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Current affairsDefence Acquisition Council Approves ₹2.12 Lakh Crore Procurement: India's Largest Defence Buy with 82% Indigenous SourcingThe Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, approved Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for capital procurement proposals worth approximately ₹2.12 lakh crore (USD 22.32 billion) on October 26, 2026 — one of India's largest ever single-session defence procurement approvals. Around 82% of the value is to be sourced from Indian industry, reinforcing the Aatmanirbhar Bharat in defence initiative. Current affairsLand Warfare Doctrine 2026: India's Updated Framework for Future Multi-Domain WarsDefence Minister Rajnath Singh released the updated Land Warfare Doctrine at the Army Commanders' Conference (October 21–23, 2026) in New Delhi. The revised doctrine — replacing the December 2018 version — integrates artificial intelligence, drone warfare, multi-domain operations, and precision weapons into a 20–30-year strategic roadmap for the Indian Army to fight and win future conflicts. Current affairsSCO Council of Heads of Government Meeting 2026: India at Dushanbe SummitDefence Minister Rajnath Singh represented India at the 25th Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government (CHG) held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan on October 19–20, 2026. The meeting focused on trade, economic cooperation, investment, connectivity, and innovation among SCO member states. Current affairsExercise IBSAMAR IX 2026: India-Brazil-South Africa Trilateral Maritime Exercise at Simon's Town Under IBSA FrameworkThe ninth edition of IBSAMAR — the joint maritime exercise between the navies of India, Brazil, and South Africa — is underway at Simon's Town, South Africa from 12 to 22 October 2026. The Indian Navy is participating with INS Tarkash and its integral Chetak helicopter. The exercise theme is "Stronger Together Towards a Shared Future in the Maritime Domain," covering anti-submarine warfare, anti-piracy operations, maritime interdiction, and search and rescue under the IBSA (India-Brazil-South Africa) Forum for Dialogue framework. Current affairsINS Triput Commissioned: Indian Navy Inducts First Indigenously Built Follow-on Talwar-Class Stealth FrigateThe Indian Navy commissioned INS Triput in October 2026 — the first of two Follow-on Talwar-class guided-missile frigates (Project 1135.6) built entirely in India at Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL). Constructed with 51% Indian steel, INS Triput is a landmark in India's naval indigenisation drive under Make in India, reinforcing India's maritime capability in the Indian Ocean Region. Current affairsExercise KONKAN-26: India-UK Annual Bilateral Naval Exercise at Plymouth with INS TrishulExercise KONKAN-26, the annual bilateral maritime exercise between the Indian Navy and the UK Royal Navy, is being conducted off Plymouth, England from October 8–15, 2026. India's guided-missile stealth frigate INS Trishul is participating in harbour-phase professional exchanges and at-sea tactical manoeuvres. The exercise reinforces the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership outlined in the India-UK Vision 2035 and demonstrates the two navies' commitment to open, secure, and free seas. Current affairsINS Surya: India Launches First Indigenously Built Fleet Support Ship at HSL VisakhapatnamDefence Minister Rajnath Singh launched India's first indigenously designed and built Fleet Support Ship (FSS), christened <em>Surya</em>, at Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), Visakhapatnam on 6 October 2026. The 44,000-tonne vessel, first of a five-ship class built at a cost of ₹19,000 crore with ~82% indigenous content, will provide mid-sea replenishment of fuel, ammunition and provisions to Indian Navy carrier battle groups, dramatically enhancing the Navy's blue-water operational endurance. Current affairsAkash Air Defence System Exported to Tajikistan and Turkmenistan: India's Defence Exports Surpass ₹38,000 Crore in FY26India's indigenous Akash surface-to-air missile system has been exported to Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, confirmed by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh in October 2026, making Armenia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan the three export customers of the system. India's total defence exports crossed ₹38,000 crore in FY 2025–26, reflecting a dramatic rise from under ₹2,000 crore a decade ago. Current affairsExercise KAZIND-2026: 9th India-Kazakhstan Joint Military Exercise Begins at Oskemen, Focusing on Counter-Terrorism OperationsThe 9th edition of the India-Kazakhstan Joint Military Exercise KAZIND-2026 commenced in Oskemen, Kazakhstan, on September 28, 2026, and will run until October 11. A 60-member Indian contingent led primarily by a Garhwal Rifles battalion trains alongside an equal Kazakhstani contingent on joint counter-terrorism operations in semi-urban and mountainous terrain, including Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and Counter-UAS techniques. Current affairsExercise VARUNA 2026: 24th Edition of India-France Bilateral Naval Exercise, INS Trishul at ToulonINS Trishul, an Indian Navy guided-missile stealth frigate, arrived at the Toulon Naval Base in France on 22 September 2026 for the 24th edition of Exercise VARUNA — the annual bilateral maritime exercise between the Indian Navy and the French Navy (Marine Nationale). Initiated in 1983, VARUNA is the flagship exercise of the India-France strategic partnership. Current affairsExercise Tarang Shakti 2026 (Second Edition): IAF's Multinational Air Exercise with 7 Nations, French Mission Pégase DeploymentThe second edition of Exercise Tarang Shakti — the Indian Air Force's flagship multinational air exercise — commenced at Jodhpur Air Force Station from 28 September to 12 October 2026, with seven foreign air forces participating. France's Air and Space Force deployed four Rafale F4 jets under its seventh Mission Pégase as part of a 300-strong contingent, joining the United States (F-35), UAE (F-16), and others in the exercise. Current affairsIndia-CELAC Foreign Ministers' Meeting 2026: Jaishankar Co-chairs Largest-Ever CELAC Engagement on Sidelines of UNGA 81External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar co-chaired the India-CELAC Foreign Ministers' Meeting on September 22, 2026, on the sidelines of UNGA 81 in New York, with 30 of CELAC's 33 member nations attending — described as the "largest-ever" such engagement. Key outcomes included formalising an annual ministerial dialogue, establishing a permanent India-CELAC Commission, and adopting a bilateral Cooperation Roadmap. India-CELAC bilateral trade exceeds USD 50 billion annually.