Q. Operations undertaken by the Army towards upliftment of the local population in remote areas to include addressing of their basic needs is called : (UPSC Prelims 2024)
Answer:
Operation Sadbhavana
Notes: The correct answer is
[C] Operation Sadbhavana. Also known as "Operation Goodwill," it is a unique human face initiative launched by the Indian Army in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
- Operation Sadbhavana (Statement [C] – Correct): Launched in the late 1990s, its primary objective is "Winning Hearts and Minds" (WHAM). The Army undertakes developmental activities in remote, insurgency-affected areas, focusing on five main domains: Education (Army Goodwill Schools), Skill Development, Infrastructure Development, Healthcare, and National Integration Tours.
- Operation Sankalp (Statement [A] – Incorrect): This is a maritime security operation launched by the Indian Navy in 2019. It aimed to ensure the safety of Indian flagged vessels transiting through the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman following maritime security incidents in the region.
- Operation Maitri (Statement [B] – Incorrect): This was a massive relief and rescue operation launched by the Indian Government and the Indian Armed Forces in response to the devastating April 2015 Nepal earthquake. It was India's largest-ever disaster relief effort abroad.
- Operation Madad (Statement [D] – Incorrect): This was a major rescue and relief operation launched by the Indian Navy to assist the state administration during the severe floods in Kerala in 2018.
Operation Sadbhavana is a critical component of the Army's counter-proxy war strategy, aiming to alienate terrorists from the local population by fulfilling basic societal needs and improving the quality of life in border regions.