Current Affairs

1. The US military has launched the largest NATO airborne drills dubbed as Swift Response
15 since the end of the Cold War to enhance security and stability in the European
region. Swift Response 15 will be month long simultaneous multinational airborne
operations drill in which around 5,000 soldiers from 11 NATO member states will
participate. Key facts 11 NATO member courtiers participating are: Bulgaria, Germany,
France, Greece, Portugal, Netherlands, Italy, Poland, Britain Spain, and United States.
These airborne drills aim to help high-readiness NATO forces in order to act as one single
force and to demonstrate its alliances capacity to operate and rapidly deploy forces in
support to maintaining a strong and secure Europe. In these drills allied warplanes led by
US will drop more than one thousand paratroopers and warfare equipment to Hohenfels
training area in Germany. Similar air drop drill will also take place the same day at the
Novo Selo training area in Bulgaria.

2. India-US Combined Military Training Exercise YUDH ABHYAS 2015 will be held from 9th
September 2015 at Joint Base Lewis McChord in United States. It was announced Union
Defence Ministry in New Delhi. This exercise will be the 11th edition of such event in the
Yudh Abhyas series. The exercise seeks to broaden and strengthen cooperation and
interoperability between armies of both democratic nations. It will also provide an ideal
platform for the army personnel of the both countries to share their experiences on
military operations in urban terrain under the United Nations mandate. YUDH ABHYAS
series was started in 2004 between India and US under US Army Pacific partnership
program. Since then two countries have decided to progressively increase the scope and
content of the combined training. Tags: Defence India Indian Army US
3. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on 10 August has fully commissioned and
started commercial production at the first indigenous Titanium Sponge Plant at Chavara in
Kerala. The initiative was taken by ISROs Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre to establish
Titanium Sponge Plant (TSP) a dedicated 500 MT per annum plant at M/s Kerala Minerals
and Metals Ltd (KMML), Chavara in Kollam district, Kerala. This plant has commercially
started producing Titanium Sponge which is exclusively applicable in space programme and
strategic areas. For space programme ISRO annually requires approximately 200-300 metric
tonnes of Titanium Sponge and the plant projects to enhance its capacity to 1,000 tonnes per
annum in near future. It should be noted that it is the only integrated plant in the world that
undertakes all activities right from mining of Ti minerals to manufacturing of aerospace grade
Ti sponge under one roof. Titanium Sponge: It is a Titanium (Ti) alloy products produced by
conversion of raw titanium through Kroll process which is subjected to leaching or heated
vacuum distillation to remove impurities and gaining the purest form (99.7 per cent) of
Titanium Sponge. India has become the seventh country in the world producing Titanium
sponge commercially. It is extensively applicable in aerospace and defence areas due to its
high strength to weight ratio and excellent corrosion resistance. Applications: Useful for liquid
propellant tanks for launch vehicles and satellites, gas bottle/liners, inter tank structures and
interface rings for satellites. Note: Initially ISRO imported the raw material for aerospace
grade Titanium alloys with high purity Titanium sponge from countries like Russia, China and
Japan despite the fact that India is endowed with the third largest reserve of Titanium bearing
minerals.
4. Designed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). Consists of advance sensors, coastal
surveillance radars and sound navigation and ranging systems (SONAR). Capable of
detecting, tracking, identifying and generating warning for all types of underwater and surface
threats to harbour security. The integrated system can detect presence of divers and under
water threats with the help of this automatic system. The system has been contracted by

Integrated Headquarters of Union Ministry of Defence in 2012. Henceforth it will operate

under the control of the Naval Officer-in-Charge (Kerala). Presently, similar kind of systems
are fitted in over 150 locations across the world including in South America, Caribbean,
Mediterranean countries and Africa.
5. Indias Kalyani Group and Israels Rafael have partnered to produce Spike Anti-Tank
Guided Missiles (ATGM) in India. In this regard both the entities have formed a manufacturing
Joint Venture (JV) and this move is considered to deepen India-Israel strategic cooperation.
The manufacturing JV will be as per the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) guidelines which
means that the 51% ownership stake in JV will hold by the Kalyani Group. The FDI proposal
in this regard was cleared by Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) in October 2014 which was
chaired by then Defence Minister Arun Jaitley. The FDI deal was worth 3,200 crore rupees
and comprises order of 300 plus launchers and 8,000 plus Spike ATGM missiles. Spike AntiTank Guided Missiles (ATGM): It is a 3rd generation, man-portable, fire-and-forget, anti-tank
missile. Designed and developed by Israeli company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. In
case of Indias requirement, there is need of about 40,000 missiles to equip the Indian Armys
382 infantry battalions and 44 mechanised regiments.
6. Anil Ambani-led Reliance Groups Pipavav Defence and Offshore Engineering (PDOE)
inked a multi-crore agreement with Russian firm Zvyozdochka, JSC Ship Repairing Centre.
The agreement was signed in lines with Make in India initiative for the Medium Refits and Life
Certification of 877 EKM Submarines in India. With this, Reliance Group became the first
private sector Indian company to refit of submarines in India. Both entities will execute the
programme under a joint venture (JV) company with an indicative value of 11,000 crore
rupees in which PDOE will have 51 per cent stake. As per the agreement, Zvyozdochka will
provide complete technical support and assistance to the JV Company. It will also provide the
enhancement of infrastructure at the PDOE facilities in Gujarat and training of engineers.
Apart from India, the JV Company will undertake similar work for large submarine forces of
similar class deployed by countries such as Vietnam, Algeria and Iran. It should be noted that
Zvyozdochka is the premier ship repairing centre in Russia and has undertaken upgradation
and refurbishment of more than 90 warships and 120 submarines.
7. Union Home Ministry has approved to raise seventeen new police battalions in Jammu and
Kashmir and the Naxal-hit states. Of these 17 police battalions, 5 battalions will be for Jammu
and Kashmir and 12 for the Maoist-affected states. In this regard central government will
provide financial assistance which is around 61 crore rupees. 75 per cent of the required will
be provided by the central government. In case of Naxal-hit states, 75 per cent vacancies in
these battalions will be filled up by youths from the 27 worst-affected districts. While in case
of Jammu and Kashmir, the recruitment process will concentrate on insurgency prone areas.
Presently, there are 144 India Reserve Battalions in various states. In addition, Union
Government recently has approved raising 8 additional India Reserve (IR) Battalions, four
each for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
8. ndia and Myanmar have announced plans to strengthen their defence cooperation during a
joint consultative commission (JCC) meeting held in New Delhi. JCC meeting was chaired by
Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Myanmars Foreign Minister Wunna
Maung Lwin. The meeting had released joint statement on various aspects. They are Both
countries to work together on effective border management especially on the issue of crossborder insurgency and terrorism. India has reaffirmed to provide defence assistance program
as part of its Goodwill Diplomacy to Myanmar in order to modernise their Armed Forces.
Sharing of experiences: India to share its experience in dealing with emerging security
challenges, military to military cooperation including in training. It also includes sharing
experience in functioning in a democratic environment and cooperation in the field of
Information Technology. Border issue: To hold first meeting of India-Myanmar Joint Boundary
Working Group in New Delhi to address all outstanding boundary issues. Trade and business:
Investments of Indian companies in sectors like power, ports, agro-industries, mining, forest
products, construction industry, highways, consumer goods, oil and gas, manufacturing,

plantation, hospitality and ICT will be encouraged. It should be noted that Myanmar plays an
important part in Indias decades-old Look East Policy (current Union government changed it
as an Act East policy). Recently, defence cooperation between both neighbours has grown
after changes in political reforms of Myanmar under President Thein Sein, which has made
them less reliant on China.
9. Indias first defence industrial park will be set up at Ottappalam in Palakkad district of
Kerala. In this regard, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) of Union
Government has approved a proposal for this defence park forwarded by the Kerala Industrial
Infrastructure Development Corporation. The proposed defence park will be established as
part of Union Governments flagship Make in India programme and state governments Make
in Kerala project. The park will have modern common infrastructure facilities aimed at
favourable environment to component manufacturers of the defence industry. Union
government also has agreed to bring the park under the Modified Industrial Infrastructure
Upgradation Scheme (MIIUS). Ottappalam was selected for the defence park in view of its
strategic location in terms connectivity and other common facilities such as dedicated power
and water supply along with infrastructure for the research and development centre.
Implications: This defence park will play important role bridging the gap related to defence
components manufacturing sector and provide platform for export of products related to
defence from small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMSEs). Tags: Business Defence
Economy Kerala
10. INS Astravahini, indigenously built torpedos launch and recovery vessel was
decommissioned after its service for almost 31 years to the nation. It was decommissioned in
a ceremony held at the Ship Building Centre (V) at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. The
vessel had immensely contributed in the trials of indigenous torpedoes developed by Naval
Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL). INS Astravahini was an auxiliary vessel of the
torpedo launching and recovery (TLRV) class. It was commissioned in Indian Navy in 1984,
at Visakhapatnam and served for about 31 years. It was only one of its class and was
extensively used by the NSTL as a test platform to launch and recover experimental
torpedoes for their induction into the Indian Navy. In her long service the ship had enhanced
and played important role in indigenous torpedo induction.
11. Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) and US-based aircraft maker Boeing have signed
a strategic framework agreement for aerospace and defence manufacturing. The agreement
was signed by Sukaran Singh, MD & CEO of TASL and Shelley Lavender, President of
Boeing Military Aircraft in lines with Make in India in Hyderabad, Telangana. As per
agreement, both companies will collaborate in the sphere of aerospace and defence
manufacturing along with exploring the potential of developing integrated systems, including
unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). With this Boeing for the first time will develop high-end
aerospace and defence sector technology in India, which will cater to the global markets.
Presently, TASL has a big aircraft manufacturing footprint in various companies like Adibatla
Aerospace and Precision Engineering Park in Hyderabad. It is has a couple of Joint Ventures
(JV) including in Tata Sikorsky Aerospace and Tata Lockheed Martin Aerostructures.