Where was the 4th ADMM-Plus Maritime Security Field Training Exercise (MS FTX) held?

The fourth of Indian Navy's stealth Scorpene class Submarines of Project 75, INS Vela was launched at the Kanhoji Angre Wet Basin of Mazagon Dock Limited at Mumbai in Maharashtra. The submarine has been named 'Vela' after an earlier submarine, which was the lead submarine, of the erstwhile Vela class, the second batch of the Foxtrot class submarines acquired from erstwhile USSR.

The Defence Ministry has awarded a contract of worth Rs.6,311 crore to Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (GRSE) to build eight anti-submarine warfare shallow watercraft (ASWSWC) for the Indian Navy. As per the agreement, the first ship is to be delivered within 42 months from the date of signing of the contract and subsequently, two ships are required to be delivered per year. The eight vessels are to be delivered between 2022 and 2027. The vessels are equipped with highly advanced state-of-the-art integrated platform management systems including propulsion machinery, auxiliary machinery, power generation, and distribution machinery and damage control machinery, etc.

Afghanistan formally launched shipping goods to India through the Chabahar port in Iran. The first shipment of 570 tonnes comprising of dried fruits, textiles, carpets, and other goods in 23 trucks was inaugurated by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. With the opening of the Chabahar route, Afghanistan's exports will double to $2 billion from the current $1 billion over the next one year. About Chabahar Port: Chabahar Port development is the India-Iran joint venture project. Inaugurated in 2017 and been built largely by India. This port provides a critical transport link from New Delhi to Afghanistan, bypassing Pakistan, to trade with Central Asia.

The Navy will inaugurate the Information Fusion Centre (IFC) for the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). Through this Centre, information on 'white shipping', or commercial shipping, will be exchanged with countries in the region to improve maritime domain awareness in the Indian Ocean. The IFC has been established at the Navy's Information Management and Analysis Centre (IMAC) in Gurugram, Haryana.

After 36 years of service, Indian Navy's frontline missile destroyer, INS Ranjit has been decommissioned at the naval dockyard in Visakhapatnam. INS Ranjit's motto was 'Sada Rane Jayate' or 'Ever Victorious in Battle'. The ship was constructed as 'Yard 2203' in the 61 Communards shipyard in the town of Nikolev, Ukraine, where the ship was given its Russian name, "Lovkly" which means "Agile". The solemn decommissioning ceremony was attended by workforce who have served INS Ranjit onboard, officers and sailors from the commissioning crew.

The Indian Navy inducted its first Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) System at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai on 11 December 2018. DSRV is used to rescue crew members stranded in submarines that get disabled. The Indian Navy joins a select group of naval forces in the world that boasts of DSRVs. The DSRV can be operated at a depth of 650 meters and can hold around 15 people.

US regulator Federation of Aviation Administration (FAA) retained the highest aviation safety ranking for India. According to FAA, India's International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) rating remains 'Category 1'. This ranking was based on an audit of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in July 2018.

The INS Dronacharya team won the Regatta trophy in the Kochi Area Pulling Regatta 2019 of the Southern Naval Command (SNC) held in the Ernakulam Channel. Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) School & Diving School secured the runners up position. The Boat Pulling Regatta is one of the most prestigious and traditional naval sporting activities conducted by the Navy. Six teams, formed from all major units of SNC based at Kochi, participated in the regatta.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) conducted combined guided weapons firing of Surface-to-Air Missiles from the Air Force Station located at Suryalanka, Andhra Pradesh. The first-of-its-kind exercise for the Air Force was code-named 'CROSS BOW-18'. CROSS BOW-18 saw the successful firing of four different classes of missiles like Akash, Spyder, OSA-AK-M and IGLA.

The Indian Coast Guard has launched 'Operation Oliva' as part of its annual mission to ensure the safe mid-sea sojourn of breeding Olive Ridley sea turtles in Gahirmatha marine sanctuary area, Devi river mouth, and Rushikulya beach of Odisha. The turtle conservation programme is executed in a joint coordination with the forest department of Odisha to keep watch and vigil on illegal fishing along the turtle concentration zone. As a part of the operation, a fleet of ships and a service aircraft has been pressed into service besides the coast guard has also organised interactive sessions with fishermen communities to sensitise them on the legal embargo on fishing during ridleys' nesting season.