A. United Kingdom
   B. Alaska
   C. Hawaii
   D. California
   ANSWER: B
4. What type of missile is the Rampage?
   A. Anti-aircraft defence
   B. Air-to-ground missile
   C. Anti-ship warfare
   D. Surface-to-air missile
   ANSWER: B
5. Which organization has sought USD 100 million from the Ministry of Defence
   to develop the Directionally Unrestricted Ray-Gun Array (DURGA) II?
   A. ISRO
   B. HAL
   C. BARC
   D. DRDO
   ANSWER: D
6. What is the name of the ongoing maritime security operation under which the
   Indian Navy undertook Anti Piracy Operation?
   A. Op Sankalp
   B. Op Veeram
   C. Op Defence
   D. Op Naushakti
   ANSWER: A
7. Which banks signed MoUs with the Defence Accounts Department to onboard
   them as SPARSH Service Centres?
   A. State Bank of India, HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, ICICI Bank
   B. Bank of India, Canara Bank, Central Bank of India, Utkarsh Small Finance Bank
   C. Punjab National Bank, Indian Bank, Bank of Baroda, UCO Bank
   D. Yes Bank, IDFC First Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, RBL Bank
   ANSWER: B
8. Who inaugurated the state-of-the-art propellant tank production and CNC
   machining facilities at HAL Aerospace Division?
   A. Prime Minister of India
   B. Defence Minister of India
   C. Chief of Defence Staff
   D. ISRO Chairman S Somanath
   ANSWER: D
9. Where was the first Command and Control Compatibility Board meeting for
   2024 between India and the U.S. held?
   A. Washington D.C.
   B. Paris
   C. New Delhi
   D. Mumbai
   ANSWER: C
10. Which country announced it will transfer Mirage-2000 fighter jets to Ukraine
    and train Ukrainian pilots?
    A. Germany
    B. United Kingdom
    C. France
    D. United States
    ANSWER: C
11. Which company delivered the first batch of indigenously developed Nagastra1 Loitering Munitions to the Indian Army?
    A. Bharat Electronics
    B. Larsen & Toubro
    C. Tata Advanced Systems
    D. Solar Industries
    ANSWER: D
12. Who is the woman entrepreneur behind Ingenious Research Solutions Pvt Ltd.
    that developed the AI tool “Divya Drishti”?
    A. Dr. Shivani Verma
    B. Dr. Nandini Sharma
    C. Dr. Meera Rao
    D. Dr. Anjali Gupta
    ANSWER: A
13. Where was the Exercise Red Flag 2024, in which the Indian Air Force
    participated, conducted?
    A. Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada
    B. Ramstein Air Base, Germany
    C. Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska
    D. Edwards Air Force Base, California
    ANSWER: C
14. Which organization is set to carry out trials of the indigenous shoulder-fired
    air defence missiles for the Indian Army?
    A. Bharat Electronics Limited
    B. Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
    C. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)
    D. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
    ANSWER: B
15. According to a leading global tracker SIPRI, how many nuclear warheads does
    India currently have, surpassing Pakistan for the first time in 25 years?
    A. 150
    B. 160
    C. 172
    D. 180
    ANSWER: C
16. What was the focus of the vision set by NSA Ajit K Doval and US NSA Jake
    Sullivan during the second iCET meeting?
    A. Increasing trade agreements
    B. Co-production, co-development, and R&D opportunities
    C. Enhancing military exercises
    D. Reducing tariffs on goods
    ANSWER: B
17. How many Light Combat Helicopters (LCH) has the Defence Ministry issued a
    Request for Proposal (RFP) for?
    A. 120
    B. 135
    C. 156
    D. 175
    ANSWER: C
18. What is the significance of the new skin bank facility announced by Army
    Hospital (Research & Referral) in New Delhi?
    A. It is the first skin bank facility in India.
    B. It is the first skin bank facility established within the Armed Forces Medical Services.
    C. It is the largest skin bank facility in Asia.
    D. It is the first facility to offer free skin transplants.
    ANSWER: B
19. What did Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan unveil to streamline
    cyberspace operations by the three services?
    A. A new cybersecurity law
    B. A joint doctrine for conducting cyberspace operations
    C. A national cyber defense strategy
    D. A new cyber command unit
    ANSWER: B
20. What are the three verticals of adventure training provided by the National
    Institute of Mountaineering and Adventure Sports (NIMAS)?
    A. Land, Sea, and Air
    B. Land, Aero, and Aqua
    C. Land, Desert, and Sky
    D. Mountain, Sky, and Ocean
    ANSWER: B
21. On which date is World Refugee Day celebrated every year?
    A. June 15
    B. June 18
    C. June 20
    D. June 25
    ANSWER: C
22. What is the total financial outlay for the Central Sector Scheme “NFIES”
    approved by the Union Cabinet?
    A. Rs. 2000 crore
    B. Rs. 2154.43 crore
    C. Rs. 2254.43 crore
    D. Rs. 2354.43 crore
    ANSWER: C
23. Who is set to be the next Vice Chief of Army Staff, as per the government
    clearance?
    A. Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi
    B. Lt Gen Manoj Pande
    C. Lt Gen NS Raja Subramani
    D. Lt Gen Anil Chauhan
    ANSWER: C
24. On which date is World Hydrography Day celebrated every year?
    A. June 1
    B. June 15
    C. June 21
    D. June 30
    ANSWER: C
25. What is the theme for World Hydrography Day 2024?
    A. “Exploring the Depths: The Future of Hydrography“
    B. “Hydrographic Information – Enhancing Safety, Efficiency and Sustainability in
    Marine Activities“
    C. “Mapping the Ocean: The Hydrographer’s Role“
    D. “Sustainable Seas: The Role of Hydrography”
    ANSWER: B
26. What is the name of India’s first-ever multinational air exercise scheduled for
    August 2024?
    A. Tarang Shakti
    B. Vayu Shakti
    C. Meghdoot
    D. Garuda Shakti
    ANSWER: A
27. Which two institutions signed a MoU for cooperation in Military Education in
    the field of Strategic and Operational Studies?
    A. Indian National Defence College and Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
    B. Indian Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) and US Naval War College
    C. Indian Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) and Defence Services Command
    and Staff College (DSCSC)
    D. Indian Military Academy and United States Military Academy
    ANSWER: C
28. What was the primary focus of the discussions between India and the US
    regarding American javelin missiles?
    A. Purchase of javelin missiles from the US
    B. Development of new javelin missile variants
    C. Co-production of American javelin missiles in India
    D. Joint training exercises using javelin missiles
    ANSWER: C
29. According to a report by CRISIL Ratings, by what percentage is the revenue of
    private defence companies expected to grow during the financial year 2024-
    25?
    A. 10%
    B. 15%
    C. 20%
    D. 25%
    ANSWER: C
30. Who was appointed as the next chief of NATO?
    A. Boris Johnson
    B. Emmanuel Macron
    C. Mark Rutte
    D. Angela Merkel
    ANSWER: C

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