Recent Current Affairs related to Indian Army

Union Minister Rajnath Singh has launched the ‘Greater Than Us’ fundraising campaign of the IIT Kanpur, targeting $1 billion by March 2029 to strengthen research, innovation, and technological infrastructure.

The IIT Kanpur has also announced plans to establish a defence drone hub in partnership with the Ministry of Defence to indigenise critical components and reduce dependence on imports.

The Ministry of Defence has signed a contract with Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) to procure the Improved Low Level Light Weight Radar (LLLR-I) system at a cost of ₹770 crore.

The LLLR-I system can detect and track fighter-size targets and drones, alongside an additional feature for prioritizing aerial targets.

Solar Defence and Aerospace Ltd (SDAL), a subsidiary of Solar Industries India Ltd, has delivered 450 Nagastra-1R loitering munitions to the Indian Army (IA).

The 5th edition of the India-Australia joint military exercise “AUSTRAHIND 2026” has commenced at the Foreign Training Node in Thiruvananthapuram.

120 personnel each from the Indian Army and the Australian Army participated in the exercise. The Indian contingent comprises troops from the Garhwal Rifles, while the Australian Army contingent comprises troops from the 13 Brigade.

The 14th Joint Working Group meeting between the Defence Ministries of India and Mongolia was held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The meeting reaffirmed the commitment of both nations to strengthening their bilateral defence partnership.

Sigma Advanced Systems Ltd has signed an MoU with Munitions India Ltd (MIL) for the integration, indigenous manufacturing, and supply of 155 mm artillery course-correction fuzes (CCF), along with associated subsystems, components, and advanced defence technologies.

Union Minister Rajnath Singh and Union Minister Pralhad Joshi have presided over the launch of ‘Bharat Rice’ by the Indian Army in New Delhi to improve the quality of daily rations and streamline frontline logistics for defense forces.

During the event, a five-year MoU was also signed between the Indian Army and the Food Corporation of India, acting as a strategic force multiplier.

Zuppa Geo Navigation Technologies Pvt Ltd (Zuppa) has signed an MoU with the Tamil Nadu Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Corporation (TNUAVC) to establish indigenous drone training laboratories at Army Regimental Centres.

The collaboration aims to develop a structured Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) pilot training programme for Agniveers and Indian defence personnel.

Nana Patekar, a veteran Bollywood actor, passed away at the age of 75. He was a recipient of Padma Shri in 2013 and 3 National Film Awards.

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) has signed a share transfer agreement to acquire a 50% stake in the Helicopter Academy to Train by Simulation Flying (HATSOFF) Helicopter Training Private Limited.

With this, HATSOFF will become a 100% wholly-owned subsidiary of HAL, giving the latter complete management control.

Union Minister Rajnath Singh has launched several digital and financial management initiatives during the 279th Annual Day of the Defence Accounts Department (DAD) held at DRDO Bhawan in New Delhi.

As part of the event, the System for Accounting and Knowledge Sharing Management (SAKSHAM), which serves as the bill audit and payment system of the DAD, was integrated with the Indian Army Financial Information System (IAFIS).

The Treasury Single Account (TSA) system was operationalised through the Payment Routing and Integrated System Management (PRISM) platform and integrated with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) e-KUBER system. A revamped National Compilation System (NCS) was also introduced to function as a unified platform for the accounting and compilation of overall defence expenditure.

The Joint Military Exercise between India and the UAE named ‘MOUNTAIN GUARDIAN 2026’ has commenced at the Foreign Training Node in Uttarakhand.

The Indian contingent is composed of troops from a Bhairav Battalion, while the UAE Army is represented by a Mountain Infantry Battalion. A total of 92 personnel are participating in the exercise.

The 9th edition of the joint military exercise named “KAZIND-2026” between India and Kazakhstan is held in Oskemen, Kazakhstan.

The Indian contingent has 60 personnel, led by a battalion of the Garhwal Rifles, while the Kazakhstan contingent is represented by 60 personnel primarily from its Land Forces.

The 10th India-Republic of Korea Joint Committee Meeting (JCM) on Defence Industries and Logistics Cooperation was held in New Delhi.

During the meeting, both nations reviewed ongoing bilateral cooperation in defence industries and logistics and discussed avenues to expand defence ties.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed a contract worth ₹586 crore with Accurate Industrial Controls Pvt Ltd (AICPL) for the procurement of 3,257 Auxiliary Power Units (APUs) for T-72 and T-90 tanks of the Indian Army.

In another contract, the MoD has signed an agreement valued at ₹810.79 crore with Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL) for the procurement of 160 Satellite Smart Anti-Airfield Weapons (SAT-SAAW) and associated equipment for the Indian Air Force (IAF).

DRDO has partnered with the CSIR-Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute (CSIR-CGCRI) for a ₹50 crore project to develop indigenous advanced lightweight bulletproof glass for armoured vehicles.

The four-year project is currently at an advanced stage and is being executed within DRDO laboratories. The initiative aims to transition the technology from laboratory development to large-scale manufacturing with an industry partner to be selected by DRDO.

The 18th edition of the annual joint military exercise between India and Mongolia named “Nomadic Elephant 2026” is held at the Foreign Training Node (FTN) in Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand.

The exercise involves 45 personnel each from the Indian Army (representing a battalion of the Arunachal Scouts) and the Mongolian Armed Forces.

India has successfully flight-tested its first indigenous long-range one-way attack drone named ‘KAL’ at the Pokhran Field Firing Range in Rajasthan. Developed by the Noida-based IG Defence, the loitering munition (kamikaze drone) is designed for one-way strike missions.

The drone features an operational range of up to 1,000 km and a payload capacity of 50 kg. It is capable of fully autonomous flight at an altitude of up to 5,000 m using a navigation suite that combines multi-band Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and Inertial Navigation Systems (INS).

The 22nd edition of the annual bilateral military exercise between the Indian Army (IA) and the US Army named “Yudh Abhyas 2026” is held at Bikaner in Rajasthan and Auli in Uttarakhand.

The exercise is being conducted under the “Operation Pathways” framework to enhance military cooperation and strategic ties between the two nations. The IA contingent is represented by an infantry battalion of the Rajput Regiment. The US contingent features elite, Arctic-trained soldiers from the 11th Airborne Division (“Arctic Angels”) and the 3rd Multi-Domain Task Force (3MDTF).

Defense startup Apollyon Dynamics has set a national record with its electric interceptor drone named “Ahuti Mk II”, which reached a maximum speed of 498 km/h.

It is identified as the fastest multirotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) in India. The UAV was evaluated at the Indian Army ranges with the support of defense authorities.