Recent Current Affairs related to Indian Navy

Vice Admiral Vineet McCarty has assumed charge as the 20th Commander-in-Chief of the Andaman & Nicobar Command (CINCAN), succeeding Vice Admiral Ajay Kochhar.

Major General Rachel Thomas has been appointed as the Additional Director General of the Military Nursing Service (MNS), succeeding Major General Lissamma. Air Marshal Tarun Chaudhry has assumed charge as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Central Air Command, succeeding Air Marshal Balakrishnan Manikantan.

Union Minister Rajnath Singh and Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath have inaugurated the ‘Nausena Shaurya Vatika’ in Lucknow. Built at a cost of ₹19 crore, this Open-Air Display Museum is spread over 2 acres and is dedicated to the spirit, valour, and prowess of the Indian Navy.

The museum showcases artefacts and weapon systems from the INS Gomati, which was decommissioned in 2022 after 34 years of service.

Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan has assumed charge as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C) of the Western Naval Command (WNC). He succeeds Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan.

Vice Admiral Ajay Kochhar has been appointed as the 48th Vice Chief of the Naval Staff (VCNS) of the Indian Navy. He succeeds Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan.

Prior to this, he served as the Commander-in-Chief of the Andaman and Nicobar Command. He was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) in 2022 and the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) in 2026.

The aerospace division of Bharat Forge Ltd (BFL) has signed an MoU with the Andhra Pradesh government to establish the first private-sector Marine Gas Turbine (MGT) Repair, Overhaul, and Indigenous Development Complex of India in Visakhapatnam.

The facility will span 80 acres within the AP Defence Manufacturing Corridor developed by the aerospace division of BFL. The complex will be co-located with the Naval Dockyard, Indian Naval Ship (INS) Eksila, and the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) Headquarters in Visakhapatnam.

Tonbo Imaging has secured a contract from the Indian Navy under the ADITI 3.0 innovation framework to integrate and commission a High Power Microwave (HPM) system for naval platforms.

The project aims to develop and integrate HPM-based directed-energy capabilities for maritime warfare to effectively counter electronic and unmanned threats.

The Indian Navy (IN) has launched ‘Sanghmitra’ (Yard 3039), its first Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (NGOPV), at the Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) facility in Kolkata.

The construction of 11 NGOPVs is being carried out across two domestic shipyards to enhance the naval presence of India in multi-domain operations. These indigenously designed vessels have a displacement of 3,000 tonnes, measure 113 metres in length and 14.6 metres in width, and can achieve a maximum speed of 23 knots.

Larsen & Toubro Ltd (L&T) has partnered with the France-based Exail Technologies to supply advanced Unmanned Mine Countermeasure (MCM) systems for the Indian Navy (IN). Under the agreement, L&T will serve as the prime contractor for the Indian Navy’s programme to build 12 Mine Counter Measure Vessels, with Exail Technologies acting as the technology partner.

India has successfully conducted the second flight test of the indigenous Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LR-AShM) from Launch Complex-IV at Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast. The missile, developed by the DRDO, successfully engaged a target at a distance of over 1,500 km.

The missile system is powered by a two-stage solid propulsion mechanism. It is capable of reaching a peak speed of Mach 10 and maintains an average speed of Mach 5 during its cruise and glide phases.

Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL) has delivered the advanced stealth frigate ‘Mahendragiri (Y-12654)’ to the Indian Navy (IN) under Project 17A (Nilgiri-class). It is the 6th ship delivered under the project and the 4th frigate built by MDL, marking the completion of all warships assigned to the shipyard under this initiative. The frigate, named after the Mahendragiri mountain peak in the Eastern Ghats of Odisha, features 75% indigenous content.

It measures 149 metres in length, has a displacement of 6,670 tonnes, and can reach a maximum speed of 28 knots using a Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) propulsion system. The vessel was designed by the Warship Design Bureau (WDB) and overseen by the Warship Overseeing Team (WOT) Mumbai. Notably, this marks the 100th vessel designed and delivered by the WDB.

Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) has signed a Licensing Agreement for Transfer of Technology (LAToT) with the Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL), a constituent laboratory of the DRDO, for the Gas Turbine–Infrared Suppression System (GT-IRSS).

The technology, developed by the NSTL for LM2500 (Land and Marine) gas turbines, is used to enhance the stealth of naval vessels.

The DRDO and the Indian Navy have successfully conducted the maiden salvo launch of the indigenous Naval Anti-ship Missile Short Range (‘NASM-SR’) from a helicopter of the Navy off the Odisha coast in the Bay of Bengal. The trial involved launching two missiles in quick succession to evaluate the air-launched anti-ship system.

The missile, developed by the Research Center Imarat (RCI) in Hyderabad along with other labs of the DRDO, weighs 400 kg and can carry a warhead payload of up to 100 kg. It has a length of 3.6 m, a diameter of 300 mm, a strike range of 55 km, and a speed of Mach 0.8. The ‘NASM-SR’ can function at altitudes between 50 m and 3 km.

INS Nireekshak, a specialized Diving Support and Submarine Rescue Vessel of the Indian Navy (IN), has arrived in Colombo, Sri Lanka, to participate in the 4th edition of the India-Sri Lanka Diving Exercise (IN-SLN DIVEX 2026).

The exercise aims to enhance bilateral cooperation and interoperability in diving operations between the two naval forces.

The fourth of five vessels under the Diving Support Craft (DSC) project, named 'DSC A 23', has been launched at Titagarh in Kolkata. Built by Titagarh Rail Systems Ltd (TRSL), the vessel features a 30 m long catamaran-hull with a displacement of approximately 380 tons.

The ship was designed in compliance with the Naval Rules and Regulations of the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) and underwent model testing at the Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL) in Visakhapatnam. Around 70% of the equipment for the DSC project is sourced from indigenous manufacturers.