1. The Videsh Sampark Programme, recently organised in Jaipur, is an initiative of which ministry?
[A] Ministry of External Affairs
[B] Ministry of Home Affairs
[C] Ministry of Commerce and Industry
[D] Ministry of Defence
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Ministry of External Affairs]
Notes:
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), in collaboration with the Government of Rajasthan, organised the Videsh Sampark Programme in Jaipur. The programme aims to strengthen Centre–State coordination on diaspora engagement, consular services, safe migration, and international cooperation. It was launched by the Ministry of External Affairs in 2017 as an outreach initiative for closer engagement with States and Union Territories. The programme also explored opportunities to promote trade, investment, employment, and international cooperation.
It provides a platform for sharing best practices and improving inter-agency coordination.
2. A new species of spreadwing damselfly named Lestes paloti was recently discovered in which state?
[A] Karnataka
[B] Tamil Nadu
[C] Maharashtra
[D] Kerala
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Kerala ]
Notes:
A team of odonatologists has discovered a new species of spreadwing damselfly, Lestes paloti, from the Western Ghats in Kerala. It is the first new species of the genus Lestes described from India since Lestes garoensis (1987). It inhabits scrub vegetation around homesteads and laterite hillocks, often away from open water bodies. It changes colour from brown in the dry season to bluish during the monsoon. Damselflies are predatory aerial insects belonging to the order Odonata. They are mainly found near shallow freshwater habitats and are smaller and more delicate than dragonflies.
3. INS Malvan, recently seen in the news, belongs to which class of Indian Naval ships?
[A] Nilgiri-class Frigate
[B] Kalvari-class Submarine
[C] Mahe-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft
[D] Visakhapatnam-class Destroyer
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Mahe-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft]
Notes:
The Indian Navy is set to commission INS Malvan, strengthening India’s coastal defence capabilities. Malvan is the second Mahe-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) of the Indian Navy. It has been indigenously designed and built by Cochin Shipyard Limited. The vessel is named after the coastal town of Malvan in Maharashtra and carries forward the legacy of the erstwhile INS Malvan. It has a displacement of about 1,100 tonnes and is waterjet-propelled. It is equipped with torpedoes, anti-submarine rockets, advanced radars, and sonar systems.
4. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) functions under which ministry?
[A] Ministry of Home Affairs
[B] Ministry of Road Transport and Highways
[C] Ministry of External Affairs
[D] Ministry of Defence
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Ministry of Defence]
Notes:
The Defence Minister recently addressed the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) Strategic Infrastructure Conclave in New Delhi. He highlighted the critical role of strategic infrastructure in modern warfare and national security.The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is India’s premier border infrastructure agency. It was established on 7 May 1960 to develop strategic infrastructure and secure India’s border areas. Since 2015–16, BRO has functioned fully under the Ministry of Defence. It operates across 19 States, 3 Union Territories (including Andaman & Nicobar Islands), and friendly neighbouring countries such as Bhutan, Myanmar, Tajikistan, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan.
