1.Consider the following statements regarding the Chabahar–Zahedan Railway:
It is a railway connectivity project in Iran linking the port of Chabahar with Zahedan.
India and Iran signed an MoU for the project in 2016 involving IRCON and Iran’s CDTIC.
The project is intended to strengthen connectivity between Chabahar Port, Afghanistan and Central Asia.
Chabahar is located on Iran’s Persian Gulf coast.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : a
Statement 1 – Correct: The Chabahar–Zahedan railway is planned to connect Chabahar Port in southeastern Iran with Zahedan, an important rail junction in Iran.
Statement 2 – Correct: An MoU between IRCON (India) and Iran’s CDTIC for construction of the railway was signed during the Indian Prime Minister’s visit to Iran in May 2016.
Statement 3 – Correct: The railway is significant for improving connectivity from Chabahar to Afghanistan and Central Asia. India has also supported integrating Chabahar into broader regional connectivity frameworks such as the INSTC.
Statement 4 – Incorrect: Chabahar is situated on Iran’s Gulf of Oman coast, not the Persian Gulf.
2.Consider the following statements regarding Exercise KAZIND-2026:
It is a joint military exercise between India and Kazakhstan.
The 9th edition of the exercise is being conducted in Oskemen, Kazakhstan.
It focuses primarily on joint counter-terrorism operations in semi-urban and mountainous terrain.
The exercise includes the integrated use of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and Counter-UAS capabilities.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : d
Statement 1 – Correct: KAZIND is a bilateral military exercise between India and Kazakhstan.
Statement 2 – Correct: The 9th edition of KAZIND-2026 is being conducted at Oskemen, Kazakhstan, from 28 September to 11 October 2026.
Statement 3 – Correct: The exercise focuses on joint counter-terrorism operations in a sub-conventional environment, particularly in semi-urban and mountainous terrain.
Statement 4 – Correct: Training includes air mobility and integrated employment of UAS and Counter-UAS systems, along with raids, cordon-and-search operations and special heliborne operations.
3.Consider the following statements regarding the Global Automotive Research Centre (GARC):
GARC is located at Oragadam, Tamil Nadu, near Chennai.
It was established under the National Automotive Testing and R&D Infrastructure Project (NATRiP).
GARC is an authorised testing agency under Rule 126 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules.
It is exclusively meant for testing electric vehicles.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : a
Statement 1 – Correct: GARC is located at Oragadam in Tamil Nadu, in the southern automotive hub near Chennai.
Statement 2 – Correct: GARC was established under NATRiP, a Government of India initiative for automotive testing, homologation and R&D infrastructure.
Statement 3 – Correct: GARC is an authorised testing agency under Rule 126 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR) for type approval and homologation testing.
Statement 4 – Incorrect: GARC is not exclusively an EV testing centre. It provides testing, R&D, homologation and certification facilities covering vehicles and components, including powertrain, emissions, safety, fatigue, EMC and electric vehicles.
4.Consider the following statements regarding the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958:
The Act empowers the Central Government, Governor of a State, or Administrator of a Union Territory to declare an area as a “disturbed area” under certain conditions.
Under Section 4, specified members of the armed forces can use force, including lethal force in prescribed circumstances, in a disturbed area.
A person arrested under the Act must be handed over to the nearest police station with the least possible delay.
The Act itself automatically declares an entire State as a disturbed area for a fixed period of six months.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : a
Statement 1 – Correct: Under Section 3, the Central Government, Governor of a State, or Administrator of a UT can declare the whole or part of the relevant area as a disturbed area if conditions warrant the use of armed forces in aid of civil power.
Statement 2 – Correct:Section 4 provides specified armed-forces personnel with special powers in disturbed areas, including the power to use force, even to the causing of death, in circumstances specified by the Act.
Statement 3 – Correct:Section 5 requires arrested persons to be handed over to the officer in charge of the nearest police station with the least possible delay.
Statement 4 – Incorrect: AFSPA does not automatically declare an entire State disturbed for six months. A disturbed-area declaration is made through a notification under Section 3; its geographical extent and duration depend on the relevant notification.
5.Consider the following statements regarding the “Group of Friends on Safety & Security of Shipping & Seafarers”:
It was jointly launched by India and Liberia on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in 2026.
India and Liberia serve as co-chairs of the group.
It aims to strengthen international cooperation for the safety and security of commercial shipping and seafarers.
It is a formal treaty-based organisation established as a specialised agency of the United Nations.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : a
Statement 1 – Correct: India and Liberia jointly launched the Group of Friends on Safety & Security of Shipping & Seafarers during the high-level week of the UN General Assembly in New York in September 2026.
Statement 2 – Correct:India and Liberia are the co-chairs of the initiative.
Statement 3 – Correct: The group focuses on maritime trade, protection of seafarers, and strengthening cooperation against threats to commercial shipping, including attacks and other maritime-security challenges.
Statement 4 – Incorrect: It is an inclusive, voluntary and action-oriented Group of Friends, not a treaty-based UN specialised agency. It works alongside existing international frameworks, including those associated with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and International Labour Organization (ILO).
