International RelationsSecurity
News 0 of 33

Indian Navy Participates in US-led Sea Dragon 2026 ASW Exercise in Guam Amid MILAN 2026 Culmination on INS Vikrant

Intl. RelationsSecurity & DefenceHIGH
Target:UPSC GS-IIMPSCSSC GATeachingPrelims HighMains Medium
18 Mar 2026
~2 min
Source: Indian Express
Key Data:March 202642 ships and submarines29 aircraft13th edition
Bodies:Indian NavyUnited States NavyJapan Maritime Self-Defense ForceRoyal New Zealand Air Force
Practice MCQs from today's news ▸
What This Article Covers

1.The Indian Navy is participating in the US-led multinational Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Exercise Sea Dragon 2026 at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam.

2.The article lists nine other key defence exercises (like MILAN, Malabar, Yudh Abhyas) with partner nations, detailing their themes, participants, and locations.

3.This compilation is essential for UPSC aspirants as defence exercises frequently appear in Prelims MCQs (e.g., Mitra Shakti in CSE 2024) and Mains questions on strategic partnerships.

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · Medium

This article consolidates key information on multiple bilateral and multilateral defence exercises India participates in, a recurring theme for UPSC Prelims and Mains GS III (Security). It provides a strategic map of India's defence diplomacy, which is crucial for questions on interoperability, regional security, and India's role in the Indo-Pacific.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

Exercise Sea Dragon 2026US-led, multinational ASW exercise; held in Guam, March 2026
MILAN 2026 Participants42 ships & submarines, 29 aircraft; culminated on INS Vikrant, Visakhapatnam
Exercise Varuna LocationOff the coast of Goa (India-France)
Exercise Dharma Guardian (5th)Held in Rajasthan, India (2024)
Exercise Dustlik 2025 VenueForeign Training Node (FTN), Aundh, Pune
PASSEX Participant (UK)INS Tabar, a submarine, and P-8I aircraft (June 2025)

1-Minute Revision

  • ›Exercise Sea Dragon 2026: US-led, multinational ASW exercise; held in Guam, March 2026
  • ›MILAN 2026 Participants: 42 ships & submarines, 29 aircraft; culminated on INS Vikrant, Visakhapatnam
  • ›Target this Data: Sea Dragon is a US-led Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) exercise.
  • ›Target this Nodal Body: Indian Navy is the primary service involved in Sea Dragon and MILAN.
  • ›Target this Legal Point: Not directly applicable, but understand the strategic agreements enabling such exercises.

Mastered this topic? Test your knowledge with a full MCQ quiz.

Practice exam-style questions, track your score, and strengthen your recall.

Q1Static LinkageEasy

Exercise Sea Dragon 2026, recently in the news, is primarily led by the navy of which country?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements regarding defence exercises mentioned in the article:

1. Exercise MILAN 2026 culminated onboard India’s indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant.

2. Exercise Varuna is the joint military exercise between India and France held on land.

3. The 6th edition of Exercise Dharma Guardian was held at the East Fuji training area in Japan.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMedium

According to the article, how many ships and submarines participated in Exercise MILAN 2026?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

What is the primary objective of conducting multinational exercises like Sea Dragon, as highlighted in the article?

All 15 MCQs ▸
Read original article from Indian Express
You finished this topic
Practice 3 MCQs from this newsNext Article
Explore Related Topics
Intl. RelationsView Topic MCQs →Security & DefenceView Topic MCQs →
Next Supreme Court 9-Judge Bench Revisits 'Industry' Definition Under Industrial Relations Code 2020
Related Current Affairs
Intl. Relations Current Affairs

Yudh Abhyas 2026: India-US Joint Drill Focuses on IBGs, Drones; Also Know IMBAX, LAMITIYE, Sea Dragon, MILAN 2026

This article compiles five recent joint military exercises India participated in, highlighting Yudh Abhyas 2026 with the US focusing on Integrated Battle Groups, drones, and long-range precision fires. Other exercises include IMBAX (Myanmar), LAMITIYE (Seychelles – first tri-services), Sea Dragon (multilateral ASW), and MILAN (multilateral naval wargame). Additionally, India’s defence production hit a record ₹1.78 lakh crore and exports ₹38,424 crore in FY2025-26, underscoring the push for indigenisation and global partnerships.

Intl. Relations Current Affairs

India-Japan Sign Maritime Security MoA: Deeper Naval Cooperation in Indo-Pacific

India and Japan signed a Memorandum of Arrangement (MoA) on Maritime Security Cooperation, deepening operational ties including information sharing, naval exercises, and logistics support under the 'Japan-India Special Strategic and Global Partnership'. This pact is crucial for UPSC exams as it ties into India's Act East Policy, Indo-Pacific strategy, and defence diplomacy.

Security & Defence Current Affairs

₹1,943 Crore Deal: Indian Navy Leases 2 MQ-9B Sea Guardian Drones from US for 30 Months

The Ministry of Defence signed a ₹1,943 crore contract to lease two MQ-9B Sea Guardian drones from US firm General Atomics for 30 months, boosting Indian Navy's maritime surveillance capabilities across both eastern and western fronts. This expands the Navy's drone fleet to four units and bridges the gap until delivery of 31 MQ-9Bs ordered in 2024.

Security & Defence Current Affairs

INS Nipun Commissioned: Indian Navy's 2nd Nistar-class Diving Support Vessel Enhances Submarine Rescue Capability

INS Nipun, the Indian Navy's second Nistar-class Diving Support Vessel, was commissioned at Mumbai. Built indigenously by HSL, it enhances India's submarine rescue, deep-sea diving, and salvage capabilities, marking a step towards Aatmanirbhar Bharat in defence.

Intl. Relations Current Affairs

India-Japan Maritime Security Pact: Make in India Boost, Veer Guardian 26, UNICORN Project

India and Japan signed a Memorandum of Arrangement on Maritime Security Cooperation, strengthening bilateral defence ties in the Indo-Pacific. Key highlights include joint exercises (Dharma Guardian, JAIMEX, Veer Guardian 26 with first Japan Air Force visit to India), defence industrial cooperation under Make in India, and the first defence equipment transfer project (UNICORN). This pact is crucial for UPSC GS2 (bilateral relations) and GS3 (security, defence).

Intl. Relations Current Affairs

India, Japan Sign Maritime Security MoA on Aug 20, 2026 to Boost MDA, SLOC and Shipbuilding

India and Japan signed a Memorandum of Arrangement (MoA) on Maritime Security Cooperation in New Delhi on August 20, 2026, to make naval cooperation more structured, regular and operationally useful. The pact strengthens Maritime Domain Awareness, protects Sea Lines of Communication, and links defence industrial cooperation — a key India-Japan strategic development for UPSC GS2/GS3 preparation.

Intl. Relations Current Affairs

India-UK Sign IGA for Maritime Electric Propulsion for Navy LPDs, Procure LMM Missiles

India and UK are set to sign an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) for developing maritime electric propulsion systems for four Landing Platform Docks (LPDs) for the Indian Navy. Additionally, a second IGA for procurement of British Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMMs) for the Indian Army is imminent. This collaboration includes establishing India's first maritime Land-Based Testing Facility for Integrated Full Electric Propulsion (IFEP) by GE Vernova and BHEL.

Security & Defence Current Affairs

Defence Ministry Annual Report 2025-26 Details Operation Sindoor and LAC Situation with PLA Reduction

The Defence Ministry's annual report for 2025-26 highlights Operation Sindoor as a calibrated military response to the Pahalgam terrorist attack, involving precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK. It also records a significant reduction in PLA deployment along the LAC during 2025, alongside renewed diplomatic and military engagement with China. The report signals a shift towards integrated, network-centric operations and a review of capability gaps.

Start Today's Quiz(15 Qs)