'Naseem-Al-Bahr' is a bilateral naval exercise between India and
- (a)United Arab Emirates
- (b)Iran
- (c)Saudi Arabia
- (d)Oman
Correct — D, Oman. 'Naseem-Al-Bahr' (Arabic for 'Sea Breeze') is the bilateral naval exercise conducted between the Indian Navy and the Royal Navy of Oman, held periodically in the Arabian Sea. Oman is India's oldest defence partner in the Gulf and gives the Indian Navy operational access to the port of Duqm.
- (a)United Arab Emirates — India's naval engagement with the UAE runs under the exercise 'Zayed Talwar', not Naseem-Al-Bahr.
- (b)Iran — India and Iran cooperate on the Chabahar port project but do not run the Naseem-Al-Bahr naval exercise.
- (c)Saudi Arabia — The India-Saudi Arabia naval exercise is 'Al-Mohed Al-Hindi', a different drill from Naseem-Al-Bahr.
India conducts named bilateral defence exercises with many partners. 'Naseem-Al-Bahr' pairs the Indian Navy with the Royal Navy of Oman, reflecting a long maritime relationship in the Arabian Sea and the western Indian Ocean.
Every option is a West Asian state, so the tell-tale signs are the Arabic name and the Arabian Sea setting, plus India's naval access at Duqm in Oman.
- Naseem-Al-Bahr ('Sea Breeze') is the India-Oman bilateral naval exercise.
- Oman provides India operational access to the port of Duqm.
- The India-UAE naval exercise is Zayed Talwar; the India-Saudi one is Al-Mohed Al-Hindi.
- Oman is regarded as India's oldest strategic partner in the Gulf region.
- Mixing up the many similarly named West Asian naval exercises.
- Assuming any Arabic-named drill must involve Saudi Arabia or the UAE.
Asked as 'exercise X is between India and which country', testing the pairing of named drills to partners.
Which of the following statements about 'Exercise Mitra Shakti-2023' are correct? 1. This was a joint military exercise between India and Bangladesh. 2. It commenced in Aundh (Pune). 3. Joint response during counter-terrorism operations was a goal of this operation. 4. Indian Air Force was a part of this exercise. Select the answer using the code given below:
- (a) 1, 2 and 3
- (b) 1, 2 and 4
- (c) 1, 3 and 4
- (d) 2, 3 and 4
Answer(d) 2, 3 and 4
Same idea of recalling India's named bilateral exercises and their partners — Mitra Shakti is India-Sri Lanka (not Bangladesh), while Naseem-Al-Bahr is the India-Oman naval drill.
Exercise Desert Cyclone is a joint military exercise between India and:
- (a) Kuwait
- (b) Saudi Arabia
- (c) United Arab Emirates
- (d) Oman
Answer(c) United Arab Emirates
Identical 'match the named exercise to its partner' concept; here the naval exercise pairs India with Oman, there the army exercise pairs India with the UAE (with Oman as a tempting distractor).
- practice — not a real PYQ
The 'Malabar' naval exercise originally began as a bilateral exercise between India and which country?
- (a)Russia
- (b)United States
- (c)France
- (d)Oman
Answer(b) United States — it later grew into a multilateral Quad-linked exercise.
- practice — not a real PYQ
India's access to the strategically located port of Duqm is provided by which country?
- (a)Iran
- (b)Oman
- (c)United Arab Emirates
- (d)Qatar
Answer(b) Oman — enhancing the Indian Navy's reach in the western Indian Ocean.