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12 topicsGS-1: 2GS-2: 5GS-3: 5
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GS-2Polity

1.Tamil Nadu Egg Mayonnaise Ban (Food Safety)

IT

What & Where

Egg mayonnaise = raw egg-yolk, vegetable oil, acid emulsion; popular in fast-food fillings.

Tamil Nadu invoked FSS Act 2006 to ban its production/sale for one year.

Traditional, eggless and pasteurised variants differ in egg content and emulsifiers.

Quick Facts for MCQs

Health Risks

  • Pathogens: raw eggs can carry enteric Salmonella species causing gastroenteritis.
  • Symptoms: vomiting, diarrhoea, fever, intestinal infection; faster in warm climate.
  • Public-health focus: ready-to-eat street foods like sandwiches, burgers, wraps.

Legal & Policy

  • Authority: State Food-Safety Commissioner may prohibit unsafe food manufacture/sale.
  • Powers include: factory surveys, training drives, prosecution sanction, sub-delegation.
  • Tamil Nadu order framed as “public interest” preventive action under FSS Act.

Food Practices

  • Indian preference: eggless mayo widely used due to vegetarian demand and safety worries.
  • Pasteurisation option: heat-treated yolk keeps flavour while lowering microbial load.
  • Seasonality factor: summer temperatures accelerate pathogen growth in unrefrigerated mayo.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
State issuing banTamil Nadu
Law invokedSec 30, Food Safety & Standards Act 2006
Maximum ban period under Sec 301 year
Product targetedMayonnaise made with raw eggs
Main pathogens fearedSalmonella typhimurium, S. enteritidis, E. coli, Listeria monocytogenes
Key risk amplifiersIndian humidity, poor refrigeration
High-risk populationsChildren, elderly, immunocompromised
Eggless emulsifiersSoy proteins, milk solids
Core ingredients in classic mayoRaw yolk + oil + vinegar/lemon
Suspected origin of mayonnaiseFrance or Spain
GS-2Polity

2.Cabinet Committee on Security Overview (Cabinet Committees)

Indian Express

What & Where

Cabinet Committees : small ministerial groups aiding Union Cabinet decision-making in India

Types : Standing (permanent) and Ad-hoc (temporary) committees constituted by the Prime Minister

Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) : top standing body on national security chaired by the PM

Quick Facts for MCQs

Structure & Composition

  • Composition : 4 key ministers plus PM ensure cross-sector coordination
  • Permanence : Standing status allows continuous oversight unlike ad-hoc bodies
  • Secretariat : Cabinet Secretariat facilitates agenda, minutes, inter-ministerial follow-up

Functions & Powers

  • Policy-making : Frames defence, nuclear, intelligence and foreign security policy
  • Financial : Clears high-value defence procurement beyond Defence Acquisition Council limit
  • Oversight : Reviews internal law-and-order, integrates intelligence inputs for action

Security Dimension

  • Crisis-management : Convenes immediately after major terror attacks like Pahalgam 2024
  • Decision-speed : Small composition enables rapid sanction of retaliatory or preventive measures
  • Coordination : Aligns Home, Defence, External Affairs responses with diplomatic messaging

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
ChairPrime Minister of India
Core MembersHome, Defence, Finance, External Affairs Ministers
Permanent InviteesNSA, Cabinet Secretary, Secys of Defence, Home, External Affairs
TypeStanding Cabinet Committee
Formation AuthorityExecutive order of the Prime Minister
Primary MandateNational security and defence policy coordination
Crisis RoleApproves strategic military operations & internal security responses
Procurement PowerAuthorises major defence and nuclear acquisitions

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

GS1 2024PYQ 1

सैन्य कार्य विभाग के प्रमुख के रूप में चीफ ऑफ डिफेंस स्टाफ (CDS) के कर्तव्य कौन-से हैं ?

GS1 2014PYQ 2

Which of the following is/are the function/functions of the Cabinet Secretariat?

GS-2Economy

3.Keonjhar Kalachampa Indigenous Paddy Variety (Plant Variety Rights)

The Hindu

What & Where

Keonjhar Kalachampa – indigenous high-yield paddy from Keonjhar district, Odisha; formally notified 2015.

Registered under Protection of Plant Varieties & Farmers’ Rights Act, 2001; farmer claimant seeks benefit-sharing.

Traditional-seed gene banks: Odisha (state facility) & Chang La, Ladakh (national back-up).

Quick Facts for MCQs

Legal & Policy

  • Registration enables farmer to claim compensation for commercial use by OSSC, private firms.
  • PPV&FRA evaluates benefit-sharing, grants certificates, enforces breeders’ titles.
  • Act balances innovation incentives with traditional farmers’ conservation rights.

Agronomic Traits

  • Resilience: withstands biotic stress and climatic variability, reducing input losses.
  • Productivity: high yield potential when fertilized; maintains output under delayed planting.
  • Structure: sturdy culm prevents lodging, aiding mechanical harvesting.

Conservation Efforts

  • Odisha maintains controlled-environment gene bank cataloguing traditional rice germplasm.
  • Chang La vault stores duplicate seeds at sub-zero, ensuring long-term national security.
  • Initiative supports agrobiodiversity, climate-ready breeding programmes.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Variety originKeonjhar, Odisha
Central notification year2015
Lodging behaviourNon-lodging
Sowing windowTimely & late
Stress toleranceMajor diseases, pests, climate
Fertilizer responseHigh
Supply chain statusFirst traditional variety in formal seed system
PPV&FR Act enactment2001
PPV&FRA roleProtect breeders & farmers, register varieties
Registrar GeneralEx-officio Member-Secretary
Odisha gene bank storage lifeUp to 50 years
National seed vault siteChang La, Ladakh
GS-3Infrastructure

4.India's Inland Waterways Expansion (Inland Waterways)

PIB
Illustration for India's Inland Waterways Expansion (Inland Waterways)

What & Where

Inland Water Transport (IWT): movement of cargo/passengers on navigable rivers, canals & backwaters across India.

Key corridors: Ganga–Bhagirathi–Hooghly (NW-1), Brahmaputra (NW-2), West Coast Canal (NW-3), Godavari–Krishna stretch, Sundarbans.

Governing bodies: Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) under Min. Ports, Shipping & Waterways; National Waterways Act, 2016 lists 111 NWs.

Quick Facts for MCQs

Growth Metrics

  • Surge: Cargo volume grew 8-fold in 11 years, signalling renewed policy push.
  • Expansion: Navigable stretch added ≈2,178 km since 2015, improving hinterland reach.
  • Passengers: Inland ferries now handle >1.6 crore yearly, aiding regional mobility.

Tech & Schemes

  • Digitisation: LADIS for depth info; RIS for traffic management; PANI single-window for data; Car-D cargo tracking.
  • Jalvahak: Incentivises small cargo vessels, extended Tonnage Tax parity with ocean-going ships.

Infrastructure Build-out

  • Multimodal: Terminals at Varanasi, Haldia, Sahibganj integrate rail/road; Kalughat IMT operational.
  • Community jetties & green vessels promoted for rural connectivity and emissions cut.

Challenges

  • Geography: Low industrial clusters near rivers limit backhaul loads, hurting economics.
  • Hydrology: Seasonal depth fall mandates costly dredging, impacting service reliability.
  • Integration: Weak rail/road links inflate door-to-door transit time & cost; IWT modal share stuck at 2 %.

Environmental Angle

  • Dredging impact: Potential habitat loss for Gangetic dolphins, fish breeding; eco-friendly methods urged.
  • Green norms: Push for low-emission vessels, sustainable port design to align with climate goals.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Cargo traffic FY14 vs FY2518.1 MMT ➜ 145.5 MMT
Compound Annual Growth Rate20.86 % (FY14-25)
National Waterways count5 (2014) ➜ 111 (2024)
Operational waterway length2,716 km (2015) ➜ 4,894 km (2024)
Passenger movement FY241.61 crore
Top cargo shareCoal, iron ore, sand, fly ash = 68 %
Multimodal Terminals builtVaranasi, Sahibganj, Haldia (3 MMTs)
First Inter-Modal TerminalKalughat (Bihar)
Digital toolsLADIS, RIS, PANI, Car-D, MIRS
Modal share of IWT≈2 % of total freight

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

CAPF_GAI, CDS_GK 2025PYQ 1

Consider the following pairs with reference to National Waterways (NW) in India and the associated rivers:

CAPF_GAI, CDS_GK 2024PYQ 2

On which among the following is National Waterway No. 2 situated?

GS-1History

5.Buddhist Heritage Sites in Afghanistan (Afghan Buddhist Sites)

The Hindu
Illustration for Buddhist Heritage Sites in Afghanistan (Afghan Buddhist Sites)

What & Where

Cluster of Buddhist­-era archaeological sites in Afghanistan: Mes Aynak, Shewaki Stupa, Bamiyan Buddhas, Kushan inscriptions.

Sited along Silk Road corridors; crucial in transmitting Buddhism from Indian Gangetic plains to China/Central Asia.

Provinces involved: Logar, Kabul, Bamiyan, Laghman; diverse settings—copper valley, sandstone cliff, caravan crossroads.

Quick Facts for MCQs

Archaeological Features

  • Mes Aynak hosts monasteries, stupas, Zoroastrian fire temple, mint, copper smelting workshops.
  • Shewaki built of fieldstone, mud, plaster; first scientific dig 1820.
  • Bamiyan statues hewn into sandstone cliffs, once world’s tallest standing Buddhas.

Cultural Influences

  • Artwork blends Hellenistic, Indian, Persian, Chinese aesthetics.
  • Shewaki exemplifies Kushan-Greek architectural syncretism.
  • Bamiyan embodies mature Gandharan Buddhist iconography.

Security Dimension

  • Taliban now pledge heritage preservation despite 2001 Bamiyan demolition.
  • Mes Aynak’s copper mining raises conservation versus extraction conflict.
  • International heritage bodies monitor sites; access and funding remain constrained.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Mes Aynak occupation1 st c BCE – 10 th c CE
Mes Aynak finds>1,000 statues, frescoes, coins
Shewaki Stupa width>20 m
Shewaki construction era1 st–3 rd c CE
Bamiyan Buddhas carved6 th c CE
Bamiyan art styleGandharan
Kushan inscriptions locationLaghman Province
Kushan realm spanGobi Desert → Ganga Valley

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

CAPF_GAI, GS1 2013PYQ 1

Consider the following historical places :

CAPF_GAI, GS1 2023PYQ 2

Consider the following observations about the largest stupa at Sanchi:

GS-1Mapping

6.Krishna River System and Projects (Indian Rivers)

Hindustan Times
Illustration for Krishna River System and Projects (Indian Rivers)

What & Where

Peninsular east-flowing Krishna River rises at Mahabaleshwar, Western Ghats, drains into Bay of Bengal near Vijayawada

Traverses Maharashtra → Karnataka → Telangana → Andhra Pradesh over ~1,400 km

Second-largest east-flowing river after Godavari; catchment largely monsoon-fed causing high flow variability

Quick Facts for MCQs

Hydrology & Tributaries

  • Seasonal flow peaks during Southwest Monsoon; lean months exacerbate drought risk
  • Tungabhadra largest tributary, originates in Western Ghats, hosts its own multipurpose dam
  • Rainfall dependence makes basin sensitive to El Niño and heatwave-driven evaporation

Projects & Dams

  • Nagarjuna Sagar among world’s largest masonry dams; pivotal to Green Revolution in AP–TS delta
  • Srisailam Dam integrates 1,670 MW pumped-storage hydropower plus irrigation canals
  • Tungabhadra Project supplies irrigation to Karnataka’s Raichur-Bellary-Koppal belt and hydropower to the grid

Heatwave Impact

  • Extreme heat 2024 dried upper reaches early, cutting irrigation in Bagalkot, Vijayapura, Yadgir
  • Reduced river stage threatens kharif sowing and groundwater recharge in North Karnataka
  • Upstream storage depletion may intensify interstate water-sharing disputes in coming months

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Origin altitude~1,300 m at Mahabaleshwar
Total length≈1,400 km
MouthBay of Bengal, Andhra Pradesh
States coveredMH, KA, TS, AP
Rank (peninsular east-flowing)2nd after Godavari
Right-bank tributariesVenna, Koyna, Panchganga, Dudhganga, Ghataprabha, Malaprabha, Tungabhadra
Left-bank tributariesBhima, Musi, Munneru
Major hydro stationsSrisailam, Nagarjuna Sagar, Tungabhadra
Key irrigation barragePrakasam Barrage
Nature of flowRain-fed, seasonal

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

GEO_GS, NDA_GAT 2020PYQ 1

Krishna Raja Sagara Dam/Reservoir is developed on

GEO_GS, NDA_GAT 2020PYQ 2

The state of Telangana is drained by two major rivers. What are they?

GS-3Environment

7.Chlorpyrifos Pesticide Health Risks (Hazardous Chemicals)

DH

What & Where

Chlorpyrifos – organophosphate insect-, acar-, miticide still registered in India, banned in 40+ nations

Rotterdam & Stockholm Conventions (2004, UN) govern trade/elimination of hazardous chemicals and POPs

2023 Basel-Rotterdam-Stockholm COP venue – Geneva, Switzerland

Quick Facts for MCQs

Health Impact

  • Neurotoxicity documented in unborn children, memory loss in exposed adults
  • Acute poisoning risks highest for applicators and nearby communities
  • Developmental disorders linked even at low prenatal exposure

Environmental Impact

  • Persistence enables travel to polar ecosystems, contaminating remote food webs
  • Harmful to pollinators, fish, amphibians, undermining agricultural biodiversity
  • Bioaccumulation magnifies toxicity across trophic levels

Legal & Policy

  • Indian NGOs demand complete domestic ban before upcoming BRS COP
  • Global lobby pressing inclusion of chlorpyrifos and paraquat in Rotterdam Annex III
  • Stockholm Annex A proposal would mandate global elimination if adopted

International Context

  • 40+ nations including EU members, USA already prohibit chlorpyrifos use
  • Basel-Rotterdam-Stockholm triple COP provides coordinated decision-making forum
  • Trade restrictions likely to tighten even without formal POP listing

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Chlorpyrifos chemical formulaC₉H₁₁Cl₃NO₃PS
Action mechanismInhibits acetylcholinesterase, neurotoxic
Main crop uses IndiaCotton, paddy, soy, wheat, maize
Acute human effectPossible convulsions, respiratory failure, death
Long-term effectReduced IQ, developmental delays, birth defects
Environmental traitPersistent, bio-accumulative, long-range transport
Rotterdam key toolPrior Informed Consent (PIC) for export
Rotterdam Annex III tally52 chemicals – 35 pesticides, 16 industrial, 1 dual
Stockholm finance armGlobal Environment Facility (GEF)
Current listing statusChlorpyrifos not yet in either Convention

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

CDS_GK, GS1 2010PYQ 1

A pesticide which is a chlorinated hydrocarbon is sprayed on a food crop. The food chain is: Food crop – Rat – Snake – Hawk. In this food chain, the highest concentration of the pesticide would accumulate in which one of the following?

CDS_GK, GS1 2020PYQ 2

The 'Basel Convention' is aimed at protecting human health and environment against adverse effects of which of the following?

GS-3Environment

8.High Seas Biodiversity Treaty Progress (High Seas Treaty)

Down to Earth
Illustration for High Seas Biodiversity Treaty Progress (High Seas Treaty)

What & Where

Treaty: Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) or High Seas Treaty, third UNCLOS implementing pact

Scope: High seas beyond 200 nm of Exclusive Economic Zones, covering 64 % of global oceans

Aim: Conserve marine biodiversity, share marine genetic resource benefits, mandate EIAs and area-based protections

Quick Facts for MCQs

Need & Gaps

  • Protection gap: Two-thirds ocean space largely unmanaged, deep-sea mining and overfishing escalate
  • Equity push: Prevent biotech monopolies, secure Global South access to MGR royalties
  • Governance overlap: Potential conflict with CBD Nagoya Protocol on genetic resources

Ratification Status

  • Slow uptake: Only 21 of 60 needed, enforcement unlikely before 2027 without surge
  • Geopolitical drag: South China Sea, Bay of Bengal disputes hinder consensus on MPAs
  • Diplomatic target: UN Ocean Conference-3, France 2025 earmarked for crossing 60 mark

Equity & Finance

  • Capacity gap: Developing states need tech transfer, training, digital monitoring tools
  • Funding ask: Graduated contributions, liability on developed nations for sustained special fund inflows
  • Benefit sharing: Non-monetary data access plus potential royalty payments on commercialized MGRs

Implementation Challenges

  • Enforcement weak: No supranational policing; relies on flag-state and port-state control
  • Opt-out risk: Broad reservation rights may dilute ecological coherence of MPAs
  • EEZ loophole: Treaty silent on oil spills and pollution within national zones impacting high seas

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
AdoptionUNGA, June 2023
Required ratifications60 for entry into force
Ratifications till Apr 202521
India statusSigned, not ratified
Present high-seas protection1.44 %
Key obligationsMPAs, MGR benefit sharing, EIAs
Opt-out clauseStates may reject specific MPAs
Oil-gas coverageExcluded from treaty scope
Financial instrumentSpecial fund under Global Environment Facility

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

GEO_GS 2020PYQ 1

Pursuant to the ratification of Convention on Biological Diversity, India legislated Biodiversity Act in the year:

GS-3S&TQuick Bite

9.World Malaria Day 2025 Highlights (Vector-borne Disease)

The Hindu
Illustration for World Malaria Day 2025 Highlights (Vector-borne Disease)

What & Where

Disease Malaria: protozoan Plasmodium infection via female Anopheles bite; preventable and curable but often fatal.

Species Count: five human types; P. falciparum deadliest, P. vivax most widespread, plus P. malariae, P. ovale, P. knowlesi.

Geography Focus: tropical-subtropical belt; Africa shoulders ≈95 % global burden.

Quick Facts for MCQs

Global Burden

  • Incidence Scope: 263 mn cases, >600 k deaths annually per WHO 2024.
  • Continental Tilt: Africa contributes 94-95 % infections and fatalities.
  • Strategy Target: WHO aims 90 % reduction, zero resurgence by 2030.

Treatment & Vaccines

  • Drug Backbone: Artemisinin-based combination therapies replace chloroquine resistance.
  • Vaccine Milestone: RTS,S protects 5 m+ children; requires four doses.
  • New Option: R21/Matrix-M offers higher efficacy, lower cost, 2023 authorization.

India Initiatives

  • Framework 2030: National roadmap seeks malaria-free India within decade.
  • HBHI Push: 2019 focus states WB, JH, CG, MP; intensified net distribution.
  • MERA-India: ICMR network funds surveillance, vector control, operational research.

Historical Context

  • Discovery Trail: Laveran 1880 found Plasmodium; Ross 1897-98 proved mosquito vector.
  • Colonial Impact: Quinine, nets enabled 90 % African control by Europeans circa 1914.
  • Slave-Trade Link: Genetic resistance in Africans influenced labour demand in Americas.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
World Malaria Day25 April (WHO, 2007)
Theme 2025“Malaria Ends With Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite”
Global cases 2023263 million
Global deaths 2023>600 000
Africa share94-95 % worldwide cases
India cases 2015→2311.69 lakh → 2.27 lakh (-80 %)
India deaths 2015→23384 → 83 (-80 %)
India HBHI statusExited high-burden list, 2024
First vaccineRTS,S/AS01 (Mosquirix) approved 2021
Second vaccineR21/Matrix-M cleared 2023
Nobel artemisininYouyou Tu, 2015
WHO Strategy 2016-3090 % cut in cases/deaths; ≥35 nation elimination
E-2025 list25 countries slated malaria-free by 2025
Core vector toolsInsecticide-treated nets, indoor residual spraying

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

CDS_GK, GS1 2010PYQ 1

Widespread resistance of malarial parasite to drugs like chloroquine has prompted attempts to develop a malarial vaccine to combat malaria. Why is it difficult to develop an effective malaria vaccine ?

CDS_GK, GS1 2021PYQ 2

Which one of the following countries has recently been awarded a malaria-free certification by the WHO?

GS-2Editorial

10.World Trade Organisation Reform Debate (WTO Reforms)

The Hindu
Illustration for World Trade Organisation Reform Debate (WTO Reforms)

What & Where

WTO: single multilateral body for binding global trade rules; operational since 1 Jan 1995

Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland; membership 164 (2025)

Core organs: Ministerial Conference; General Council incl. Dispute Settlement & Trade Policy Review bodies

Quick Facts for MCQs

Institutional Dysfunctions

  • Appellate Body paralysis since 2017 caused by persistent US veto on judge appointments
  • Doha Round deadlock on agriculture, subsidies, services continues from 2001
  • Consensus rule lets any single member stall reform, e.g., India or US over voting changes

Continued Relevance

  • Universal forum still providing binding rules plus Trade Policy Reviews transparency
  • 2022 Fisheries Agreement evidences residual capacity for negotiated outcomes
  • Rule-based WTO viewed as shield against Smoot-Hawley-style protectionism surge

Reform Proposals

  • Appellate Body redesign aimed at curbing perceptions of judicial overreach
  • Weighted voting mechanism suggested to minimize unilateral blockage of decisions
  • Digital trade framework needed for e-commerce, data flows, SOE-linked market distortions

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Replaced entityGATT 1947
Establishment date1 January 1995
HQ cityGeneva
Current members164 states/customs territories
Foundational principlesMost-Favoured-Nation & National Treatment
Latest multilateral pact2022 Fisheries Subsidy Agreement
Dispute appeal statusAppellate Body vacant since 2017
Decision ruleFull consensus of entire membership

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

ESE_GS, GS1 2010PYQ 1

In the context of the affairs of which of the following is the phrase “Special Safeguard Mechanisms” mentioned in the news frequently ?

ESE_GS, GS1 2020PYQ 2

Which of the following are the main functions of WTO?

GS-2Editorial

11.Pakistan Suspends 1972 Simla Agreement (Simla Agreement)

Indian Express
Illustration for Pakistan Suspends 1972 Simla Agreement (Simla Agreement)

What & Where

Simla Agreement 1972 bilateral India-Pakistan pact redefining 1971 ceasefire line as Line of Control in Jammu & Kashmir

Line of Control roughly 740 km demarcation from Akhnoor to NJ9842 separating Indian UTs J&K Ladakh from Pakistan-occupied areas

Abeyance declared by Pakistan April 2025 after Pahalgam terror fallout raising questions on bilateral dispute-resolution framework

Quick Facts for MCQs

Legal & Policy

  • Bilateralism principle undermined enabling Pakistan to invoke UN OIC or China mediation
  • LoC status becomes fragile lacking enforceable accord raising treaty-violation precedents
  • Article 370 abrogation context could face renewed external legal scrutiny

Security Dimension

  • Suspension may spur proxy warfare echoing Siachen 1984 and Kargil 1999 precedents
  • Nuclear-armed dyad escalation risk prompts global calls for restraint
  • Border instability can stall J&K development governance initiatives

Tech & Schemes

  • Anti-drone radars AI-based Drone Dome proposed for LoC surveillance
  • Smart fencing under CIBMS envisages infrared lasers seismic sensors in Gurez Uri Poonch sectors
  • Satellite imagery plus Heron-TP UAV patrols with AI analytics to detect infiltration tunnels

International Angle

  • Possible FATF grey-list relisting of Pakistan by highlighting terror financing links
  • SAARC cooperation on counter-terrorism trade may further stagnate
  • Wider Indo-Pacific partners could back India against forced internationalization

Community Measures

  • Village Defence Committees revival with arms training early-warning roles in frontier hamlets
  • Multi-layer counter-infiltration grid synchronises Army BSF police intelligence
  • Seasonal SOP revisions enhance adaptability to adversary tactics

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Signing date2 July 1972
VenueShimla Himachal Pradesh
Indian signatoryPM Indira Gandhi
Pakistani signatoryPresident Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
War context1971 Indo-Pak war leading to Bangladesh creation
Ceasefire line renamedLine of Control
POWs released by India≈ 93,000 Pakistani soldiers
Core clauseDisputes to be settled bilaterally no third-party
UN Charter mentionPrinciples referenced superseding previous UNSC plebiscite calls
SAARC impact riskPotential obstruction to regional cooperation

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

GS1 2003PYQ 1

Consider the following statements regarding the relations between India and Pakistan:

GS-3Security

12.INS Surat and Exercise Aakraman (Naval Exercise)

Times of India
Illustration for INS Surat and Exercise Aakraman (Naval Exercise)

What & Where

INS Surat – Visakhapatnam-class stealth destroyer, indigenously built at Mazagon Dock, Mumbai, missile test in Arabian Sea sector.

Exercise Aakraman – IAF full-spectrum combat drill over central-sector plains & mountains using Rafale squadrons.

Aim – sharpen maritime–aerial strike, interception and layered fleet defence capabilities against high-intensity threats.

Quick Facts for MCQs

Tech & Hardware

  • MRSAM system: Israeli-Indian co-developed, vertical launch, 360° coverage.
  • BrahMos: 2.8 Mach speed, sea-skimming trajectory for anti-ship/land attack.
  • Rafale sensors: AESA radar, Spectra EW suite enhancing high-threat survivability.

Operational Roles

  • Fleet-protection: INS Surat forms outer-layer air defence for carrier/task forces.
  • Coastal-strike: BrahMos enables standoff attacks on shore installations beyond 300 km.
  • Air-dominance: Aakraman rehearses simultaneous BVR engagements and deep-strike missions.

Security Dimension

  • Deterrence: Combined naval-air drills signal rapid escalation capacity on both fronts.
  • Indigenous drive: Destroyer, missiles and dockyard underscore Aatmanirbhar defence push.
  • Joint synergy: Navy–IAF parallel readiness improves maritime–aerospace response continuum.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Ship classVisakhapatnam-class, Project 15B
Builder yardMazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd., Mumbai
Tested weaponMedium-Range SAM (≈70 km intercept)
Anti-ship/land missileBrahMos supersonic cruise
Radar suiteMulti-function active electronically scanned array
Stealth aspectReduced radar cross-section hull design
Exercise venueCentral sector; mixed plains & mountain terrain
IAF platformsRafale jets from Ambala & Hashimara
Key munitionsMeteor BVRAAM, Rampage, Rocks missiles
Primary exercise goalValidate precision strike & wartime readiness

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

GS1, NDA_GAT 2022PYQ 1

With reference to India's defence, the terms ‘Surat’ and ‘Udaygiri’ refer to

GS1, NDA_GAT 2005PYQ 2

Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched?

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