MCQs - 2026-07

The Varuna exercise is a long-standing bilateral naval drill focused on improving interoperability and coordination between the Indian and French navies in maritime security operations.

The Indian Navy's indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant and the guided-missile frigate INS Sahyadri were among the key Indian participants in Varuna-2026.

The Varuna-2026 exercise is being conducted in the Arabian Sea, marking a significant phase of joint naval operations between India and France.

India hosted the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) Summit in December 2023. GPAI is a multi-stakeholder initiative that aims to bridge the gap between theory and practice on AI by supporting cutting-edge research and applied activities on AI-related priorities, including responsible AI.

India's AI policy framework, as articulated by NITI Aayog and MeitY, strongly emphasizes "Responsible AI," which includes principles of fairness, accountability, transparency, privacy, and safety to ensure ethical development and deployment of AI systems.

NITI Aayog released the "National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence" in 2018, outlining India's vision for AI, focusing on inclusive growth ("AI for All") and responsible development. It has since been a key driver in policy discussions and initiatives related to AI in India.

NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) is the commercial arm of ISRO, established in 2019, responsible for owning, operating, and marketing ISRO's space assets, including communication satellites like GSAT-N2, on a demand-driven basis. Antrix Corporation was the earlier commercial arm, IN-SPACe is for private sector participation, and PRL is a research institution.

Advanced communication satellites like GSAT-N2 are High Throughput Satellites (HTS) that utilize multiple spot beams and frequency reuse to significantly increase data transmission capacity compared to traditional communication satellites. While other options represent advanced technologies, HTS is the primary focus for enhancing capacity in current geostationary communication satellites.

GSAT-N2 (formerly GSAT-20) is a high-throughput Ka-band communication satellite launched by SpaceX Falcon 9 in January 2024. It is designed to provide high-speed internet and digital communication services across India. GSAT-7A is for military communication, CMS-01 is a C-band communication satellite, and IRNSS-1I is a navigation satellite.

The RBI's 2026 data security framework typically requires digital lending platforms to report any significant data breach to the central bank within 72 hours of its detection to enable timely intervention and mitigation.