FAQ

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully test-fired the Vertical Launch Short Range Surface to Air Missile (VL-SRSAM) from an Indian Naval Ship (INS) off the coast of Chandipur in Odisha on 24 June 2022.

VL-SRASM is a surface to air, quick reaction, short range missile being developed for the Indian Navy. It has a range of 25-30 Km.

 It is a ship-borne weapon system is meant for neutralizing various aerial threats (missiles, aircraft etc.) at close ranges including sea-skimming targets. 

Chairman DRDO, Dr. G Satheesh Reddy complimented the teams involved in the successful flight test and said that this test has proved the integration of indigenous weapon systems on board Indian Naval Ships.

Further, he added that it will prove to be a force multiplier for the Indian Navy and is another milestone towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of AtmaNirbhar Bharat.

The Indian Coast Guard has commissioned a new air squadron 840, based in Chennai, Tamilnadu.  Indigenously developed Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Mark-III was inducted in the squadron on 20 June 2022.

• The first chopper was received at Coast Guard Air Station, Chennai with a traditional ‘water cannon salute', in the presence of Inspector General AP Badola, Commander, Coast Guard Region East. 
• This is the first such aircraft to be deployed in the eastern region by the Coast Guard .Three more helicopters will be inducted in the squadron later on.
• Positioning the ALH Mk3 at Chennai, gives the Coast Guard the capability of Beyond Visual Range detection, using state-of-the-art radar integrated with long range imaging and identification using the Electro Optical Pod and Automatic Identification System. 
• Equipped with the mounted Heavy machine gun, the chopper can also carry out target neutralization. 
• The helicopter developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited will boost the Coast Guard capability in safeguarding India’s vital economic interest in the 200 nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone.
• Till date, 13 out of 16 ALH choppers have been delivered by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited to the Indian Coast Guard.

Indian Coast Guard

Indian Coast Guard (ICG) was officially established on 1st February 1977 by the Coast Guard Act, 1978 of the Parliament of India. 

• It comes under the Union Ministry of Defence.
• Its main role is to prevent seaborne smuggling of goods, to ensure the safety and protection of the islands, and to provide protection and assistance to the Indian fishermen and mariners at the high seas.
• Motto: “Vayam Rakshamah - We Protect”
• Headquarters: Ministry of Defence, New Delhi
• Director-General: Virender Singh Pathania

Women soldiers of the Indian Army participated in the four-day ‘Women Peace and Security Seminar’ at Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The four day (16 -19 June) event was inaugurated by the Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh. 

The International conference of female peacekeepers was organised by Mongolia under the theme of "Women, Peace, and Security".

• This event has been organised by Mongolia to mark the 20th anniversary of the first deployment of Mongolian peacekeepers to UN peacekeeping operations.  
• The Indian soldiers participating in the Khan Quest 2022 in Mongolia attended the cultural ceremony where the performances were done by Mongolian and Indian Artists with a special appearance by Indian singer Mohit Chauhan.
• Khan Quest 2022 is an international military exercise held every year by Mongolia.
• Union Law and Justice Minister Kiren Rijiju also interacted with the Indian diaspora and attended the cultural ceremony.
• The Union Minister arrived in Ulaanbaatar with the Holy Relics of Lord Buddha on June 13.
• The four Holy Relics – known as the ‘Kapilvastu Relics’ have been put on display for 11-days at the Ganden Tegchenling Monastery, where devotees, both old and young gather in large numbers.
• The relics are being displayed in India’s ‘spiritual neighbour’ Mongolia, a Buddhist majority nation.

The Central Government has decided to increase the upper age limit from 21 years to 23 years due to the opposition of the youth to the Agneepath Recruitment Scheme.

• According to the Defense Ministry, the age relaxation will be given only "once" for the proposed recruitment cycle for 2022.

• This decision has been taken because no recruitment has taken place in the last two years.

• Preference will be given to firefighters in the recruitment of Central Armed Police Forces and State Police.

• Those aspiring to become entrepreneurs after the service will get financial packages and bank loans.

• Agniveer who wants to pursue further studies will be given a certificate equivalent to class 12th.

• Agneepath scheme will increase opportunities for youth to serve in the armed forces.

• The recruitment of firefighters in the coming years will be almost three times the current recruitment in the armed forces.

• Under this scheme, more than forty-six thousand youth will be recruited this year.

The 38th India-Indonesia Coordinated Patrol (IND-INDO CORPAT) between the Indian Navy Units of Andaman & Nicobar Command (ANC) and Indonesian Navy is being conducted from June 13 to 24 2022 in the Andaman Sea and Straits of Malacca.  

The 38th CORPAT is the first post pandemic Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) between the two countries.

It includes a visit by the Indonesian Navy units to ANC at Port Blair from June 13 to 15, 2022 followed by a Sea Phase in the Andaman Sea and visit by Indian Navy ships to Sabang (Indonesia) from June 23 to 24, 2022.

The two Navies have been carrying out CORPAT along their International Maritime Boundary Line since 2002

In a major policy reform in the Human Resource policy of the armed forces in India, the Government of India has announced Agnipath scheme for the recruitment of youth in the armed forces.

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CSS) chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the Agnipath scheme on 14 June 2022. 

Announcing this the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that youth will be recruited in Army, Navy, and Air Force for a short duration of 4 years and will be called as Agniveers.  

 The main aim of the scheme is to enhance the youthful profile of the Armed Forces.

 It is expected that due to this scheme the average age profile of Indian Armed forces would come down by about four to five years.

Features of the scheme 

• Enrolment will be based on All India basis and the eligible age will be in range from 17.5 to 21 years. For entry into General Duty soldier, the educational qualification is class 10.
• Over forty six thousand Agniveers are to be recruited this year.
• They will serve for a period of 4 years.

Salary and other benefits 

• Agniveers will get a salary of 30,000 rupees to 40,000 rupees per month and allowance as applicable. 
• The Agniveers will not be entitled for any gratuity and pensionary benefits. 
• Agniveers will also be paid a one-time Seva Nidhi package upon completion of an engagement period of four years which will be tax free.
• Agniveers will be provided a non-contributory Life Insurance Cover of 48 lakh rupees for the duration of their employment in the Indian Armed Forces.

 Further opportunity in Armed Forces 

• After completion of four years in service, the ‘Agniveers’ will get an opportunity to apply voluntarily for regular cadre. 
• Based on merit and organizational requirement, up to 25 per cent shall be selected from that batch for a minimum period of 15 years and would be governed by the existing terms and conditions of service of Junior Commissioned Officers or other equivalent ranks in the Armed forces.

Head of Armed Forces 

Indian Air Force: Air Chief Marshal V. R. Chaudhary 

Indian Army: General Manoj Pande 

Indian Navy: Admiral R. Hari Kumar 

Union Minister of Home Affairs and Cooperation Amit Shah inaugurated the INS Khukri Museum at Diu on 11 June 2022.

Indian Naval Ship (INS) Khukri was built by Mazagon Dock, Mumbai and was commissioned in the Navy in 1983.

• It was decommissioned in 2019. After decommissioning it was handed over to the Diu administration by the Indian Navy to be converted into a museum.
• The ship was named after the INS Khukri which was hit by a Pakistani torpedo and sank near Diu coast in the 1971 war.
•  The present ship will be added to the INS Khukri memorial set up in Diu in 1999 to honour the INS Khukri of 1971.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved the enhancement of funding under Technology Development Fund (TDF) scheme to 50 crore rupees per project from 10 crore rupees. 

• The TDF scheme supports indigenous development of components, products, systems and technologies by Micro Small and Medium Enterprises and start-ups.
• The enhanced funding is in line with the Union Budget announcement and it will further boost the vision of ‘Aatmanirbharta in Defence’. 
• In Union Budget 2022-23, 25 percent of defence Research and Development budget was allocated for private industry, start-ups and academia. 
• 56 Projects have been approved under the TDF project.
• The TDF Scheme aims to provide a major fillip to the defence manufacturing sector by encouraging the industry to innovate and develop defence technologies to place India on the self-reliance trajectory.
• The scheme facilitates up to 90 per cent of the total project cost and allows the industry to work in consortium with another industry and academia.

India successfully tested the Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile Agni-4 on 6 June 2022. The successful training launch of Agni-4, was carried out from APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha. 

The Defence Ministry said the test was part of user training launches carried out under the aegis of the Strategic Forces Command. 

The Ministry said, the successful test reaffirms the country's policy of having a credible minimum deterrence capability.

Agni- 4 missile 

• It is a solid-fueled, two-stage missile, previously named Agni-II Prime.
• It is a part of the Agni series of missiles designed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
• It is capable of loading nuclear and conventional payloads.
•  The nuclear-capable missile has a strike range of up to 4,000km.
• The light-weight missile has been developed to act as deterrence and cater to the country’s security needs.

Strategic Force Command (SFC)

• Strategic Force Command (SFC), also sometimes known as Strategic Nuclear Command, forms part of India’s nuclear National Command Authority (NCA) which is responsible for command and control decisions regarding India’s nuclear weapons program.
• It is the only functional Tri-service command set up in 2003 ro manage and administer all  land, air and sea nuclear weapons command Its affairs are overseen directly by the Chief of Defence Staff.  However, during a conflict, the Prime Minister of India can order the chief in command of the SFC to carry out a nuclear strike.

Current and 12th Commander in Chief of SFC: Vice-Admiral  R.B. Pandit of Indian Navy 

Types of Missile 

Surface to Surface missile has been classified into different types based on their range 

• Short Range Missile : Missile which has a range of 500 km to 100o km 
• Medium range or Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) : The missile which has a range of 1000 km to 5,500 km. 
• Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM): The missile which has a range of more than 5,500 Km. 

The Indian Army is participating in a multinational peacekeeping exercise “Ex Khaan Quest 2022” organized by Mongolia.  The exercise was inaugurated by the Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh on 6 June 2022.

Military contingents from 16 countries are participating in the military exercise.

The Indian Army is represented by a contingent from the Ladakh Scouts.

The 14 day exercise is aimed at enhancing interoperability, building military to military relationships, developing peace support operations and military readiness among participating nations. 

Mongolia 

It is located in North Central Asia.

Capital: Ulan Bator 

Currency: Tugrik

President: Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh