Q20. Who was appointed Director General of the National Security Guard in October 2019?
[SSC CHSL, 18 Mar 2020 Shift 2]
(A) Anup Kumar Singh
(B) Awadhesh Pratap Singh
(C) B. P. S. Yadav
(D) Utkarsh Jain
Answer: (A) Anup Kumar Singh
Explanation: Anup Kumar Singh was appointed Director General of the National Security Guard in October 2019. NSG is a specialist counter-terrorism force under the Ministry of Home Affairs, trained for exceptional security incidents and hostage-rescue situations.
Q19. CORAS is a separate commando unit of which organization?
[UPSC NDA & NA II 2019]
(A) National Security Guard
(B) Central Industrial Security Force
(C) Railway Protection Force
(D) Central Reserve Police Force
Answer: (C) Railway Protection Force
Explanation: CORAS stands for Commandos for Railway Security and was raised by the Railway Protection Force. The specially trained units safeguard railway infrastructure and respond to security threats, particularly in sensitive or insurgency-affected routes.
Q18. India’s first private-sector howitzer manufacturing unit was established at which location?
[UPSC NDA & NA I 2019]
(A) Jamshedpur
(B) Kolkata
(C) Hazira
(D) Gwalior
Answer: (C) Hazira
Explanation: The private-sector howitzer manufacturing facility was established at Hazira in Gujarat by Larsen & Toubro. It represents India’s efforts to expand domestic artillery manufacture and strengthen defence industrial capability outside traditional public-sector establishments.
Q17. IMBEX is a joint Army exercise conducted regularly between India and which country?
[UPSC NDA & NA I 2019]
(A) Malaysia
(B) Maldives
(C) Mauritius
(D) Myanmar
Answer: (D) Myanmar
Explanation: IMBEX denotes the India–Myanmar bilateral Army exercise. It has concentrated on sharing training practices and improving interoperability, including support for Myanmar’s participation in United Nations peacekeeping-related tasks in certain editions.
Q16. Prahaar is which type of Indian defence equipment?
[UPSC CDS-I 2019 General Knowledge, 3 Feb]
(A) Battle tank
(B) Surface-to-surface missile
(C) Aircraft carrier
(D) Submarine
Answer: (B) Surface-to-surface missile
Explanation: Prahaar is a short-range, quick-reaction surface-to-surface tactical ballistic missile developed in India by DRDO. It is designed for battlefield support using mobile deployment, precision and rapid response, unlike naval aircraft carriers or armoured vehicles.
Q15. What is Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), sometimes seen in the news?
[UPSC CSE Prelims 2018]
(A) An Israeli radar system
(B) India’s indigenous anti-missile programme
(C) An American anti-missile system
(D) A Japan–South Korea defence collaboration
Answer: (C) An American anti-missile system
Explanation: THAAD is a United States missile-defence system designed to intercept short-, medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles in their terminal stage. It uses hit-to-kill interception technology and is distinct from India’s indigenous ballistic missile defence projects.
Q14. Which country was NOT involved in the 21st edition of Exercise Malabar?
[UPSC NDA & NA I 2018]
(A) United States of America
(B) Japan
(C) India
(D) Australia
Answer: (D) Australia
Explanation: The 2017 edition of Exercise Malabar involved India, the United States and Japan. Australia was not a participant in that 21st edition. Australia later joined as a participant in the expanded four-navy format.
Q13. The Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) facilitates defence dialogue between India and which nation?
[UPSC NDA & NA I 2018]
(A) Russia
(B) United States of America
(C) Israel
(D) France
Answer: (B) United States of America
Explanation: DTTI is an India–US mechanism intended to deepen cooperation on defence technology, co-development and trade. Its purpose is to identify collaborative projects and remove administrative barriers that can slow bilateral defence industrial partnerships.
Q12. Who was the first woman pilot commissioned in the Indian Navy?
[UPSC NDA & NA I 2018]
(A) Astha Segal
(B) Roopa A
(C) Sakthi Maya S
(D) Shubhangi Swaroop
Answer: (D) Shubhangi Swaroop
Explanation: Shubhangi Swaroop became the Indian Navy’s first woman pilot. She joined naval aviation after successfully completing training. The milestone marked expansion of women’s roles within specialized aviation branches of the armed forces.
Q11. On 22 November 2017, an air-launched BrahMos missile was test-fired from which fighter aircraft?
[SSC CHSL, 21 Mar 2018 Shift 3]
(A) Mirage-2000
(B) Sukhoi Su-30MKI
(C) MiG-29
(D) HAL Tejas
Answer: (B) Sukhoi Su-30MKI
Explanation: The Indian Air Force carried out the BrahMos air-launch test from a Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter. The integration of the supersonic cruise missile with the aircraft extended the flexibility and reach of India’s air-launched strike capabilities.
