Defence Current Affairs Analysis 2012-2013 for UPSC, State PSC, IBPS, SSC CGL, LIC

As you are preparing for UPSC, State PSC, IBPS, SSC CGL or LIC you’ve to prepare Agni, Prithvi, Trishul etc. over and over again. Sometimes it feels as if Indian Government tests these missiles not only to annoy China and Pakistan but also to annoy the competitive exam aspirants.

For current affairs of space technology click here space tech analysis 2012-2013

Defense exercises

It’s not that UPSC asks defense exercises every year but just because it was asked once or twice then it becomes important forever.

Name	Country	force
Bold Kurukshetra	India, Singapore in UP	Army (Tanks)
Cormorant Strike Iii	India, Srilanka, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Maldives. (held in Sri Lanka)	All 3
Garud Shakti	India, Indonesia	Army
Indiaex-2012	India, US	Navy
Indra	India, Russia, bi annual	Navy
Iron Fist	Only India. In Rajasthan	Air Force
Jimex	India, Japan	Navy
Konkan	India, UK	Navy
Malabar	India, US	Navy
Milan	India and 14 other countries: Australia, Bangladesh etc.	Navy
Passex	India, Japan	Navy
Pralay	India only, in North East	Airforce+Army
Red Flag	India, US in Nevada	Airforce
Shakti	India, France in Uttarakhand	Army
Shatrujeet	India, US in California	Army (Infantry)
Shoor Veer	Only India, Rajasthan border	Army
Simbex	India, Singapore	Navy
Tropex	TROPEX=Theatre Level Operational Readiness Exercise.India only	Navy
Vajra Prahar	India, US in Uttarakhand	Army (Special Forces)
Varuna	India, France	Navy
Yudh Abhyas	India, US in Rajasthan	Army (Tanks)

Missiles, weapons and vehicles

Agni

• Surface to surface missile by DRDO.
• Range increases as version increases.

Agni-5	>5000kms. It is India’s first Intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). India is the 7th country to have ICBM. Other 6 are= US, Russia, China, UK, France and Israel. North Korea is also developing an ICBM named Taepodong-2.
Agni-4	4000kms
Agni-3	3000kms
Agni-2	2000kms. Pakistan’s HATF-5 (Ghauri) has range of about 1300 kms.
Agni-1	700kms (some books/magazines say 800 but India 2013 Yearbook says 700 so I keep it 700).

Prithivi

• Surface to surface. Short range (150-350)
• Range increases as number increases: Prithvi I=150, II=250 and III=350kms
• Its naval version is known as Dhanush. Dhanush can be launched from Navy ships.

Aircraft destroyer

Akash	Surface to air (SAM) It can destroy many targets at once, using Rajendra radar system. Its range is higher than trishul.
Astra	Air to air missile to destroy enemy aircrafts.
Trishul	Surface to air (SAM) Destroy low level flying objects. E.g. from a ship against low flying attacking enemy missiles.

Cruise

Brahmos	290 km range. Only Supersonic cruise missile in the world. (speed close to 3 Mach) Named after two rivers: Brahmaputra of India and the Moskva of Russia. can be used against ship and land targets. Can be installed on ships, submarines & aircraft and ground vehicles Can receive navigation signals from both GPS (USA) and GLONASS(Russia).
Nirbhay	sub-sonic cruise missile Nirbhay is India’s equivalent of Tomahawk, a long-range, sub-sonic cruise missile, developed by the U.S. developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will travel at a sub-sonic speed (less than the speed of sound).

Navy / Submarine

Dhanush	It is the naval version of Prithvi II missile. Nuke capable. 350kms
K-15 Sagarika	Can be launched from submarines. Range abt 700kms. Will be used from nuclear powered submarines (like Arihant).
Varunastra	Anti-submarine torpedo

Anti-Tank

HELINA	The helicopter-fired version of Nag (anti-tank missile). Helina =Helicopter + Nag
LAHAT	Laser Homing Attack or Laser Homing Anti-Tank missile will be used in the upgraded Arjun battle tanks.
NAG	‘fire and forget’ anti-tank missile. can destroy enemy tanks four km away NAMICA=carrier of NAG missile. Both of them did not perform well during field trials in Rajasthan.
NAMIKA	It is a vehicle to carry and launch NAG missles.
Invar	Anti-tank Missiles that can be launched from Arjun T-90 tanks. India will buy these from Russia
Adrushya	Anti-tank mine. By DRDO

Tanks and artillery

Arjun	Main battle tank. (T90)Kanchan=name of the armour used on this tank.
Ajeya	T-72 tank
SARVATRA	Mobile bridge laying system. So army’s tanks and vehicles can cross rivers.
DAKSH	It is a robotic vehicle for disabling IED (explosives).
Pinaka	Multibarrel rocket system (it looks like a truck with lot of rockets on its shoulder).
BHIM	155mm artillery gun. (these type of guns are known as “howitzer”) Bofors is also a howitzer.
BMP-2	Infantry combat vehicle. To transport soldiers in the battlefield.

Rifles/ uniforms

INSAS	it is a self loading rifle (SLR) by DRDO. INSAS=Indian small arms system. Before INSAS, we had ISHAPORE SLR.
Sujav	Compact communication and electronic warfare suit
Baby viper	An equipment for clearing land mines. By DRDO

Indian Radars and Sonars

First understand the difference.

Radar	Sonar
RAdio Detection and Ranging	SOund Navigation And Ranging
Uses radio waves	Uses sound waves
Mostly used above water (air)	Underwater.
Faster response	Slower (because speed of sound is slower than radio waves and depends on medium through which it travels)
aerial and naval navigation air defense checking weather patterns	Locate submarines and mines in the sea underwater surveillance and communication mapping underwater terrains

Now let’s check the DRDO projects related to Radars and Sonars

RADAR	Sonar
Revati (3d radar for navy)	HUMSA (shipborne)
Rohini (3d radar for airforce)	MIHIR (airborne)
Indra	Panchendriya, USUSH (Submarine)
Rajendra	Tadpole
	Darpan
	3D Car 3D Central Acquisition Radar

most of these are given in India Yearbook, so these are important as MCQs.

Aircrafts

SU30-MKI	Fighter jets, India will buy them from Russia.
Dornier-228	Transport aircraft
Saras	Transport aircraft
LCA NP-1	Light combat aircraft, Naval prototype 1.India’s first indigenous naval fighter jet (that can be used from aircraft carrier ships such as INS Vikramaditya). It has STOBAR capability. STOBAR= Ski Takeoff but arrested recovery.
Tejas	Light combat aircraft. (LCA)Kaveri=name of Tejas’s engine. It is India’s first indigenous gas turbine engine. It single seat, single engine, supersonic, light-weight, all-weather, multi-role aircraft.
Darin-III	It is upgraded version of Jaguar fighter. Developed by Hindustan Aeronautics ltd.
AEWC	Airborne Early warning and control system. it is a really huge airplane , with high tech radar system. It can detect enemy aircraft, ships and vehicles at long ranges.
Mirage	Fighter aircraft, From france
MiG-21	Russia

Helicopters

Mi-17 v5	Attack helicopter, India will buy them from Russia.Can carry out operation in any weather, any terrain, day n night + disaster, Search-rescue operations.
Rudra	Attack helicopter.
Dhruv, Cheetal, Chetak	Utility  helicopter= transporting very few men, material etc.
AgustaWestland	Transport helicopter. From Italy but deal is stuck due to scam.

UAV/Drones

NISHANT, Rustom-I, Lakshya-I	These are UAV= Unmanned Aerial vehicles. Developed by DRDO
NETRA	Mini-UAV. CRPF will use it to fight naxals. BSF in counter-insurgency.It looks like that helicopter Mr.Lobo was building in 3-idiots (and then heconveniently committed suicide so that Amir Khan could fix it and dance on a song.)
Harpy, Heron, Harop	These UAV are bought from Israel.

Submarines

INS Chakra	Nuclear submarine. We rented this from Russia.Only US, UK, Russia, France and China had such nuke submarines. (we are  the sixth one)
INS Arihant	Nuclear submarine. Currently undergoing  trial.
INS Sindhurakshak	Submarine, bought from Russia

Navy Ship

INS Sahyadri	Stealth frigate.Project 17= Indian navy is building stealth frigates under this project.
Teg, Tarkash, Trikand	These are also stealth frigates. India bought these from Russia.These will be used for anti-piracy operations.
Sudarshini	Indian navy ship. It is on sailing expedition to ASEAN nations.
INS Vikramaditya	Aircraft carrier ship. Originally known as Admiral Gorshkov. India bought this from Russia.

Coast guard ships

Again list not exhaustive, but following names were in news

Samudra Paheredar	Pollution control
Rani Abbakka	Patrolling. By the way Rani Abbakka ruled over coastal parts of Karnataka, had fought against Portugese in late 16th centuary.
Dahanu	patrolling (mainly Maharashtra coast)
Rajkamal	Patrolling

Coast guard vs Navy

Navy	Coast guard
Admiral	Director general
Overall Maritime-security	Coastal security in Territorial waters
Anti-piracy	Anti-smuggling
Reports to Defense ministry	Same
	Help fishermen in distressSearch and rescue
	Marine pollution, environment protection

Navy: New bases

Dweep Rakshak	Indian Navy’s new base in Laskhweep islands.
Baaz	Indian Navy’s new base in Andaman Islands.

Blue water navy

• It is a really powerful navy, can operate across the deep waters in open oceans. E.g US Navy.
• Indian navy also wishes to be a Blue water navy. The purchase/induction of Vikramaditya, nuclear submarines, fifth generation air crafts etc. are part of that strategy.

Defense PSUs

• To run army, navy, airforce, coast guards or any other force you need weapons, vehicles, uniforms etc. so who provides these materials?= 1) via import from Russia, US, Israel, etc.+ 2) domestic production via DRDO, defense factories and PSUs.
• Often, we import stuff from other countries, then our PSUs will refit them to suit Indian terrain and requirements.
• Now let’s take a look at the organizations related with domestic production
• The main “boss” is Dept of Defense production –>Defence ministry
• Under this Department  of defense production, you’ve two type of organizations

Defense factories	Make ammunition, explosives, weapons, uniforms etc.
Defense undertaking (or PSUs)	HAL, BEL, other shipyards.

• DRDO is a separate R&D organization that directly reports to Defense ministry. DRDO does the research –Development stuff. Once that is complete, mass production starts with the help of factories / PSUs.
• Tagline of DRDO = Balasya Mulam Vigyanam = the source of strength is science. (lolz but first you need money to finance the scientific research, so then what is the source of strength?)

Defense Undertaking (PSUs)

(list not exhaustive)

HAL	Hindustan Aeronautics ltd. HAWK jet trainer SU-30 MKI LCA Dornier (transport aircraft) Dhruv (light helicopter) Cheetal/Chetak (Helicopters)
BEL	Bharat Electronics Sonar, communication devices, electronic systems for tanks, aircrafts. Also develops solar cells, EVM (electronic voting machine) etc.
Shipyards	Garden Reach, Kolkata Mazagon, Mumbai (and not Goa)
MIDHANI	MIshra-DHatu NIgam ltd. Provides high quality  metals, alloys, materials required for air-craft, tank, weapons production.
NIRDESH	National institute for Research and Development in Defense Shipbuilding. For self-reliance in defense production related to navy. Near Kozhikode, Kerala It is not a PSU but a society.

Private sector

• Before 2001, private sector wasn’t allowed in defense production. But now
• 26% FDI is allowed in Defense sector.
• Issue: 26% is very low. It doesn’t encourage foreign players transfer their defense technologies in India, therefore Commerce ministry wants this FDI limit to be increased to 74%.

Exhibitions

• AERO india: air force related. 2013’s show held in Bengaluru.
• Defexpo India: weapons, machines related to Land, Naval and Internal Security. 2012’s show held in New Delhi.

Paramilitary forces?

• Different books give different definitions of what is meant by “Paramilitary forces”.
• For example, some would say Paramilitary = those fall under Home ministry and not under Defense ministry. E.g. CRPF, BSF, ITBP etc. Others will counter it saying forces like IB and CBI also fall under Home ministry but by no means they’re paramilitary.
• In 2011, Government of India made the formal definition: Paramilitary force =headed by Military officer (and not an IPS officer).
• CRPF, BSF, ITPB etc are all headed by “Director Generals” but these director generals are actually IPS officers (and not military officers.) Hence going by that definition, we are  left with only three “real” paramilitary forces

1. Assam Rifles
2. Special Frontier Force
3. Coast Guard

Ok then

1. what are CRPF, BSF, ITBP, CISF and SSB? =these are “Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF).”
2. Then what are RAW and IB = they are intelligence gathering agencies (internal and external)
3. Then what are CBI and NIA= they are law enforcement agencies.

Organizations

1	Assam Rifles	originally Catchar Levy. Also known as “Sentinels of North East” and “Friends of the hill people” (kinda too clichéd, hence unlikely for MCQs). Falls under Home ministry (and not Defense ministry). However, its DG is an army officer, hence it is a “true/real”  paramilitary force.(and the oldest one) It also protects the Indo-Myanmar border. (SSB looks after Nepal, Bhutan border)
2	RPF	Railway protection force. Its evolution can be traced to Indian police Act made in 1861. Under that Act, part of the British police manpower was deployed for protection of railways.
3	TA	Territorial army. Falls under Defense Ministry. This is like a part time job. A member can continue his routine job / business as a civilian and every year he has to render service in Territorial army for a few months. Similar force in USA = known as National Guards.
4	CRPF	CRPF (originally Crown representative’s police). Sardar Patel renamed it to Central Reserve Police force. Falls under Home ministry. This is the main fighting force against naxal and internal disturbances.
5	CBI	Under special police establishment Act. Later turned into CBI. (1963) On TV channels, you often hear Congies giving argument that CBI is “independent” because doesn’t fall under Home ministry so “we” are not controlling CBI. It is a bogus argument because CBI reports to Department of personnel and training, and personnel ministry falls under Prime Minister. Although for corruption cases, CBI reports to CVC. Similar force in USA=FBI.
6	Home Guards	Home guards. (Army has similar force known as Territorial army). These are “Voluntary” forces (part time job). Work:bandobast during election, rioting, traffic, disasters etc. Home ministry frames the policies, functions, training for home guards. The cost of force is shared between centre +states.
7	NCC	National cadet Corps. Motto: Unity  and Discipline (Ekta aur anushasan.)
8	ITBP	Indo Tibetan border police. Setup in the wake of Chinese aggression. It was also responsible for KASAB’s security in Mumbai jail. Then they asked crores of rupees and Maharashtra Government  refused to pay. Falls under Home Ministry.
9	SFF	Special Frontier Force. For carrying guerilla operations behind Chinese lines. Falls under Defense ministry.
10	SSB	Originally Special service bureau, now Sashastra Seema Bal. It protects Nepal and Bhutan border.
11	BSF	Border security force. During war time, BSF will do the policing work in any enemy territories captured by Indian Army + taking care of refugees and prisoner of war (PoW).
12	RAW	Research and Analysis wing (RAW) Doesn’t fall under Home / Defense / Foreign ministry. This organization  directly reports to PM. Similar force in USA=CIA, Russia=FSB (earlier KGB), Israel= Mossad, China=MSS. RAW looks into External intelligence gathering. IB (Intelligence bureau) under Home ministry looks into Internal intelligence gathering. Before RAW was created (1968), this IB used to do both internal and external intelligence gathering.
13	CISF	Central Industrial security force. Protection of airports, PSUs, nuke labs and powerplants. CISF is a cost-reimbursement force meaning its cost is borne by the client and not the taxpayer. E.g. if airport is getting CISF cover, then air port has to pay them (so ultimately air-passengers have to pay.) Infosys is the first private company to get CISF protection.
14	SPG	Special protection group. Setup after Indira’s assassination. Provides security to PM, and his family.
15	RR	Rashtriya Rifles. Counter insurgency in Kashmir. It is part of Army (hence defense ministry).
16	RAF	Rapid Action force Made from CRPF It was setup mainly for controlling riots. But nowadays also used in disaster  Management, anti-naxal ops, UN peace keeping ops. Vajra= riot control vehicle of RAF. Falls under Home ministry.
17	COBRA	Combat battalion for resolution action. Made from CRPF.  To fight naxals. Similar force of Andhra police Is known as “Grey-hounds”.
18	NIA	National investigation agency. After 26/11 attacks. Just like CBI, this one also reports to Personnel Ministry.

Defense ministry vs Home ministry

Defense ministry	Home
Army: Rashtriya Rifles, Territorial army Navy Airforce Coast guard For special ops: Marcos (Navy), Garuda (Airforce), Ghatak (Army), Special Frontier Force. NCC	Internal security=CRPF, RAF, COBRA, Assam Rifles(NE), CISF (PSUs, Airports etc.) Border security=SSB (Nepal Bhutan), BSF (Pak, Bangla), ITBP (Tibet), Assam Rifles (Myanmar) Law Enforcement=CBI, NIA: but they don’t report to home ministry. Intelligence=IB (internal) + RAW (external) but RAW falls directly under PM. For special operations=NSG

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