1. President Droupadi Murmu confers 37 Gallantry awards
President Draupadi Murmu, who is the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, presented eight Kirti Chakras including five posthumously and 29 Shaurya Chakras including five posthumously to Armed Forces, Central Armed Police Forces and State/UT personnel in New Delhi on May 9, 2023.
List of Winners
Shaurya Chakra (non posthumous)
Amit Kumar, Assistant Commandant, CRPF Ministry of Home Affairs
Satendra Singh, Assistant Commandant, 21 Battalion, CRPF Ministry of Home Affairs
2693096F Havildar Ghanshyam (Now Naib Subedar), The Grenadiers, 55th Battalion, The Rashtriya Rifles Army
(i) Vicky Kumar Pandey, Deputy Commandant, 209 CoBRA, CRPF (ii) Vijay Oraon, Constable/GD, 209 Cobra, CRPF Ministry of Home Affairs
LIEUTENANT COMMANDER MRITUNJAY KUMAR (07456-W) NAVY
IC-78962W Major Amit Dahiya, Sena Medal, The 1st Battalion, The Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) Army
(i) Somay Vinayak Munde, IPS, Additional, Superintendent of Police (now Superintendent of Police), Maharashtra Police (ii) Ravindra Kashinath Naitam, Head Constable, Maharashtra Police (iii) Tikaram Sampatrao Katenge, Police Naik, Maharashtra Police MHA
IC-72252H Major Nitin Dhania, 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment (Special Forces), Army
14941570X Lance Naik Raghavendra Singh, The Mechanized Infantry, The 9th Battalion The Rashtriya Rifles Army
IC-80532L Major Sandeep Kumar, The Grenadiers, 55th Battalion The Rashtriya Rifles Army
SS-47677W Major Abhishek Singh, Mechanized Infantry, 50th Battalion, The Rashtriya Rifles Army
(i) Squadron Leader Sandeep Kumar Jhajharia, (33270) Accounts/Garuda (ii) Corporal (Now Sergeant) Anand Singh, (954576) Indian Air Force (Garuda) Air Force
IC-77164W Major Aditya Bhadauria, The Kumaon Regiment, 50th Battalion, The Rashtriya Rifles Army
(i) Group Captain Yogeshwar Krishnaro Kandalkar, (27207) Flying (Pilot) (ii) Flight Lieutenant Tejpal, (36539) Meteorological/Garuda (III) Chief of Aircraft Sunil Kumar (990231) Indian Air Force (Security) air force (security) air force
SS-48529X CAPT (NOW MAJOR) YUDHVIR SINGH, THE MECHANISM INFANTRY, 9TH BATTALION, THE RASHTRAYA RIFLES ARMY
16. SS-48830N CAPT RAKESH TR, 9TH BATTALION THE PARACHUTE REGIMENT (SPECIAL FORCES) ARMY
13779485Y Lance Naik Vikas Choudhary, The Jammu and Kashmir Rifles, The 3rd Battalion, The Rashtriya Rifles Army
SS-48517H CAPT (NOW MAJOR) ARUN KUMAR, The Kumaon Regiment, 13th Battalion, The Rashtriya Rifles Army
Kirti Chakra (non posthumous)
15486168N Naik Devendra Pratap Singh, Armored Corps, 55th Battalion The Rashtriya Rifles Army
SS-46926X Major Shubhang, The Dogra Regiment, 62nd Battalion, The Rashtriya Rifles Army
3011334X Naik Jitendra Singh, The Rajput Regiment, 44th Battalion The Rashtriya Rifles Army
Shaurya Chakra (Posthumous)
9115892W Rifleman Aurangzab, The Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry, 44th Battalion, The Rashtriya Rifles (posthumous) Army
3017767L Sepoy Karan Vir Singh, The Rajput Regiment, 44th Battalion The Rashtriya Rifles (Posthumous) Army
15240522P GUNNER JASBIR SINGH, THE REGIMENT OF ARTillery, 19th Bn, The Rashtriya Rifles (Posthumous) Army
665/SPO Constable Mudassir Ahmad Shaikh, Jammu and Kashmir Police (Baramulla) (Posthumous) Army
13773112P Naik Jasbir Singh, 6th Battalion The Jammu and Kashmir Rifles (Posthumous)
Kirti Chakra (posthumous)
1. Sudeep Sarkar, Constable/GD, BSF (Posthumous) Ministry of Home Affairs
2. (i) Deepak Bhardwaj, Sub Inspector, State Government of Chhattisgarh (Posthumous) (ii) Sodhi Narayan, Head Constable, State Government of Chhattisgarh (Posthumous) (iii) Shravan Kashyap, Head Constable, State Government of Chhattisgarh (Posthumous) MHA
3. Rohit Kumar, SG Constable, Jammu and Kashmir Police (Posthumous) MHA
2. Indian Air Force's MiG-21 crashes near Hanumangarh in Rajasthan
Tags: Defence National News
Three people died after a MiG-21 fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed in Rajasthan's Hanumangarh on 8th May.
An overview of the news
The fighter jet was doing a routine training sortie earlier in the day when it crashed.
According to IAF sources, the MiG-21 jet had taken off from Suratgarh.
MiG 21 and its high crash rates :
Mikoyan and Gurevich were two Soviet engineers who designed the MiG series of fighter jets for the Soviet Union.
India inducted MiG-21 fighters in 1963 and it inducted a total 874 planes.
More than 400 MiG-21s have been involved in accidents that have claimed the lives of around 200 pilots during the last six decades.
One of the main reasons for the high rates of crashes is that it is the largest number of planes in the IAF.
The IAF has been forced to fly Mig-21 despite the fact that it has outlived its age.
The government of India has failed to buy an adequate number of planes to replace existing MiG -21 planes.
Now the government plans to replace the MiG-21 plane with the various versions of the indigenously developed Tejas fighter Aircraft.
3. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the Indian Air Force Heritage Center in Chandigarh
Tags: Defence National News
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the Indian Air Force Heritage Center in Chandigarh on 8 April.
An Overview of the News
During the function, the minister also laid the foundation stone of Center for Cyber Ops and Security.
The Heritage Center displayed artefacts, simulators and interactive boards highlighting various aspects of operations in the Indian Air Force.
The centre also displayed vintage aircraft and underlined the important role played by the Air Force in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief as well as its combat capabilities.
The Heritage Center aims to inspire the youth of Chandigarh to pursue a career in the Indian Air Force.
The inauguration of the Indian Air Force Heritage Center was a momentous event that celebrated the history, achievements and contribution of the Indian Air Force to the nation.
About Chandigarh
It is the capital of two northern Indian states, both Punjab and Haryana.
The city was designed in the 1950s by Le Corbusier, a Swiss-French modernist architect.
The Capitol Complex, which includes the High Court, the Secretariat and the Legislative Assembly, is one of Le Corbusier's most prominent buildings in Chandigarh.
The Open Hand Monument is another iconic structure in the city, designed by Le Corbusier to represent "the hand to give and the hand to take".
The Rock Garden, located near the Capitol Complex, is a popular tourist attraction in Chandigarh.
Mayor - Sarabjit Kaur
Official Animal - Indian Gray Mongoose
Official Bird - Indian Gray Hornbill
Official Flower - Sacred Tree
Official tree - Mangifera indica
4. Air Marshal Balakrishnan Manikantan takes over as AOC-in-C Southern Air Command
Tags: Defence Person in news
Air Marshal Balakrishnan Manikantan took over as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) of the Southern Air Command on May 1, 2023.
An Overview of the News
He is an alumnus of Sainik School Kazhakootam and National Defense Academy, and was commissioned into the Indian Air Force on June 7, 1986.
Manikantan has flown over 5400 hours on various types of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, and is a Helicopter Combat Leader and a Type Qualified Flying Instructor.
He has completed instructional tenure at National Defense Academy and Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE).
He has commanded a frontline helicopter unit and two major IAF stations, and has held the appointments of Senior Air and Administrative Staff Officer (SAASO) at HQ Maintenance Command and ACIDS Int-C at HQ IDS, responsible for international defence cooperation .
Prior to assuming the present appointment, he was the Senior Air Force Officer handling Air Operations at the Eastern Air Command.
The Air Marshal is a recipient of the Presidential Awards of Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) and Vayu Sena Medal (VM).
About Indian Air Force
It is a branch of the Indian Armed Forces responsible for defending Indian airspace and conducting air operations in times of war.
Its main objective is to protect the sovereignty of the country by defending against any potential air threats and providing air support during military operations.
Establishment - 26 January 1950
Headquarters - Integrated Defense Headquarters, Ministry of Defence, New Delhi
Motto - Nabhaḥ spṛṣṭa deeptam ("Touch the sky with glory")
5. Maiden ASEAN-India Maritime exercise begins in Singapore
Tags: Defence International News
The first ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise (AIME-2023) began on 2 May in Singapore.
An overview of the news
The maiden exercise is being conducted off the coast of Singapore.
It aims to enhance interoperability and exchange of best practices among the participating navies.
INS Satpura and INS Delhi, accompanied by RADM Gurcharan Singh, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet, have reached Singapore to participate in the exercise.
AIME 2023 will provide an opportunity for Indian Navy and ASEAN navies to work together closely and conduct seamless operations in the maritime domain.
Indian Navy ships will also participate in the International Maritime Security Conference (IMSC) and the International Maritime Defense Exhibition (IMDEX-23).
The Philippine Navy has deployed its missile frigate BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151) with a 140-man crew of Naval Task Group 80.5 onboard in the exercise.
Phase of the exercise
Harbour Phase - to be conducted at Changi Naval Base.
Sea Phase - to be conducted in the South China Sea.
INS Delhi and INS Satpura
INS Delhi is India’s first indigenously-built guided missile destroyer.
INS Satpura, is an indigenously built guided missile stealth frigate and are fitted with state-of-the art weapons and sensors.
Both are part of the Eastern Fleet based at Visakhapatnam and are under the operational command of the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command.
6. Indian Army inducts five women officers into its Artillery Regiment
Tags: National Defence National News
The women officers, including Lt Mehak Saini, Lt Sakshi Dubey, Lt Aditi Yadav, Lt Pavitra Moudgil and Lt Akanksha, joined major artillery units of the Army after completing their training at the Officers Training Academy in Chennai.
An Overview of the News
The move is a significant step towards gender equality in the Indian Armed Forces and reflects the Army's commitment to promoting diversity and inclusivity.
According to military sources, out of the five women officers, three have been posted on the forward front along theLine of Actual Control (LAC) with China, while the other two have been posted at challenging positions near the border with Pakistan.
The Artillery Regiment is a major combat support branch responsible for various gun systems including the Bofors howitzer, Dhanush, M-777 howitzer and K-9 Vajra self-propelled guns.
Women officers are being posted in major artillery units of all types, where they will get adequate training and experience in handling rocket, area and surveillance, and target acquisition (SATA) systems, as well as major equipment.
The decision to induct women officers into artillery units was announced by Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Pandey in January and later approved by the government.
About Indian Army
Established- 26 January 1950
Headquarters- New Delhi
Motto- Seva Paramo Dharma: (Sanskrit); "Service Before Self" (translation)
Colour- Gold, Red and Black
Part- Indian Armed Forces
Role- Land War
7. 7th edition of bilateral training exercise 'Ajeya Warrior 2023'
Tags: Defence
India and the United Kingdom will soon begin the seventh edition of the bilateral training exercise Ajeya Warrior 2023.
An overview of the news
The exercise is part of an initiative to develop interoperability and share expertise with friendly foreign nations.
Military forces of both countries participate in thisjoint military exercise.
About Exercise Ajay Warrior 2023
It is a bilateral training exercise between the armies of India and UK.
The exercise will see the participation of an infantry company from India and a unit of equal strength from the British Army.
Troops of both countries will practice each other's weapons, combat tactics, equipment, battle strategies and procedures to conduct joint military operations under difficult conditions.
In addition, there will also be expert academic discussions on several topics of common interest such as joint weapon concepts, operation logistics, experience sharing of joint forces, etc.
Aims of the exercise
It aims to improve interoperability between the two forces while operating in accordance with the mandates of the United Nations.
Its objective is to provide training to soldiers of both countries in counter-insurgency and counter-terrorist operations.
8. 1st woman Rafale pilot in IAF team for multi-nation drill being held in France
Tags: Defence Person in news
Shivangi Singh, the first woman pilot of the Indian Air Force to fly the Rafale fighter jet, is part of the Indian Air Force (IAF) team that will take part in the multinational exercise 'Orion' in France.
An overview of the news
She is the first woman fighter pilot of the Rafale squadron, and is all set to create history by flying the multi-role air dominance aircraft.
Shivangi Singh joined the Indian Air Force in 2017 and was inducted into the second batch of IAF's women fighter pilots.
Prior to flying Rafale, Shivangi had also flown the MiG-21 Bison aircraft.
She hails from Varanasi and is currently undergoing conversion training and will soon be a part of the Golden Arrows Squadron of the Indian Air Force based at Ambala, Haryana.
Shivangi Singh became the first woman fighter pilot to fly Rafale after being selected as a Rafale pilot in 2020 after a rigorous selection process.
9. Indian Coast Guard conducts Coastal Security Exercise 'Sagar Kavach'
Tags: Defence National News
Coast Guard District Headquarters Haldia, under the aegis of Headquarters Coast Guard Region (NE) conducted the joint Coastal Security Exercise named “Sagar Kavach”, from 25-26 April 23 along the coast of West Bengal.
An overview of the news
The stakeholders who participated in the exercise alongwith Indian Coast Guard included Indian Navy, BSF, Marine Police, West Bengal Police, CISF, Forest Dept., Fisheries Dept., Customs, Haldia Dock Complex, MMD and various intelligence agencies.
Coast Guard, Indian Navy ships and aircraft, BSF patrol boats, Marine Police, Customs and CISF were deployed in the two-day exercise.
The efficacy of men and materials was tested for vigilance in preventing any intrusion into our coastal areas.
Purpose of the Exercise
To assess maritime threats in the current geo-political situation and validate existing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) of all stakeholders.
Strengthening of security system along the coast of West Bengal.
To examine the effectiveness of layered security arrangements such as air-surveillance, deep sea patrolling by large ships of the Coast Guard and Navy and patrolling by boats of Coast Guard air cushion ships, Marine Police, CISF, Customs and BSF.
10. 11th High Level Meeting between Indian Coast Guard and Korean Coast Guard
Tags: Defence International News
The 11th high level meeting between the Indian Coast Guard and the Korean Coast Guard was held in New Delhi on 25 April.
An overview of the news
A seven-member delegation of the Korean Coast Guard held a meeting with theIndian Coast Guard.
Both sides discussed ways to strengthen the existing relationship in accordance with the provisions of the MoU to share best practices, conduct joint exercises and enhance training cooperation.
The high-level meeting between the two Coast Guards was held under the provisions of the MoU signed in 2006.
The high level meeting focused on enhancing operational level interactions and capacity building in the areas of maritime search and rescue, marine pollution response and maritime law enforcement.
About South Korea
South Korea is a country located in East Asia that is known as the 'Land of Quiet Mornings'.
The Korean peninsula was divided into communist Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) and Republic of Korea (South Korea) after the Korean War in 1953.
The nation's capital, Seoul, is the world's second largest metropolitan area and a major global city.
Martial arts Taekwondo originated in Korea.
President- Yoon Suk-yol
Currency- South Korean won
