Artillery in modern warfare in India is a key component of the Indian Army’s combat support arm. It provides firepower for ground operations, and is used in conventional and counter-insurgency battles.
K9 Vajra: A self-propelled, long-range artillery gun made by India and South Korea
M777 Ultra Light Howitzer: A howitzer sourced from the US
Dhanush: India’s first indigenously produced long-range artillery gun
ATAGS: An advanced towed artillery gun system being developed by India
2.
Consider the following pairs of glaciers and rivers:
Glacier
River
Yala
Trishuli
Bandarpunch
Yamuna
Bara Shigri
Chenab
Milam
Mandakini
Siachen
Nubra
Which of the above pairs are correctly matched?
[A] 1, 2 and 4 only [B] 1, 3 and 4 only [C] 1, 2 and 5 only [D] 1, 2, 3 and 5 only
Yala Glacier in Nepal is set to disappear by the 2040s and is the only Himalayan glacier listed in the Global Glacier Casualty List, a project launched in 2024 by Rice University, University of Iceland, and other global organizations. Yala Glacier, located in Nepal’s Langtang region at 5,500 meters, feeds the Trishuli River, which supports hydropower, irrigation, and rafting.
Bandarpunch, in Uttarakhand’s Garhwal Himalayas, is the source of the Yamuna River, originating near White Peak in Govind Pashu Vihar National Park.
Bara Shigri Glacier in Himachal Pradesh feeds the Chenab River and is the second-longest Himalayan glacier.
The Mandakini River, originating from Chorabari Glacier near Kedarnath, is a tributary of the Alaknanda River and merges at Rudraprayag.
Siachen Glacier in Ladakh feeds the Nubra River, which joins the Shyok and Indus Rivers.
3. In the context of India’s defense technology, consider the following statements:
Pinaka is named after the legendary bow of Lord Shiva.
Agni is an Indian third-generation, all-weather, fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missile
INS Vikrant is India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier.
Pinaka is named after the legendary bow of Lord Shiva: This is correct. The name “Pinaka” refers to the bow used by Lord Shiva in Hindu mythology.
Agni is an Indian third-generation, all-weather, fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missile: This is incorrect. Agni is a series of ballistic missiles.
INS Vikrant is India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier: This is correct. INS Vikrant was commissioned in 2022 and represents an achievement in India’s naval capabilities.
Thus, two statements are correct.
4. Consider the following:
Lake Victoria
Lake Tanganyika
Lake Malawi
Lake Turkana.
Which of the following is the correct order of the above lakes from north to south?
The series of lakes includes 4 lakes; Lake Victoria, Tanganyika, Malawi and Turkana. Collectively, they contain 31,000 km³ (7,400 cu mi) of water, which is more than either Lake Baikal or the North American Great Lakes. The lakes constitute about 25% of the planet’s unfrozen surface fresh water.
The correct sequence of occurrence of the lakes from north to south is Lake Turkana, Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika, and Lake Malawi.
5. Consider the following space stations:
ISS (International Space Station)
Tiangong-2
Salyut 1
Skylab
Mir
Which of the following is the correct order of these space stations based on their launch date from earliest to latest?
Notes: The correct order based on the launch date is as follows: 1. Salyut 1 (1971) 2. Skylab (1973) 3. Mir (1986) 4. ISS (1998) 5. Tiangong-2 (2016). This sequence considers the periods when each space station was first launched into orbit, reflecting the advancements in space technology over the decades. Salyut 1 marked the beginning of extended human spaceflight in 1971, followed by Skylab in 1973, Mir in 1986, the ISS in 1998, and finally Tiangong-2 in 2016.
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