Context: Researchers have discovered compelling evidence of prehistoric wildfires—referred to as palaeofires—beneath the ancient rock formations of the Godavari Basin in peninsular India. What are Palaeofires? Palaeofires are naturally occurring wildfires that took place in Earth’s distant past, long before written records existed. Their presence is primarily identified through fossilized …

Origin: Soviet Union Type: Legacy system for low–medium altitude Range: Up to 30 km Speed: Mach 3–3.5 Role: Supplementary air defence coverage Significance Provides layered, mobile and real-time defence against varied aerial threats. Enhances India’s deterrence and strategic defence posture against adversaries like China and Pakistan. Part of India’s shift …

Origin: Joint Indo-Israel development Type: Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile Range: Up to 70 km, 16 km altitude, Mach 2 Guidance: Two-way datalink, active radar/IIR seeker Operators: Indian Army, Navy, Air Force Deployment: In Ladakh against China Targets: Jets, UAVs, cruise missiles, helicopters

Developer: DRDO; Manufacturer: Bharat Dynamics Ltd Type: Indigenous Short-Range SAM Range: Up to 45 km, Speed: Mach 2.5–3.5 Warhead: 60 kg HE fragmentation Radar: Rajendra 3D PESA (tracks 64 targets) 3D CAR (tracks 200 targets) Capabilities: Engages aircraft, UAVs, cruise missiles, low-level ballistic threats High ECCM resistance, open architecture Mobility: …

Origin: Russia (Almaz-Antey) Type: Long-range Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) system Detection & Tracking: Tracks 300 targets at once; detects threats up to 600 km Phased array radars: Big Bird, Tombstone, Grave Stone, Cheese Board Target Engagement: Engages 36 targets; fires up to 160 missiles Neutralizes targets up to Mach 14 (17,000 …

Context: India recently activated its integrated air defence systems in response to aerial threats from Pakistan, showcasing its multi-layered capability to neutralize diverse aerial attacks. Raksha Kavach Developer: DRDO Type: Indigenous multi-layered air defence platform Features: Combines ballistic, electronic, and blast protection Integrated with satellite surveillance, drones, laser weapons Uses …