Exercise Pitch Black Context: The Indian Air Force (IAF) will participate in Exercise Pitch Black 2026, the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) premier multinational air combat exercise, scheduled to be held in Australia’s Northern Territory. Exercise Pitch Black is the RAAF’s largest international exercise. Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile (LRLACM) Context: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted the flight test of the Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile (LRLACM). The test was carried out from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha. Indigenously Developed Missile The LRLACM is a fully indigenous missile system. All its sub-systems have been developed by various DRDO laboratories in collaboration with Indian industry partners. Achievement of Test Objectives According to the Ministry of Defence, all the objectives of the flight test were successfully achieved. The missile met all mission requirements during the test. Validation of Critical Technologies The successful trial validated several critical technologies. It demonstrated India's growing capability in long-range precision strike systems. Boost to Defence Self-Reliance The achievement marks another important step towards the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat. It strengthens India's indigenous defence ecosystem and enhances national security. Current Facts Tripura's traditional musical instrument, the Sarinda, has been granted the Geographical Indication (GI) tag, marking another significant achievement for the state in safeguarding and promoting its rich cultural heritage. G7 The Group of Seven (G7) is an informal association of seven major industrialized nations—Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It was originally established in 1975 as the G6, and Canada joined the grouping in 1976, leading to its expansion into the G7.
