DEFENCE — MASTER GK NOTES

CLAT / AILET 2026 — Static + Current Affairs (verified through 20 July 2026)

PART 0 — CURRENT LEADERSHIP SNAPSHOT (as of July 2026)

This table is the single highest-yield page in this document. CLAT loves testing 'who currently holds' questions — always
cross-check against this before exam day.

Post Current Holder Since

Chief of Defence Staff (3rd CDS) Gen N. S. Raja Subramani 31 May 2026
Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Gen N. S. Raja Subramani (also 31 May 2026
Committee (59th) CDS)
Chief of the Army Staff (31st Gen Dhiraj Seth 30 June 2026
COAS)
Chief of the Naval Staff (27th CNS) Admiral Krishna Swaminathan 31 May 2026
Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet in office
Singh (A.P. Singh)
Chief of Integrated Defence Staff Air Marshal Tejinder Singh 1 July 2026
(CISC)
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in office
National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval in office
Vice Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth's successor line —
— verify closer to exam
Andaman & Nicobar Command C- Vice Admiral Vineet McCarty 1 June 2026
in-C
Strategic Forces Command C-in-C Lt Gen Dinesh Singh Rana 1 Oct 2025

⚠CDS;PYQGentrap: Examiners often ask about the immediately PRECEDING holder (Gen Anil Chauhan = 2nd
Upendra Dwivedi = 30th COAS; Adm Dinesh K. Tripathi = 26th CNS). Know both current AND
immediate past holder for every post above.

First CDS: Gen Bipin Rawat (2020, died in helicopter crash Dec 2021, Coonoor). CDS post created 1 Jan 2020 on Kargil
Review Committee → Naresh Chandra Committee recommendation.

PART 1 — Constitutional & Legal Framework

• Art 53: President is the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces (exercised on aide of Council of Ministers).
• Art 352: National Emergency can be proclaimed on grounds of 'war, external aggression, or armed rebellion' (word
changed from 'internal disturbance' to 'armed rebellion' by 44th Amendment, 1978).
• 'Defence', 'Naval/Military/Air Forces', 'Arms & Ammunition' are Union List (List I) subjects — Parliament alone
legislates.
• Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) — grants special powers to armed forces in 'disturbed areas';
currently in force in parts of J&K, Nagaland, Manipur, Assam (subject to periodic review).
• Armed Forces Tribunal Act, 2007 — set up AFT (2009) for service-related disputes; principal bench Delhi + regional
benches.
 • Agnipath Scheme (June 2022) — 4-year tour of duty for 'Agniveers' across three services; ~25% retained via Agniveer
Merit list for regular cadre; rest exit with Seva Nidhi package. Under continuous review/tweaks — check for 2026
amendments before exam.

⚠veryPYQ trap: AFSPA is a STATUTORY law (ordinary Act of Parliament), not a constitutional provision — a
common false-option trap.

PART 2 — Command & Organisational Structure

2.1 Three Services — Founding & HQ
Service Founded HQ Current Chief
Indian Army 1895 (unified); traces to New Delhi Gen Dhiraj Seth
1776
Indian Navy 1612 (E.I. Co. Marine); New Delhi Adm Krishna
modern form 1950 Swaminathan
Indian Air Force 8 October 1932 New Delhi ACM A.P. Singh

2.2 CDS & Department of Military Affairs

• CDS heads the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) within MoD — 4-star rank, 'first among equals', NOT in the
direct operational chain of command over the three chiefs.
• CDS is permanent Chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) — earlier this was a rotational post held by the
senior-most service chief.
• CDS is also: Secretary, DMA; member of Nuclear Command Authority; member of Defence Acquisition Council.
• Salary: ₹2,50,000/month. No fixed tenure — serves till age 65.

2.3 Army Commands (7 operational + 1 training)

Command HQ
Western Command Chandimandir
Eastern Command Kolkata
Northern Command Udhampur
Southern Command Pune
Central Command Lucknow
South-Western Command Jaipur
Army Training Command (ARTRAC) Shimla

2.4 Navy (3 commands) & Air Force (7 commands)

• Navy: Western Naval Command (Mumbai) · Eastern Naval Command (Visakhapatnam) · Southern Naval Command
(Kochi, training command).
• Air Force: Western, Eastern, Central, South-Western, Southern, Training, Maintenance Commands.
2.5 Tri-Service / Unified Commands
• Andaman & Nicobar Command (ANC) — India's ONLY tri-service theatre command; HQ Port Blair; current C-in-C:
VAdm Vineet McCarty.
• Strategic Forces Command (SFC) — manages India's nuclear arsenal, under Nuclear Command Authority; current C-
in-C: Lt Gen Dinesh Singh Rana.
• Defence Space Agency (DSA) & Defence Cyber Agency (DCA) — tri-service agencies for space and cyber warfare
respectively (established 2019).
• Theatre Command reform (integrated theatre commands merging Army/Navy/IAF resources by geography) — under
active planning/rollout; track latest status closer to exam.

2.6 Higher Defence Decision-Making Bodies

• Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) — apex body for capital acquisitions & policy; chaired by Defence Minister;
formed 2001 post-Kargil, on Group of Ministers recommendations on 'Reforming the National Security System'.
• Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) — now permanently chaired by CDS.
• National Security Council (NSC) — apex body advising PM on national security; NSA = Ajit Doval heads NSC
Secretariat.
• Nuclear Command Authority (NCA) — two-tier: Political Council (chaired by PM, sole nuclear-launch-authorising
body) + Executive Council (chaired by NSA, gives inputs & executes).

2.7 Service Academies

Academy Location Note
National Defence Academy (NDA) Khadakwasla, Pune Only tri-service academy at pre-
commission stage
Indian Military Academy (IMA) Dehradun Army
Officers Training Academy (OTA) Chennai & Gaya Short-service commission
Indian Naval Academy (INA) Ezhimala, Kerala Navy
Air Force Academy (AFA) Dundigal, Hyderabad IAF
Rashtriya Indian Military College Dehradun Feeder school to NDA
(RIMC)

PART 3 — DRDO, Missiles & Indigenous Equipment

3.1 DRDO
• Founded 1958 by merging Technical Development Establishment (TDE, Army) + Directorate of Technical
Development & Production (DTDP) + Defence Science Organisation (DSO).
• Under Department of Defence R&D, MoD. Network of 50+ labs (e.g. DRDL Hyderabad — missiles; NPOL Kochi —
naval/sonar; VRDE — vehicles).
• Responsible for Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP) — brainchild of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam;
approved 26 July 1983.

3.2 IGMDP — the five original missiles

Missile Type
Prithvi Short-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile
Agni Intermediate-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile
Missile Type
Trishul Short-range, low-level surface-to-air
Akash Medium-range surface-to-air
Nag Third-generation anti-tank guided missile

⚠stillPYQ trap: Trishul was formally discontinued/shelved in favour of Akash-based systems — a classic 'is X
in IGMDP inventory' trap.

3.3 Agni Series (India's ICBM-capable family)

Variant Range Note
Agni-I 700–800 km
Agni-II >2,000 km
Agni-III >2,500 km
Agni-IV >3,500 km Road-mobile launcher
Agni-V >5,000 km ICBM class — longest in the series
Agni Prime (Agni-P) 1,000–2,000 km 6th/newest variant; canisterised, 2-
stage, MIRV-capable (multiple
warheads), 10.5 m tall, 1.2 m dia,
payload up to 1.5 tonne
• Prithvi-II: Surface-to-surface SRBM, range 250–350 km, single-stage liquid-fuelled, first missile inducted under
IGMDP (into Strategic Forces Command, 2003); originally developed for IAF, later also inducted into Army.

3.4 BrahMos & Cruise Missiles

• BrahMos = India (DRDO) + Russia (NPO Mashinostroyenia) joint venture; named after rivers Brahmaputra + Moskva.
• Two-stage: solid propellant booster (stage 1) + liquid ramjet (stage 2); multiplatform (land/air/sea launch); 'Fire and
Forget'; speed ~Mach 2.8 (nearly 3x sound).
• Originally capped at 290 km range (pre-MTCR membership); after India joined MTCR (June 2016), range extended
toward 450 km, and further to ~600 km in later variants.
• Nirbhay — India's indigenous subsonic cruise missile (long-range, ~1,000 km), distinct from supersonic BrahMos.

3.5 Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR)

• Informal, voluntary regime of 35 countries (est. April 1987 by G-7: USA, UK, France, Germany, Canada, Italy, Japan)
restricting proliferation of missiles/UAVs capable of carrying >500 kg payload beyond 300 km.
• India joined MTCR in June 2016 — a landmark that enabled BrahMos range extension and export potential (e.g. to
Philippines).

3.6 Other Key Indigenous Systems

• Akashteer — indigenous automated air defence control & reporting system, integrates Army's air defence weapons;
used operationally during Operation Sindoor (2025) per official statements.
• Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) — IAF's automated air defence network.
• Pinaka — indigenous Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL); 'Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket' successfully flight-
tested by DRDO (9 July 2026).
• Zorawar — indigenous light tank under development (DRDO + L&T), meant for high-altitude/mountain warfare.
• Bhargavastra — indigenous low-cost counter-drone/micro-missile swarm defence system.
• Drone Shakti initiative — push for indigenous drone ecosystem (civil + military).
 • K-series missiles — submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), e.g. K-15 (Sagarika), K-4 — form India's sea-leg
of nuclear triad aboard Arihant-class SSBNs.

PART 4 — Navy: Ships, Submarines, Carriers

4.1 Aircraft Carriers — full timeline
Carrier Status Key facts
INS Vikrant (old) 1961–1997, scrapped 2014 Acquired from UK; pivotal role in
1971 war (birth of Bangladesh)
INS Viraat 1987–2016 (ex-HMS Hermes) Centaur-class, decommissioned
2016
INS Vikramaditya In service since Nov 2013 Modified Kiev-class; converted
from Russian Admiral
Gorshkov/Baku; India's largest
carrier by that point
INS Vikrant (new / IAC-1) Commissioned 2 Sep 2022 Built at Cochin Shipyard Ltd; first
indigenously built carrier; operates
MiG-29K, Kamov-31, MH-60R,
indigenous ALH

⚠the 2022
PYQ trap: Two different ships are both called 'INS Vikrant' — the 1961 UK-acquired one (scrapped) and
indigenous IAC-1. Read the question's date/context carefully.

4.2 Submarines
• Nuclear vs conventional: nuclear subs (e.g. INS Arihant) use nuclear reactors — suited for deep-sea, sustained ops;
conventional subs (Project-75/75I) use diesel-electric — suited for coastal defence.
• Project-75 (Scorpene-class, Kalvari-class): 6 boats, technology transfer from French Naval Group (ex-DCNS) at
Mazagon Dock Ltd (MDL); $3.75 billion deal signed Oct 2005.
Boat Commissioned
INS Kalvari Dec 2017
INS Khanderi Sep 2019
INS Karanj Mar 2021
INS Vela Nov 2021
INS Vagir Jan 2023
INS Vagsheer Jan 2024 (last of class)
• AIP (Air-Independent Propulsion) — being retrofitted by DRDO on Scorpene-class during refit to extend underwater
endurance.
• Project-75I — successor programme, ₹43,000 crore, indigenous construction WITH AIP from the start; under
Strategic Partnership Model (Defence Procurement Procedure) — Indian partners MDL & L&T shortlisted; foreign
OEM options included French Naval Group, German Thyssenkrupp, Russian Rubin, Spanish Navantia, South Korean
Daewoo.
• 30-year Submarine Plan — approved by Cabinet Committee on Security, June 1999: 24 conventional submarines by
2030, of which 6 to be nuclear-powered.
• India's nuclear submarines: INS Arihant (commissioned, SSBN) + INS Arighat (SSBN, commissioned). INS Chakra
— nuclear attack sub LEASED from Russia (not indigenous; since returned/lease status changes periodically — verify
current status).
4.3 Recent Commissionings (2026, high recency value)
• INS Malvan — second Mahe-class anti-submarine warfare shallow-water craft, commissioned 22 July 2026, Kochi.
• INS Mahendragiri — Nilgiri-class stealth frigate, commissioned 11 July 2026 into Eastern Fleet.
• INS Dunagiri, INS Agray, INS Sanshodhak — three indigenously built warships commissioned together, 21 June
2026, Kolkata.
• Indian Coast Guard's first indigenous Air Cushion Vehicle (hovercraft), designated H-561, inducted 18 June 2026
(built by Chowgule & Co.).
• Indian Navy hosted Operation/Exercise 'Southern Readiness 26-2' in Kochi, mid-July 2026.

4.4 Coast Guard

• Founded 1978, under MoD, distinct from Navy. Mandate: EEZ protection, anti-smuggling, anti-piracy, search & rescue
(SAR), marine pollution response, coastal security.

PART 5 — Air Force: Aircraft & Programmes

5.1 Tejas (LCA)
• Light Combat Aircraft programme started 1984; Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) set up to manage it;
replaced ageing MiG-21.
• Designed by ADA (under DRDO); manufactured by HAL. Lightest/smallest tailless multi-role supersonic fighter in its
class; max speed Mach 1.8; range ~3,000 km; payload 4,000 kg; air-to-air refuelling capable.
• Variants: Tejas Trainer (2-seater), LCA Navy, LCA Navy Mk2, Tejas Mk-1A (higher-thrust engine upgrade over
Mk1).
• AMCA (Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft) — India's 5th-generation stealth fighter programme under development
by ADA/HAL.

5.2 Rafale
• India is the 4th country to operate Rafale, after France, Egypt, Qatar.
• 36 Rafale jets procured via 2016 inter-government deal with France (Dassault); based at Ambala & Hasimara.

5.3 India–France Defence Relations (frequently tested)

Dimension Key facts
Diplomatic ties Established 1947
Strategic Dialogue France = first country for Strategic Dialogue with India
post-1998 nuclear tests; did not sanction India
Defence cooperation Scorpene submarines, Rafale jets; exercises: Varuna
(Navy), Garuda (Air Force), Shakti (Army); Tata-
Airbus C-295 manufacturing at Vadodara
Civil nuclear 2008 pact — France first country with such a deal after
USA; 6 EPR reactors planned at Jaitapur, Maharashtra

5.4 Other Key Aircraft/UAV Facts

• MQ-9B Predator (variant of MQ-9 Reaper) — US-made (General Atomics) high-altitude long-endurance armed drone;
two variants SkyGuardian & SeaGuardian; Indian Navy has operated SeaGuardian since 2020; endurance ~40 hrs,
ceiling >40,000 ft, payload 5,670 kg.
• India signed to acquire nine retired SEPECAT Jaguar aircraft from UK in 2026 for cannibalisation (spare parts), not
frontline use — a nuance worth remembering.
 • IAF ranked world's 3rd strongest air force in WDMMA 2026 rankings (as of 11 July 2026).

PART 6 — Air Defence & Weapons Systems (India + World)

6.1 S-400 Triumf
• Russian mobile surface-to-air missile system (NATO codename SA-21 Growler); developed by Almaz Central Design
Bureau; entered service April 2007.
• India signed $5.5 billion deal (Oct 2018) for 5 systems. Engagement ranges: 400 km / 250 km / 120 km (medium) / 40
km (short); can track objects up to 1,000 km away and engage 36 targets simultaneously.

6.2 Iron Dome (Israel, for comparison-based questions)

• Origins trace to 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war; deployed 2011; developed by Israel Aerospace Industries + Rafael
Advanced Defense Systems.
• Short-range ground-to-air system with Tamir interceptor missiles; used for Counter-Rockets/Artillery/Mortars (C-
RAM) plus aircraft/UAVs; all-weather.

6.3 SIPRI — Nuclear & Arms Data (high-yield, numbers change yearly — verify latest
edition before exam)
• SIPRI = Stockholm International Peace Research Institute; HQ Solna, Stockholm, Sweden; established 1966;
independent institute on armed conflict, military expenditure, arms trade, disarmament.
• 9 nuclear-armed states: USA, Russia, UK, France, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, Israel.
• USA + Russia hold ~90% of all nuclear weapons globally. Highest DEPLOYED warheads: USA > Russia > France >
UK. Highest TOTAL inventory: Russia > USA > China.
• India + China + Pakistan + North Korea + Israel have NO deployed warheads reported (kept in reserve/undeclared
posture) as per recent SIPRI assessments — always re-verify latest figures.
• India's estimated nuclear warhead stockpile (SIPRI, recent estimate): ~172 warheads (figure moves yearly — cite as
'SIPRI estimate' not an exact fixed fact).

⚠exam,Caution: SIPRI's exact warhead counts and rankings are ANNUAL estimates and shift each edition. For the
know the RELATIVE ordering and structural facts (9 states, USA+Russia ~90%) rather than memorising
a single year's absolute number as permanent truth.

6.4 Nuclear Doctrine

• India follows a declared No First Use (NFU) policy — will not be first to use nuclear weapons, but will retaliate with
'massive' force if attacked.
• India is a non-signatory to NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty) and CTBT (Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty) — considers
NPT discriminatory (divides world into nuclear 'haves' and 'have-nots').
• India is a member of MTCR (2016) and Wassenaar Arrangement (2017), but NOT a member of NSG (Nuclear
Suppliers Group) despite repeated bids — a frequent trap.
• India IS a signatory to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).

PART 7 — Military Exercises (Bilateral & Multilateral)

This is one of the highest-frequency PYQ zones — exact country pairing and service (Army/Navy/Air Force) matter, since
many countries have DIFFERENT exercise names for each service.
7.1 Army Bilateral Exercises
Partner Country Exercise Name
Australia AUSTRA HIND
Bangladesh SAMPRITI
China HAND IN HAND
France SHAKTI
Indonesia GARUDA SHAKTI
Kazakhstan PRABAL DOSTYK
Kyrgyzstan KHANJAR
Maldives EKUVERIN
Mongolia NOMADIC ELEPHANT
Myanmar IMBEX
Nepal SURYA KIRAN
Oman AL NAGAH
Russia INDRA (Army)
Seychelles LAMITIYE
Sri Lanka MITRA SHAKTI
Thailand MAITREE
UK AJEYA WARRIOR
USA YUDH ABHYAS & VAJRA PRAHAR (Special
Forces)
Vietnam VINBAX

7.2 Navy Bilateral/Multilateral Exercises

Exercise Participants
MALABAR India, USA, Japan, Australia (Quad navies)
VARUNA India, France
KONKAN India, UK
SIMBEX India, Singapore
SLINEX India, Sri Lanka
SAMUDRA SHAKTI India, Indonesia
AL-MOHED AL-HINDI India, Saudi Arabia
NASEEM-AL-BAHR India, Oman
INDRA NAVY India, Russia
AUSINDEX India, Australia
JIMEX India, Japan
IN-BN CORPAT India, Bangladesh (coordinated patrol)
IND-INDO CORPAT India, Indonesia (coordinated patrol)
Exercise Participants
INDO-THAI CORPAT India, Thailand (coordinated patrol)
IBSAMAR India, Brazil, South Africa
LA PEROUSE India, Australia, USA, France, Japan, UK (multilateral)
SEA DRAGON India, USA, Japan, Canada, South Korea (anti-
submarine warfare, multilateral)
KOMODO India + ~36 countries (multilateral, hosted by
Indonesia)
RIMPAC India, USA (multilateral, world's largest naval exercise)
BRIGHT STAR India + 34 countries (Egypt-hosted, multilateral)

⚠SERVICE
PYQ trap: KONKAN = Navy exercise with UK (NOT Konkan Shakti, which is a separate India-UK TRI-
exercise). Don't confuse the two.

7.3 Air Force Exercises

Exercise Partner(s)
GARUDA France
COPE INDIA USA (Japan as observer in some editions)
INDRA (Air Force) Russia
EASTERN BRIDGE Oman
DESERT KNIGHT France
VEER GUARDIAN Japan
PASSEX France
COBRA WARRIOR Multinational, UK
BLUE FLAG Multinational, hosted by Israel
ORION Multinational
INIOCHOS Greece (first air exercise between India and Greece)
PITCH BLACK Multinational, hosted by Australia
TARANG SHAKTI India-hosted multinational air exercise (first edition
2024)
SIAM BHARAT Thailand
INDRADHANUSH UK

7.4 Named Editions Worth Remembering

• Konkan Shakti 2021 — India-UK, tri-service (not just Navy).
• Exercise Dustlik — India-Uzbekistan Army exercise.
• Gagan Shakti — IAF's own large-scale exercise testing its own operational capability (not bilateral).
• Bold Kurukshetra — India-Singapore, held at Jodhpur Military Station.
• Al Nagah-III — India-Oman, held at Mahajan Field Firing Range, Bikaner.
• Khaan Quest — Multinational UN peacekeeping exercise hosted by Mongolia; India participates.
• TRILAT (IMT Tri-Lateral) — India, Mozambique, Tanzania maritime exercise in the Indian Ocean.
 • Tri-Service integrated exercises — joint Army-Navy-Air Force drills to improve jointness; increasingly emphasised as
India moves toward Integrated Theatre Commands.

PART 8 — Named Military & HADR Operations

8.1 Military/Combat Operations (historical, high PYQ value)
Operation Context
Operation Vijay (1961) Liberation of Goa from Portuguese rule
Operation Vijay (1999) Kargil War — DIFFERENT operation, same name,
common trap
Operation Meghdoot (1984) Securing Siachen Glacier
Operation Cactus (1988) India's intervention to foil coup in Maldives
Operation Pawan (1987–90) IPKF operations in Sri Lanka
Operation Blue Star (1984) Golden Temple, Amritsar
Operation Parakram (2001–02) Mobilisation after Parliament attack
Operation Sindoor (2025) Indian response to the Pahalgam terror attack (May
2025)

8.2 HADR / Search & Rescue / Evacuation Operations

Operation Year Objective
Operation Seawave 2004 Tsunami relief, Andaman &
Nicobar
Operation Castor 2004 Tsunami relief, Maldives
Operation Rainbow 2004 Tsunami relief, Sri Lanka
Operation Rahat 2013 Uttarakhand flood rescue
Operation Surya Hope 2013 Army-led Uttarakhand disaster
relief
Operation Megh Rahat 2014 J&K flood relief
Operation Maitri 2015 Nepal earthquake relief
Kerala Flood Relief Ops 2018 Kerala floods
Cyclone Fani Relief Ops 2019 Odisha coast
Operation Samudra Setu 2020 Evacuation of Indians during
COVID-19
Mission SAGAR 2020–22 Humanitarian/medical aid to Indian
Ocean Region countries
Operation Devi Shakti 2021 Evacuation from Afghanistan
Operation Ganga 2022 Evacuation of Indians from Ukraine
conflict
Operation Dost 2023 Earthquake relief, Türkiye & Syria
Operation HIMRAHAT 2023 Sikkim Glacial Lake Outburst
Flood rescue
Operation Year Objective
Silkyara Tunnel Rescue 2023 Uttarakhand tunnel collapse rescue
Cyclone Michaung Relief Ops 2023 Chennai flood/cyclone rescue
Operation Brahma 2025 Earthquake/humanitarian aid to
Myanmar
Operation Sagar Bandhu 2025 Cyclone relief & assistance to Sri
Lanka

⚠sounding
PYQ trap: Distinguish MILITARY/combat operations from HADR/evacuation operations sharing similar-
names — examiners frequently swap Operation Sindoor (military) with Operation Sagar/Sindhu-type
HADR names as distractors.

PART 9 — Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) & Paramilitary

Force Founded Mandate / Border Controlling Ministry
BSF (Border Security 1965 India-Pakistan & India- MHA
Force) Bangladesh border
ITBP (Indo-Tibetan 1962 China (LAC) border MHA
Border Police)
SSB (Sashastra Seema 1963 Nepal & Bhutan border MHA
Bal)
Assam Rifles 1835 (oldest paramilitary) North-East India; dual Operational: Army
control (MoD); Administrative:
MHA
CRPF (Central Reserve 1939 (as Crown Rep. Internal security, LWE, MHA
Police Force) Police); CRPF Act 1949 law & order
CISF (Central Industrial 1969 Industrial installations, MHA
Security Force) airports, metros
NSG (National Security 1984 Counter-terrorism, VIP MHA
Guard) security (Black Cats)
• Assam Rifles is unique: administrative control with Ministry of Home Affairs, but OPERATIONAL control with the
Indian Army (MoD) — this dual-control trap is a classic PYQ.

9.1 Intelligence & Security Agencies (often clubbed with Defence GK)
• RAW (Research & Analysis Wing) — external intelligence; reports to PMO/Cabinet Secretariat, not MoD.
• IB (Intelligence Bureau) — internal intelligence; under MHA; oldest intelligence agency in the world still operating
(est. 1887).
• NTRO (National Technical Research Organisation) — technical intelligence.
• SPG (Special Protection Group) — protects PM and specified former PMs' families; under MHA/Cabinet Secretariat.
• Directorate General of Military Intelligence (MI) — Army's own intelligence wing.

PART 10 — Civil-Military & Disaster Response Overlap

• NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) — under NDMA/MHA, NOT part of armed forces; specialist force for
disaster response (floods, earthquakes, CBRN emergencies).
 • 'Aid to civil authority' — armed forces deployed for disaster relief/internal security support at the request of civil
administration; constitutional basis flows from Union executive power over defence + general principles of federal
assistance.
• Territorial Army — India's part-time volunteer force ('citizen soldiers' who hold civilian jobs); distinct from the
Regular Army; used for guarding installations, disaster response, and rear-area security.

PART 11 — Gallantry Awards, Ranks & Important Days

11.1 Gallantry Award Hierarchy
Category Hierarchy (highest → lowest)
Wartime gallantry Param Vir Chakra > Maha Vir Chakra > Vir Chakra
Peacetime gallantry Ashoka Chakra > Kirti Chakra > Shaurya Chakra
• First Param Vir Chakra recipient: Major Somnath Sharma (posthumous, 1947 J&K operations).
• Field Marshal (5-star, ceremonial, only conferred twice in Indian history): Sam Manekshaw and K.M. Cariappa.

11.2 Important Defence Days

Day Date
Army Day 15 January
Air Force Day 8 October
Navy Day 4 December
Kargil Vijay Diwas 26 July
Armed Forces Flag Day 7 December

11.3 Memorials
• National War Memorial, Delhi — inaugurated 2019; the Amar Jawan Jyoti flame (earlier at India Gate) was merged
into it in 2022.
• Kargil War Memorial — Dras, Ladakh (distinct from the National War Memorial in Delhi).
• National Police Memorial, Delhi — for police (not armed forces) personnel — do not confuse the two 'National ...
Memorial' names.

PART 12 — Budget, Procurement & Policy Ecosystem

• Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020 — replaced the earlier Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP); governs
capital procurement, prioritises indigenous/'Buy Indian' categories.
• Strategic Partnership Model — part of DAP; lets an Indian private company partner with a foreign OEM to
manufacture major platforms domestically (used for Project-75I submarines).
• Positive Indigenisation Lists (PILs) — MoD periodically notifies lists of items that CANNOT be imported after a cut-
off date, must be sourced domestically — several tranches issued since 2020.
• iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence) — MoD scheme funding start-ups/MSMEs for defence tech innovation;
delivered through Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO).
• SRIJAN portal — indigenisation portal listing import-substitution opportunities for Indian industry.
• Defence Production and Export Promotion Policy (DPEPP) 2020 — sets targets for domestic defence production and
exports.
• Defence corridors — Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor & Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor (announced
2018).
 • Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence — periodic reports scrutinising MoD budget/policy; frequently cited as
a source in CLAT passages.
• Key Defence PSUs: HAL (1940, Bengaluru), BEL, BDL, Mazagon Dock Ltd (Mumbai), Garden Reach Shipbuilders &
Engineers/GRSE (Kolkata). Ordnance Factory Board restructured (2021) into 7 new Defence PSUs.

PART 13 — Maritime Doctrine, Treaties & Global Positioning

• SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) — India's maritime doctrine for the Indian Ocean Region,
articulated by PM Modi (2015).
• MAHASAGAR — a more recent extension/rebranding of India's maritime outreach doctrine — verify latest official
framing closer to exam.
• 'String of Pearls' — analytical term (not India's own doctrine) describing China's network of ports/bases across the
IOR, often contrasted with India's SAGAR approach.
• India is a major troop contributor to UN Peacekeeping missions historically (among the top contributors cumulatively).
• Wassenaar Arrangement (export control regime for conventional arms & dual-use tech) — India is a member (joined
2017).
• India is NOT a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) despite multiple bids (opposed principally by China).

PART 14 — 2026 Current Affairs Timeline (high-recency, exam-critical)

Date Development
31 Mar 2026 India declared effectively free from Naxalism/Left-
Wing Extremism after ~6 decades
1 May 2026 Air Marshal Tejinder Singh takes over South Western
Air Command (later CISC from 1 Jul 2026)
31 May 2026 Gen N. S. Raja Subramani takes over as 3rd CDS;
Admiral Krishna Swaminathan takes over as 27th CNS
1 Jun 2026 VAdm Vineet McCarty takes over Andaman &
Nicobar Command
9 Jun 2026 SMPP (India) and KNDS (Europe) sign strategic
teaming agreement at Eurosatory, Paris
18 Jun 2026 Indian Coast Guard inducts first indigenous Air
Cushion Vehicle (H-561)
19 Jun 2026 MoD signs contract with Bharat Forge for 12 Marine
Gas Turbine Generators
21 Jun 2026 INS Dunagiri, INS Agray, INS Sanshodhak
commissioned, Kolkata
30 Jun 2026 Gen Dhiraj Seth takes over as 31st Chief of Army Staff
from Gen Upendra Dwivedi
1 Jul 2026 Indian Army operationalises Integrated Battle Groups
(culmination of 7-year restructuring); Air Marshal
Tejinder Singh takes over CISC
9 Jul 2026 DRDO successfully flight-tests Pinaka Long Range
Guided Rocket
11 Jul 2026 IAF ranked world's 3rd strongest air force (WDMMA
2026); INS Mahendragiri commissioned into Eastern
Fleet
 Date Development
17 Jul 2026 Indian Navy hosts Exercise 'Southern Readiness 26-2',
Kochi; INS Malvan (2nd Mahe-class ASW craft)
commissioning announced for 22 Jul
Note: this timeline reflects developments reported through 20 July 2026. Keep tracking PIB Defence and official service
press releases weekly — this section will date fastest of the whole document.

PART 15 — Border Geography & Flashpoints

15.1 LoC vs LAC vs International Border — the core distinction
Term Full form Applies to Legal status
IB (International Border) International Border India-Pakistan Formally demarcated,
(Punjab/Rajasthan/Gujarat mutually recognised
sectors), India-Bangladesh boundary
LoC (Line of Control) Line of Control India-Pakistan, in Jammu De facto military control
& Kashmir line from 1949 Karachi
Agreement, redrawn after
1971 Shimla Agreement;
NOT a legally recognised
international border
LAC (Line of Actual Line of Actual Control India-China De facto, undemarcated,
Control) disputed perception of
alignment; NOT mutually
agreed on maps; source of
repeated stand-offs

⚠India-Pakistan
PYQ trap: LoC and LAC are NOT international borders — a very frequently tested distinction. Only the
IB (Punjab/Rajasthan/Gujarat) and India-Bangladesh boundary are formally demarcated borders.

15.2 Key Flashpoints

• Siachen Glacier — world's highest militarised zone; India controls it since Operation Meghdoot (1984); located north
of NJ9842 point where the LoC 'ends' (undefined beyond that point) — this ambiguity is the root of the Siachen
dispute.
• Doklam — plateau at the India-Bhutan-China trijunction; site of 2017 India-China stand-off; strategically significant as
it overlooks the Siliguri Corridor ('Chicken's Neck') connecting mainland India to the North-East.
• Galwan Valley — Ladakh, site of the June 2020 India-China clash (first fatal clash on the border in 45 years); located
near the LAC in eastern Ladakh.
• Siliguri Corridor ('Chicken's Neck') — narrow ~22 km strip in West Bengal connecting mainland India to the North-
East; strategically vital and often referenced alongside Doklam.

15.3 Border Roads Organisation (BRO)

• BRO — under Ministry of Defence, builds/maintains roads and infrastructure in India's border regions for strategic and
civilian connectivity.
• Project BRAHMANK (BRO) marked its 16th Raising Day on 30 June 2026, focused on strengthening India's border
infrastructure.
• Strategic tunnels: Atal Tunnel (Rohtang, Himachal Pradesh — all-weather connectivity to Ladakh); Zojila Tunnel
(under construction, Srinagar-Leh highway, will be Asia's longest bi-directional tunnel on completion).
PART 16 — Global Rankings & Space Defence
16.1 Key Indices
• Global Firepower Index — annual ranking of military strength across 145+ countries; India typically ranks in the top 5
(historically 4th, occasionally shifting) — do NOT memorise a fixed rank number, check the latest edition before your
exam.
• Global Peace Index (by Institute for Economics & Peace) — ranks countries by relative peacefulness, NOT military
strength; India typically ranks in the bottom half globally — a useful contrast point to Firepower Index in passage-
based questions.

16.2 Space & Cyber Defence

• Mission Shakti (27 March 2019) — India's first Anti-Satellite (A-SAT) missile test, conducted by DRDO; destroyed a
live Indian satellite in low earth orbit; made India the 4th country with demonstrated A-SAT capability, after USA,
Russia, China.
• Defence Space Agency (DSA) — tri-service agency (est. 2019) responsible for operationalising space-based assets for
military use.
• Defence Cyber Agency (DCA) — tri-service agency (est. 2019) handling cyber warfare capabilities.

PART 17 — Quick-Fire PYQ Trap Checklist

• AFSPA = statutory Act, not constitutional provision.
• CDS is 'first among equals' — NOT in the operational chain of command over the three service chiefs.
• Two 'Operation Vijay's exist (Goa 1961, Kargil 1999) — context decides which.
• Two ships named INS Vikrant (1961 vs 2022) — check the date in the question.
• Assam Rifles: administrative control MHA, operational control Army — dual control trap.
• India is in MTCR (2016) and Wassenaar (2017) but NOT in NSG.
• KONKAN (Navy-UK) ≠ Konkan Shakti (India-UK tri-service exercise).
• BrahMos range was originally capped at 290 km (pre-MTCR) — don't assume it was always 450–600 km.
• Trishul (IGMDP) is effectively shelved — verify before assuming it's an active system.
• Field Marshal conferred only twice: Manekshaw & Cariappa.
• National War Memorial (Delhi, armed forces) ≠ National Police Memorial (Delhi, police) ≠ Kargil War Memorial
(Dras).
• Nuclear doctrine = No First Use (NFU), NOT a first-strike doctrine.
• SIPRI's exact warhead-count rankings are annual and change — memorise structure (9 states; US+Russia ~90%), not
one year's fixed numbers.