Captain Anshika Singh Becomes First Woman to Lead Army Contingent
Captain Anshika Singh has made history by becoming the first woman officer to lead an all-male contingent at a major international military exercise.
2-Minute Summary (TL;DR)
- Captain Anshika Singh led an all-male contingent in 'Exercise Desert Knight 2026'.
- The exercise was held in the UAE.
- She is the first woman officer to achieve this feat in an international exercise.
- She belongs to the Indian Army's Corps of Engineers.
How This Topic is Tested in Competitive Exams
| Exam | Frequency | Approx. Marks | What Gets Asked |
|---|---|---|---|
| SSC (CGL / CHSL / MTS) | High | 3–5 | Defence acquisitions, military exercises, and appointments appear in SSC GK. |
| State PCS / PSC | Medium | 2–4 | State PCS papers test major acquisitions and military exercises involving India. |
What to Memorize from This Topic
- Military exercise: name, participating countries, location, purpose
- Defence acquisition: system name, purpose, procured from which country
- Appointments: new Chief of Army Staff, CNS, CAS, and their tenures
- Indigenization: 'Made in India' defence milestones, first-ever systems
- Strategic policy: recent changes to defence export policy, FDI limits in defence
Practice Questions
Q1. Who is the first woman officer to lead an all-male Indian Army contingent in an international exercise?
- Captain Shiva Chauhan
- Captain Anshika Singh
- Captain Abhilasha Barak
- Captain Zoya Agarwal
Explanation: Captain Anshika Singh became the first woman to lead an all-male contingent at 'Exercise Desert Knight 2026'.
Q2. 'Exercise Desert Knight 2026' was held in which country?
- Oman
- UAE
- Saudi Arabia
- France
Explanation: The exercise was held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
How to Prepare Defence for Government Exams
For every military exercise, note: India + Partner country + Purpose (bilateral or multilateral). Questions are pattern-based.
Defence indigenization ('Atmanirbhar Bharat in Defence') is a high-priority topic for 2025–26. Focus on systems developed by DRDO or HAL.
Chiefs of defence services change periodically. Always keep the current CDS, Army Chief, Navy Chief, and Air Chief up to date.
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