Jan 2025 → Mar 2026 · Topic-wise organised · Operation Sindoor, Military Exercises, Key Appointments, Weapons & Inductions — everything that matters for your exam.
🔴 Highest PriorityCDS · NDA · AFCAT30 Practice QuestionsJan 2025 → Mar 2026
This module covers all defence & military current affairs from January 2025 to March 2026 — organised topic-wise so you can revise each type together. Operation Sindoor is the highest-priority topic and will almost certainly appear in your exam.
Topic 1 — Operation Sindoor (Most Important)
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Operation Sindoor — Complete Summary
India's biggest military action since 1971 · May 2025
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🔴 Operation Sindoor — Key Facts
Trigger: Pahalgam terror attack on 22 April 2025 — 26 civilians killed (targeted on religious grounds) in Jammu & Kashmir
Operation launched:7 May 2025 (night of 6–7 May) — India's tri-services military action
Targets hit:9 terror infrastructure sites — including JeM HQ in Bahawalpur & LeT's Muridke training facility, in Pakistan and PoK
Duration:7 May to 10 May 2025 (4 days)
Ceasefire: Pakistan DGMO called Indian DGMO — ceasefire effective from 1700 hrs IST on 10 May 2025
Terror groups targeted: Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)
Weapons used by India: BrahMos cruise missiles, SCALP-EG missiles, Harop anti-radiation drones, Crystal Maze & Rampage rockets
Air defence star: Indigenous Akashteer system neutralised hundreds of Pakistani drones and missiles
Pakistan's Operation: Pakistan called its retaliation Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos
India's new doctrine (PM Modi, 12 May): Any terror attack = assured retaliation · No nuclear blackmail · No distinction between terrorists and harbouring state · "Terror and talks cannot go together"
Indus Waters Treaty — India suspended the treaty ("Blood and water cannot flow together")
Attari-Wagah border — closed by India
Pakistan promoted Army Chief Asim Munir to Field Marshal (20 May 2025)
⚑ Exam Traps — Don't Get These Wrong
Pahalgam attack = 22 April 2025 · Operation Sindoor launched = 7 May 2025
India struck 11 Pakistani airbases in the later phase (9–10 May)
Ceasefire: Pakistan's DGMO contacted India's DGMO (not the other way around)
Akashteer = Indigenous air defence system that intercepted drones · Different from S-400
Operation Sindoor is described as India's most significant military action since the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War
Topic 2 — Key Defence Appointments
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Chiefs of the Armed Forces (Current)
CDS, Army, Navy, Air Force — who holds what as of 2026
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CDS
Gen Anil Chauhan — Chief of Defence Staff HOT
India's 2nd CDS · Appointed 28 Sep 2022 · Extension granted by ACC on 24 Sep 2025 — tenure extended till 30 May 2026 · Also serves as Secretary, Dept of Military Affairs · "China Expert" with multiple postings in Eastern Command · Was Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) during Balakot airstrike 2019
Army
Gen Upendra Dwivedi — Chief of Army Staff (COAS)
Current Chief of Army Staff · Scheduled to retire in July 2026 on reaching age 62 · Led the Army's role in Operation Sindoor
Navy
Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi — Chief of Naval Staff (CNS)
Current Chief of Naval Staff · Scheduled to retire in May 2026 on reaching age 62
IAF
Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh — Chief of Air Staff (CAS)
Took charge on 30 Sep 2024 · Scheduled to serve until 31 Oct 2026 · Led IAF during Operation Sindoor
Key Context — Why This Matters
With CDS Chauhan retiring May 2026, Army Chief retiring July 2026 and Navy Chief retiring May 2026 — India faces multiple top-level transitions in one window
India's 1st CDS was Gen Bipin Rawat — died in a helicopter crash near Coonoor, Tamil Nadu on 8 December 2021
The post of CDS was created in January 2020 on recommendation of Kargil Review Committee
Topic 3 — Military Exercises (Jan 2025 – Mar 2026)
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Army Exercises — Bilateral & Multilateral
All major army exercises with country, edition & location
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Exercise
Country / Type
Meaning / Focus
2025 Edition
Yudh Abhyas
ARMY India–USA
"Practice of War" · High-altitude mountain warfare · Alaska, USA
Sep 2025 (Alaska)
Shakti
ARMY India–France
Counter-insurgency, company-level drills
2025
Surya Kiran
ARMY India–Nepal
High-altitude infantry training · Bilateral
Annual
Sampriti
ARMY India–Bangladesh
Sub-conventional ops, HADR
2025
Ekuverin
ARMY India–Maldives
"Friends" in Dhivehi · Counter-insurgency, HADR · 13th edition hosted by Maldives
Feb 2025 (Maldives)
Mitra Shakti
ARMY India–Sri Lanka
Sub-conventional, civil-military ops
2025
Dustlik
ARMY India–Uzbekistan
Urban counter-terror, close-quarter battle
2025
Khanjar
ARMY India–Kyrgyzstan
Mountain warfare, counter-terror · "Dagger"
2025 (Khanjar-XII)
Cyclone
ARMY India–Egypt
Special forces, desert terrain · Mahajan, Rajasthan
2025
Nomadic Elephant
ARMY India–Mongolia
Counter-insurgency operations
2025
Dharma Guardian
ARMY India–Japan
7th edition · Chaubattia, Uttarakhand
Feb 2026 (7th ed.)
Bold Kurukshetra
ARMY India–Singapore
Armoured warfare · 13th ed. Devlali, Maharashtra
2025
Agni Warrior
ARMY India–Singapore
Artillery · 13th ed. Devlali, Nov 2024
Nov 2024
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Naval & Air Force Exercises
Key maritime and aerial exercises of 2025–26
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Exercise
Type
Country / Focus
Key Fact
MILAN 2026
NAVY Multilateral
13th edition · Visakhapatnam, AP · Inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh
Feb 2026 · One of world's largest multilateral naval exercises
Malabar
NAVY Quad
India, USA, Japan, Australia · Carrier strike, ASW, air defence
Annual · Core Quad exercise
Varuna
NAVY India–France
High-end maritime ops, ASW, air defence at sea
Annual
JIMEX
NAVY India–Japan
Japan India Maritime Exercise · Naval tactics and communications
Annual
AUSINDEX
NAVY India–Australia
ASW and surface warfare
Biennial
Bongosagar
NAVY India–Bangladesh
Maritime domain awareness, sea-lane security
Annual
Tiger Triumph
TRI-SERVICE India–USA
Amphibious ops, HADR · Eastern seaboard
One of few tri-service exercises
TROPEX
NAVY Domestic
Theatre Level Operational Readiness Exercise · Indian Navy's biggest
Annual domestic
Garuda / Desert Knight
AIF India–France
Air combat and refuelling
Bilateral
Indradhanush
IAF India–UK
Air combat training · "Rainbow"
Bilateral
Veer Guardian
IAF India–Japan
Air combat training · Japan
2024–25
Bright Star
MULTI Egypt-hosted
India participated in Bright Star 2025 in Egypt
2025
Talisman Sabre 2025
MULTI 19 countries
India participated · Showed growing global military cooperation
MoD contracted HAL for 97 Tejas Mk1A (68 single-seater + 29 twin-seater) · Contract worth ~₹1.1 lakh crore combined with earlier 83-aircraft deal · Indigenous content over 64% · Deliveries begin 2027–28 · Replaces MiG-21 fleet · Features: UTTAM AESA Radar, Astra BVR missiles, ASRAAM close-combat missiles
Mar 2025
Astra Mk1 missile successfully tested from Tejas
Direct hit on target over 100 km away on 12 March 2025 · Astra = India's indigenous BVR (Beyond Visual Range) air-to-air missile developed by DRDO · Being integrated on Tejas, Su-30MKI, Navy's MiG-29
Ongoing
Astra Mk2 integration on Tejas — trials expected mid-2026
Range: 140–160 km · Being integrated on Tejas Mk1 and Mk1A · Full production by 2027 · Cost: ₹7 crore vs ₹25 crore for European Meteor missile
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Navy — Ships Commissioned & BrahMos
New ships inducted and India's most powerful missile
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Feb 2026
INS Anjadip commissioned — 4th Anti-Submarine Warfare ship NEW
Commissioned at Chennai Port on 27 February 2026 · 4th vessel under ASW-SWC (Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft) project
Early 2026
INS Aridhaman — India's 3rd nuclear submarine (SSBN) HOT
Arihant-class SSBN · Designated S4 · Strengthens India's nuclear triad (land + air + sea nuclear capability) · Joins INS Arihant (1st) and INS Arighaat (2nd)
Jun 2025
INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri commissioned with BrahMos
Nilgiri-class stealth frigates · Commissioned June 2025 with full BrahMos integration · BrahMos now arms 13 destroyers + 14 stealth frigates in Indian Navy · 65–85% indigenous production of BrahMos components by 2025
BrahMos — Key Facts
BrahMos = India + Russia joint cruise missile · Speed Mach 3 (upgradable to Mach 7 with BrahMos-II)
Range: 290–600 km · Warhead: 300 kg · Deployed on all 3 services (land, sea, air)
India exported BrahMos to Philippines in 2025 — first export of BrahMos
BrahMos production unit inaugurated in Lucknow
BrahMos-NG (Next Generation) = smaller, lighter · For Tejas and Rafale · Under development
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DRDO Milestones & Other Inductions 2025
Indigenous weapons, air defence, and defence reforms
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Apr 2025
IDD&IS Mk-IIA (Sahastra Shakti) tested — laser-based anti-drone system
Directed Energy Weapon (DEW) · 30 kW power, 5 km range · Also called Sahastra Shakti · For counter-drone (C-UAS) role · Indian Army already has Mk-I (7 units) inducted 2024
May 2025
Akashteer — India's indigenous air defence system proved in Operation Sindoor HOT
Intercepted hundreds of Pakistani drones and missiles · Integrated Command & Control system for Army Air Defence · Distinguished from S-400 (Russian imported system)
Mar 2025
Ashwini radar deal — ₹2,906 crore with Bharat Electronics Limited
MoD signed deal for 18 Ashwini low-level tracking radars on 12 March 2025 · AESA-based radar for air defence · BEL (Bharat Electronics Limited) to supply
32.5% jump from previous year · Goal: $5 billion exports by 2025 · India = 2nd largest military by active personnel (1.44 million) · 3rd largest defence budget (₹6.21 lakh crore ≈ $74 billion for 2025–26)
2025
2025 declared "Year of Reforms" by Ministry of Defence
Focus on Jointness & Integration · Establishing Integrated Theatre Commands (ITC) · MoD also cleared High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (AS-HAPS) for IAF in Feb 2026
Topic 5 — Other Notable Defence Events
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Other Key Events Jan 2025 → Mar 2026
International Fleet Review, defence policy, India–Pakistan aftermath
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Feb 2026
International Fleet Review (IFR) 2026 — Visakhapatnam NEW
13th edition of Exercise MILAN also held simultaneously at Visakhapatnam · INS Tarangini (sail training ship) was prominent participant · Inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh
Feb 2026
DAC clears High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellites (AS-HAPS) for IAF
Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) granted AoN (Acceptance of Necessity) · Airship-based HAPS will provide persistent surveillance at high altitude · Under Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative
May 2025
Post Operation Sindoor — India suspends Indus Waters Treaty
India suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan · Closed Attari–Wagah border · Pakistani military advisors in New Delhi declared Persona Non Grata · Pakistani High Commission strength reduced from 55 to 30
Sep 2025
CDS Gen Anil Chauhan's tenure extended to May 2026
ACC approved extension on 24 September 2025 · Extended from 30 Sep 2025 to 30 May 2026 · Theaterisation (Integrated Theatre Commands) is his main agenda
Dec 2025
DAC clears IDD&IS Mk-II for Indian Army — counter-drone DEW
Defence Acquisition Council cleared procurement of IDD&IS Mk-II on 29 December 2025 · Army and IAF seeking 16 units initially · For counter-UAS (drone) role
2025
Defence Defence Corridors — UP & Tamil Nadu operational
Two Defence Industrial Corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu boosting indigenous defence manufacturing · Part of Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative · Over 70% of defence needs met domestically
All high-yield defence facts in one place — scan this 10 minutes before your exam.