June 2021

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh reviewed the progress of construction of first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) built by M/s Cochin Shipyard Ltd., at Kochi on June 25, 2021. Shri Rajnath Singh was accompanied by Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Karambir Singh and Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command Vice Admiral AK Chawla. The Raksha Mantri visited the construction site and was briefed about the successful Basin Trials completed during November 2020.

The two-day integrated bilateral exercise between Indian and US Forces in the Indian Ocean Region concluded on June 24, 2021. Indian Navy along with Indian Air Force participated with US Navy Carrier Strike Group in the exercise.

The exercise has been a key enabler in building interoperability and strengthening the defence coordination between the two nations and witnessed high tempo-naval operations at sea. These included intense air dominance exercises, advanced air defence exercises, anti-submarine exercises, tactical manoeuvres and cross deck helicopter operations.

Continuing the development of Artillery Rocket Systems, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully test fired extended range version of indigenously developed Pinaka rocket from a Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) on 24th and 25th June 2021 at Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Odisha.  

It was April 2020 and there was peace and tranquillity on the Indian post somewhere in Eastern Ladakh. The nation was grappling with the onslaught of the COVID-19 and the Indian Army had curtailed its major training exercises to combat this newfound viral threat. All training establishments had virtually closed down and the focus remained to maintain maximum safety measures to contain the spread of the virus.

Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. announces that its Trophy Active Protection System (APS) for armored vehicles has been selected for the next phase of detailed assessment and integration by the UK Ministry of Defence for the Army's Challenger 3 MBT.

The selection is a result of a study conducted by the UK MOD as part of an upgrade program led by prime contractor Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL), which will entail detailed integration and system trials of this lighter Trophy variant (Trophy MV), to fit the particular requirements of this vehicle.

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh visited the Karwar Naval Base in Karnataka on June 24, 2021 to review the progress of ongoing infrastructure development under ‘Project Seabird’. Accompanied by Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Karambir Singh, Shri Rajnath Singh undertook an aerial survey of the Project Area and Sites before arriving at the INS Kadamba Heli Pad. The visiting dignitaries were received by Flag Officer Commanding in Chief, Western Naval Command Vice Admiral R Hari Kumar and Flag Officer Commanding Karnataka Naval Area, Rear Admiral Mahesh Singh. 

After a 30 day transit across the world’s oceans, NUSHIP Stalwart arrived safely at Fleet Base West in Western Australia on Monday, 21 June 2021.

NUSHIP Stalwart is the second of two Supply Class Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment (AOR) ships built for the Royal Australian Navy by Navantia, S.A., S.M.E. The Australian Supply Class ships are based on the Spanish Navy's Cantabria Class design.

Indian Naval Ships Kochi and Teg along with P8I and MiG 29K aircraft are participating in a Passage Exercise with US Navy Carrier Strike Group Ronald Reagan during its transit through Indian Ocean Region on 23 and 24 Jun 2021.  The Indian Naval warships along with aircraft from Indian Navy and Indian Air Force will be engaged in joint multi-domain operations with the Carrier Strike Group comprising Nimitz class aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan, Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer USS Halsey and Ticonderoga class guided missile cruiser USS Shiloh.

Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd., (GRSE), a Mini Ratna Category 1 Defence PSU and a leading warship building company today commissioned a 250 Ton Goliath Crane at its integrated Main Unit facility in Kolkata.

Ministry of Defence signed a contract with Goa Shipyard Ltd (GSL) for construction of two Pollution Control Vessels (PCVs) for Indian Coast Guard (ICG) at a cost of about Rs 583 crore, on June 22, 2021. These Special Role ships will be indigenously designed, developed and built by GSL. The acquisition is under ‘Buy Indian - Indigenously Designed Developed & Manufactured (Buy Indian-IDDM)’, the highest priority category for defence capital procurements.