1. 9th edition of SLINEX held at Visakhapatnam
The 9th edition of the India - Sri Lanka Bilateral Maritime Exercise SLINEX (Sri Lanka–India Naval Exercise) concluded on 10 March 2022 at Visakhapatnam, in Bay of Bengal. It was held from 07 Mar to 10 Mar 2022.
Sri Lanka Navy was represented by SLNS Sayurala, an advanced offshore patrol vessel and the Indian Navy by INS Kirch, a guided missile corvette.
Other participants from the Indian Navy include INS Jyoti, a Fleet support tanker, Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), SeaKing and Chetak Helicopters and Dornier Maritime Patrol Aircraft.
The previous edition of SLINEX was conducted off Trincomalee in Sri Lanka in the month of October 2020.
2. 19th India-US Military Cooperation meeting held in Agra
The 19th edition of India-US Military Cooperation Group (MCG) meeting was held in Agra, Uttar Pradesh on March 01-02, 2022.
The meeting was co-chaired by Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC) Air Marshal BR Krishna from the Indian side and Deputy Commander, US Indo-Pacific Command Lieutenant General Stephen D Sklenka from the US side.
The India-US MCG is a forum established to progress defence cooperation between the countries through regular talks at the strategic and operational levels between Headquarters, Integrated Defence Staff and the US Indo-Pacific Command.
3. MILAN Naval exercise starts in Visakhapatnam
Tags: Defence
The Indian Navy’s multinational Naval exercise MILAN 2022 commenced in Visakhapatnam on 25 February 2022.It will be conducted for 9 days in two phases with the harbour phase scheduled from 25 to 28 February and Sea Phase from 01 to 04 March.
The theme of the MILAN 2022 exercise is ‘Camaraderie – Cohesion – Collaboration’.
More than 40 countries are participating in the MILAN exercise .
MILAN
MILAN is a biennial multilateral naval exercise incepted by Indian Navy in 1995 at Andaman and Nicobar Command.
Since its inception, the event has been held biennially except for 2001, 2005, 2016 and 2020.
4. Tejas to participate in the Cobra warrior exercise 2022
Tags: Defence
For the first time Indian made fighter aircraft Tejas will participate in a foreign military exercises.
Indian Air Force will participate in a multi-nation air exercise named ‘Ex Cobra Warrior 22’ at Waddington, United Kingdom from 06 to 27 March 2022.
Five Tejas aircraft will participate in the exercise along with fighter aircraft of the UK and other leading Air Forces.
Tejas
Tejas is a single engine lightweight multirole fighter aircraft designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency under the Ministry of Defence in collaboration with Aircraft Research and Design Center of the Hindustan Aeronautics limited (HAL).
The Government of India started a programme in the 1980s to develop an indigenous Light Combat Aircraft(LCA) to replace the Mig-21 fighter aircraft for the Indian Air Force and Navy.
The Light Combat Aircraft was renamed as Tejas in 2003.
The first Tejas squadron became operational in 2016, as Squadron no 45 of the IAF “ Flying Daggers “ with its base at Sulur ,TamilNadu.
The first fighter aircraft to be developed by HAL was HF-24 Marut and Tejas is the second fighter aircraft to be developed by HAL.
5. “BrahMos” and “Uran” missiles successfully test-fired
Tags: Defence
Indian Navy successfully test-fired land-based “BrahMos” and ship-launched “Uran (Kh-35)” anti-ship missiles on 2nd February 2022.
- The missiles were tested by the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was fired from a ground-based launcher and the Uran anti-ship missile was launched from the Indian Navy’s Guided Missile Corvette. It successfully destroyed retired Naval ship LCU-38, which was used as target practice.
- Brahmos cruise missile has been developed jointly by India and Russia and India will export the missile to the Philippines in a $375 million deal.
Uran missile or Kh-35 missile is a Russian subsonic cruise anti-ship missile which is being inducted in the Indian Navy.
6. Joint Maritime exercise Paschim Lehar (XPL-2022) conducted in the Arabian Sea
Tags: Defence
A joint maritime exercise Paschim Lehar (XPL-2022) was conducted by the Indian Navy under the aegis of Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C), Western Naval Command was concluded on 25 January 2022.
- The objective of this exercise was to validate operational plans of the Western Naval Command and enhance Inter-Service synergy among the Indian Navy, Indian Air Force, Indian Army and Coast Guard.
- The IAF deployed SU 30 MKI & Jaguar maritime strike aircraft, Flight Refuelling Aircraft and AWACs, alongside the Indian Navy’s maritime reconnaissance aircraft P8i, Dorniers, IL 38 SD, unmanned aerial systems and MiG 29K strike aircraft.
- After a long gap, many Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs), Fast Patrol Vessels (FPVs) and Air Cushion Vessels of the Coast Guard also participated in exercise Paschim Lehar.
7. INS Khukri converted to be into a museum in Diu
Tags: Defence
The decommissioned Indian Naval Ship Khukri has been handed over to the Diu administration to convert it into a museum. The ship was built by Mazagon Dock, Mumbai and was commissioned in the Navy in 1983.
- It was decommissioned in 2019. 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.
8. Gallantry Award and other Military Honours 2022
On the eve of Republic Day 2022 (i.e. 25th January 2022) the President and the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces Ram Nath Kovind approved award of 317 Gallantry and other Defence decorations to Armed forces personnels.
- The President honours the country’s military personnel for their show of gallantry and valour with a total of six awards: Param Vir Chakra, Mahavir Chakra, Vir Chakra, Ashoka Chakra, Kirti Chakra, Shaurya Chakra.
- This year’s list of Gallantry and Distinguished awards being conferred on the occasion of Republic Day- 2022:
- Param Vishisht Seva Medal: 19
- Uttam Yudh Seva Medal: 4
- Ati Vishisht Seva Medal: 33
- Shaurya Chakra: 6
- Yudh Seva Medal: 10
- Bar to Sena Medal (Gallantry): 3
- Sena Medal (Gallantry): 81
- Sena Medal (Distinguished): 40
- Bar to Vishisht Seva Medal: 3
- Vishisht Seva Medal: 74
- Mention-in-dispatches (Various military operations): 44
The President will also honour the winners of :
- The 3 President’s Police Medals for meritorious service, for distinguished service, and for gallantry to law enforcement personnel in the country.
- Correctional Services Medal under two categories “Distinguished Service- 5”, and “Meritorious Service- 37” for their duties in the country’s correctional facilities.
- The 42 President’s Fire Medals which are similar to the President’s Police Medals. Out of these, the President’s Fire Service Medal for Gallantry is awarded to one personnel and the Fire Service Medal for Gallantry is awarded to two personnel for their respective acts of valour and gallantry.
- 25 Civil Defence & Home Guards Medals
- 51 Jeevan Raksha Padak awards to the civilians for saving lives from drowning, fire, or natural calamities. It is divided into three categories: Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak, Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak and Jeevan Raksha Padak.
9. Virat, Darmi, and Heena awarded the Chief of the Army Staff Commendation
Tags: Defence
Virat, Darmi, and Heena were awarded the Chief of the Army Staff Commendation on the eve of Army Day on January 15 for their exemplary service. Virat is a horse with the President’s Bodyguard (PBG), while Darmi and Heena are Army dogs.
10. Indian Navy PASSEX with Russian Navy
Tags: Defence
Indian Navy’s indigenously designed and built guided missile destroyer, INS Kochi, exercised with Russian Federation Navy’s RFS Admiral Tributs on 14 January 2022 in the Arabian Sea.
- PASSEX or Passing Exercise is done between two navies.
- The exercise showcased cohesiveness and interoperability between the two navies and included tactical manoeuvres, cross-deck helicopter operations and seamanship activities.
