'Sarthak' launched in August 2020 by Ministry of Defence, Government of India relates to which of the following ?

Question

UnlockIAS · Accepted Answer

Correct — C, an Offshore Patrol Vessel. 'Sarthak' (ICGS Sarthak) is an Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) of the Indian Coast Guard, which functions under the Ministry of Defence. It was built indigenously by Goa Shipyard Limited as the fifth in a series of five 105-metre OPVs, and is designed for coastal and offshore surveillance, protection of the Exclusive Economic Zone, anti-smuggling operations and search-and-rescue. (The load-bearing fact is the vessel type — an OPV. Note that Coast Guard records date the launch/float-out of ICGS Sarthak to October 2020, so treat the exact month cited in the question with some caution; the identity 'Sarthak = OPV' is firm.)

Why the other options are wrong — (a) Sarthak is not a munition or guided bomb; it is a naval patrol ship.  (b) Sarthak is not a rocket/artillery system; it is an Offshore Patrol Vessel of the Coast Guard.  (d) India's Light Combat Aircraft is the HAL Tejas; Sarthak is a ship, not an aircraft.

Concept: The Indian Coast Guard (ICG), an armed force under the Ministry of Defence, guards India's maritime zones and Exclusive Economic Zone. Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) are its long-range surface platforms for patrol, EEZ protection, anti-smuggling, anti-piracy and search-and-rescue. Many are built indigenously by Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), a defence PSU, supporting the 'Make in India' / self-reliant shipbuilding push.

State PCS 2020 Q55 — Current Affairs PYQ with Answer

State PCS 2020 Q55 — Current Affairs PYQ with Answer