Q.1) The Ministry of Defence recently signed defence procurement contracts worth ₹4,666 crore for the acquisition of which equipment for the Armed Forces?
[a] Artillery Guns and Missiles
[b] CQB Carbines and Heavyweight Torpedoes
[c] Armoured Vehicles and UAVs
[d] Assault Rifles and Rocket Launchers
View Answer
Answer: [b] CQB Carbines and Heavyweight Torpedoes
Explanation:
Ministry of Defence has signed defence procurement contracts worth ₹4,666 crore for acquiring Close Quarter Battle (CQB) Carbines for the Indian Army and Navy, and Heavyweight Torpedoes for the Indian Navy. The initiative marks a significant boost toward the modernisation and operational preparedness of India’s Armed Forces.
Q.2) Kavach 4.0, recently commissioned by Western Railways, has been implemented on which railway section?
[a] Surat–Vadodara section
[b] Bajwa (Vadodara)–Ahmedabad section
[c] Mumbai Central–Ratlam section
[d] Ahmedabad–Rajkot section
View Answer
Answer: [b] Bajwa (Vadodara)–Ahmedabad section
Explanation:
Western Railways has commissioned Kavach 4.0, India’s indigenous railway safety and collision-avoidance system, on the Bajwa (Vadodara)–Ahmedabad section covering 96 km. The project spans 17 stations and includes major infrastructure such as 23 towers, 20 Kavach buildings/huts, 192 km of optical fibre cable, and 2,872 RFID tags. The first Kavach-enabled train on this route was the Sankalp Fast Passenger (59549/59550), operated using WAP-7 locomotives with 11 LHB coaches. Kavach – Indigenous Automatic Train Protection (ATP) System is developed by Indian Railways. It prevents signal passing at danger (SPAD) and avoids collisions.
Q.3) The Government of India has recently imposed a safeguard duty for three years on imports of which category of products to protect the domestic industry?
[a] Stainless steel pipes
[b] Non-alloy and alloy steel flat products
[c] Steel scrap and billets
[d] Ferro-alloy products
View Answer
Answer: [b] Non-alloy and alloy steel flat products
Explanation:
Government has imposed a 3-year safeguard duty on imports of specified non-alloy and alloy steel flat products to address serious injury or threat to the domestic steel industry. The move aims to tighten trade measures in the steel sector in response to a surge in low-cost steel imports entering the Indian market, thereby protecting domestic manufacturers and ensuring market stability.
Q.4) The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) recently approved a first-of-its-kind project in the Ganga basin for conserving the breeding habitats of which group of birds?
[a] Wetland-duck species
[b] Migratory cranes
[c] Sandbar-nesting birds, including the Indian Skimmer
[d] River terns and gulls only
View Answer
Answer: [c] Sandbar-nesting birds, including the Indian Skimmer
Explanation:
At the 68th meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) in New Delhi, the government approved a first-of-its-kind project in the Ganga basin to conserve the breeding habitats of sandbar-nesting birds, particularly the endangered Indian Skimmer. The initiative strengthens riverine biodiversity conservation and promotes evidence-based, community-driven conservation under the Namami Gange Mission.
Q.5) From which date will India Post discontinue certain outward international letter mail services as part of its restructuring exercise?
[a] April 1, 2025
[b] January 1, 2026
[c] July 1, 2026
[d] October 1, 2025
View Answer
Answer: [b] January 1, 2026
Explanation:
Department of Posts (India Post) has announced that it will discontinue selected outward international letter mail services from January 1, 2026. The move is part of a restructuring exercise focused on phasing out services that provide limited or no tracking, and will apply to international letter post items sent from India to overseas destinations.
Q.6) According to NITI Aayog, India has recently surpassed which country to become the world’s fourth-largest economy with a GDP size of about $4.18 trillion?
[a] Germany
[b] Japan
[c] United Kingdom
[d] France
View Answer
Answer: [b] Japan
Explanation:
As per NITI Aayog, India has surpassed Japan to emerge as the world’s fourth-largest economy, with an estimated GDP of $4.18 trillion. India continues to be the world’s fastest-growing major economy and is projected to overtake Germany to become the third-largest economy by 2030. The United States remains the largest economy, followed by China.
Q.7) The Reserve Bank of India has granted final authorisation to which FinTech company to operate as a Payment Aggregator–Cross Border (PA-CB) under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007?
[a] RazorpayX
[b] PayMate
[c] BRISKPE
[d] Niyo
View Answer
Answer: [c] BRISKPE
Explanation:
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has granted final authorisation to BRISKPE to operate as a Payment Aggregator–Cross Border (PA-CB) under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007. This authorisation enables the company to facilitate both inward and outward cross-border payment flows within the RBI’s regulated framework, strengthening compliance and transparency in international payment processing.
Q.8) Who has become the youngest Indian and the second-youngest woman globally to ski to the South Pole?
[a] Poorna Malavath
[b] Kaamya Karthikeyan
[c] Arunima Sinha
[d] Premlata Agarwal
View Answer
Answer: [b] Kaamya Karthikeyan
Explanation:
Kaamya Karthikeyan (18), from Mumbai, has set a new record as the youngest Indian and the second-youngest woman in the world to ski to the South Pole. She covered 115 km in extreme conditions, enduring temperatures as low as –30°C, icy winds, and pulled her own sled throughout the expedition. She is the daughter of a naval officer, and the Indian Navy congratulated her for this remarkable achievement.
Q.9) ISRO recently conducted a successful static ground test of the improved third stage (SS3) of which launch vehicle to enhance its payload capacity and operational efficiency?
[a] PSLV
[b] GSLV Mk-III
[c] SSLV
[d] LVM-3
View Answer
Answer: [c] SSLV
Explanation:
ISRO successfully carried out a static ground test of the improved third stage (SS3) of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) at the Solid Motor Static Test Facility, Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota. The upgraded SS3 motor— the uppermost solid stage responsible for imparting final velocity to place satellites into orbit—has now been qualified for induction into flight missions, clearing the way for use in upcoming SSLV launches. The improvement will enhance the rocket’s payload capability and operational efficiency.
Q.10) Amazonian stingless bees, recently recognised with legal rights — the first such case for any insect globally — received this status through municipal ordinances passed in which country?
[a] Brazil
[b] Colombia
[c] Peru
[d] Ecuador
View Answer
Answer: [c] Peru
Explanation:
Amazonian stingless bees have become the first insects in the world to be granted legal rights after the municipalities of Satipo and Nauta in Peru adopted the Declaration of Rights for Native Stingless Bees (Tribe Meliponini) through municipal ordinances. The move aims to preserve Peru’s biocultural heritage and marks a milestone in biocultural conservation and nature-rights governance, establishing the world’s first formal legal recognition of insect rights.