UPSC CDS-1 Archives

1. Recently India signed a contract for the manufacture of nearly 6 lakh

Recently India signed a contract for the manufacture of nearly 6 lakh AK-203 rifles with which one of the following countries ?

Canada

Russia

France

Israel

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CDS-1 – 2022

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India signed a contract with Russia for the manufacture of over 6 lakh AK-203 assault rifles.

The rifles are being manufactured in India at Korwa, Amethi, under a joint venture called Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL).

The AK-203 is an advanced version of the Kalashnikov rifle and is intended to replace the Indian Army’s INSAS (Indian Small Arms System) rifle. The deal involves significant technology transfer for manufacturing in India.

2. Which of the following statements is/are correct ? 1. India had acco

Which of the following statements is/are correct ?

1. India had accorded recognition to Bangladesh even before the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971.
2. In March 2021, both India and Bangladesh had decided to celebrate 6 December as Maitri Diwas.

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

1 only

2 only

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

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UPSC CDS-1 – 2022

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Both statements are correct. India was one of the first countries to recognize Bangladesh as a sovereign nation on December 6, 1971, ten days before Bangladesh achieved final victory on December 16, 1971. In March 2021, during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bangladesh, both countries decided to commemorate December 6 as ‘Maitri Diwas’ (Friendship Day) to mark India’s recognition.

India’s recognition on December 6, 1971, was a significant diplomatic move during the Bangladesh Liberation War. The decision to celebrate Maitri Diwas on this date highlights the historical bond and contemporary partnership between the two nations.

Maitri Diwas was celebrated in 18 countries across the world in addition to being celebrated in Dhaka and Delhi, underscoring the international significance of the India-Bangladesh relationship.

3. The terms ‘Pinaka and Smerch’ mentioned in news recently refer to

The terms ‘Pinaka and Smerch’ mentioned in news recently refer to

Cruise missiles

Nuclear-powered submarines

Rocket launcher systems

Weaponised drones

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Pinaka and Smerch are both types of multi-barrel rocket launcher (MBRL) systems used by the Indian Army.

Pinaka is an indigenous Indian system developed by DRDO, while Smerch is a Russian-made system procured by India. Both are designed to fire multiple rockets rapidly to saturate an area.

The Pinaka MBRL system is being upgraded to provide enhanced range and accuracy. The Smerch system is known for its long range and devastating firepower. These systems are crucial for artillery support and battlefield dominance.

4. In the recently formed grouping of countries generally known as ‘Middl

In the recently formed grouping of countries generally known as ‘Middle-East Quad’, in addition to India, which of the following are other members ?

Egypt, Saudi Arabia and USA

Israel, UAE and USA

Egypt, UAE and UK

Israel, Saudi Arabia and UK

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UPSC CDS-1 – 2022

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The grouping commonly referred to as the ‘Middle-East Quad’ or ‘I2U2’ comprises India, Israel, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the United States (USA).

The name I2U2 comes from the first letters of the names of the four member countries (India, Israel, UAE, USA).

This group was initially formed in October 2021 during the Abraham Accords foreign ministers’ meeting. Its stated aim is to discuss joint investments and initiatives in six key areas: water, energy, transportation, space, health, and food security.

5. Which one of the following statements is correct regarding LOFAR (Low

Which one of the following statements is correct regarding LOFAR (Low Frequency Array) ?

It is the world's most powerful radio antenna.

It is a space technology launched by NASA to discover exoplanets.

It is an arrangement of satellites in space for the purpose of creating Satellite Navigation System.

It is a wireless communication technology for 5G services.

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LOFAR (Low Frequency Array) is a large network of radio telescopes spread across several countries in Europe, making it one of the most powerful radio antennas for observing very low radio frequencies.

It is not a single antenna but an array of antennas that work together using advanced data processing to synthesize a large effective aperture, giving it high sensitivity and resolution.

LOFAR is used for various astronomical studies, including observing the early universe, pulsars, cosmic rays, and solar activity. It operates in the frequency range of 10-240 MHz.

6. A global initiative popularly known as ‘30 × 30 target’ is often seen

A global initiative popularly known as ‘30 × 30 target’ is often seen in the news. Which one of the following statements best reflects this initiative ?

At least 30% of the planet should be protected by 2030.

At least 30% of the cultivated area should be brought under organic farming by 2030.

At least 30% of the energy requirements should be met by renewable sources by 2030.

At least 30% of the people below poverty line should be brought out of their poverty by 2030.

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The ’30 × 30 target’ is a global initiative aimed at conserving at least 30% of land and sea areas by 2030.

This target is a core element of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework adopted at the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in December 2022.

The initiative is championed by the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People, co-chaired by Costa Rica and France and by the United Kingdom. It emphasizes the importance of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) for halting biodiversity loss and mitigating climate change.

7. What is ‘Unicorn Company’ often mentioned in Indian news ?

What is ‘Unicorn Company’ often mentioned in Indian news ?

Any privately held startup company with a value of over $ 1 billion

Any public sector company to be merged with another public sector company

Privatization of any loss-making State-owned company

Any foreign multinational company doing business in India in collaboration with an Indian company

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A ‘Unicorn Company’ is a term used in the startup and venture capital industry to describe a privately held startup company with a valuation exceeding $1 billion.

– The term was coined by Aileen Lee, founder of Cowboy Ventures, in 2013.
– Unicorns are considered rare and highly successful startups.
– The valuation is typically based on investment rounds by venture capitalists.

– A ‘Decacorn’ is a privately held company valued at over $10 billion.
– A ‘Hectocorn’ is a privately held company valued at over $100 billion.
– The other options describe different concepts in the business world, such as mergers of public sector units (B), privatization (C), or joint ventures (D), none of which define a unicorn company.

8. Consider the following pairs of vaccine and category/type: 1. Covax

Consider the following pairs of vaccine and category/type:

1. Covaxin : Inactivated pathogen-based vaccine
2. Covishield : mRNA vaccine
3. Sputnik V : Viral vector-based vaccine

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched ?

1 only

2 and 3 only

1 and 3 only

1, 2 and 3

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Pairs 1 and 3 are correctly matched regarding the vaccine type, while pair 2 is incorrect.

– Covaxin, developed by Bharat Biotech in India, is an inactivated vaccine. It uses a killed version of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to trigger an immune response.
– Covishield, manufactured by Serum Institute of India, is a viral vector vaccine. It uses a modified adenovirus (a common cold virus) to deliver genetic material of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein into cells, prompting an immune response. It is not an mRNA vaccine.
– Sputnik V, developed by the Gamaleya Research Institute in Russia, is also a viral vector vaccine, using two different adenoviruses (Ad26 and Ad5) for the two doses.

– mRNA vaccines (like Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna) use messenger RNA to instruct cells to make a piece of the virus’s spike protein, triggering an immune response.
– Viral vector vaccines (like AstraZeneca/Covishield, Sputnik V, and Johnson & Johnson) use a harmless virus to deliver genetic instructions for making the spike protein.
– Inactivated vaccines (like Covaxin, Sinovac, Sinopharm) use killed viral particles.

9. Recently, the term ‘two-pillar solution/two-pillar package’ often seen

Recently, the term ‘two-pillar solution/two-pillar package’ often seen in the news, refers to

Global energy security in near future

International cyber crime reporting

Minimum global corporate tax

Prevention of international money laundering

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The term ‘two-pillar solution/two-pillar package’ refers to the international agreement being negotiated under the OECD/G20 framework to address tax challenges arising from the digitalization of the economy, specifically focusing on a global minimum corporate tax.

– Pillar One is about reallocating a portion of the profits of large multinational enterprises (MNEs) from their home countries to the market jurisdictions where their consumers are located, regardless of physical presence.
– Pillar Two introduces a global minimum corporate tax rate, primarily set at 15%, to ensure that MNEs pay a minimum level of tax on their profits, regardless of where they are headquartered or operate.

– The aim of the two-pillar solution is to make the international corporate tax system fairer, more stable, and better suited to the modern globalized and digitalized economy.
– It seeks to prevent tax base erosion and profit shifting by MNEs and reduce tax competition among countries.

10. Which one of the following is an exhaustible but renewable natural res

Which one of the following is an exhaustible but renewable natural resource ?

Solar energy

Water in usable condition

Soil

Landscape in its natural condition

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UPSC CDS-1 – 2022

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Soil is a natural resource that is renewable, but its renewal rate is very slow. Improper management, such as leading to excessive erosion or depletion of nutrients, can cause it to become functionally exhausted or unusable on a human timescale. Thus, it can be considered exhaustible in practice if not sustainably managed, despite being renewable.

– Natural resources are broadly classified as renewable or non-renewable (exhaustible).
– Renewable resources replenish naturally over time (e.g., solar energy, wind, water, soil, forests).
– Non-renewable resources are finite and do not replenish at a rate comparable to consumption (e.g., fossil fuels, minerals).
– Soil is technically renewable through natural processes like weathering and decomposition, but this process is extremely slow (centuries to millennia to form a few inches of topsoil).

– Solar energy is both renewable and virtually inexhaustible on a human timescale.
– Water in usable condition (freshwater) is renewable through the water cycle, but localized sources like aquifers can be exhausted by over-extraction, and water can be rendered unusable by pollution. However, the global water cycle ensures its renewal.
– Landscape in its natural condition is not a resource in the same category; it refers to the physical environment.
– The term “exhaustible but renewable” is not a standard scientific classification, but it can be interpreted to mean a resource that is renewable but highly susceptible to exhaustion through unsustainable use due to a slow renewal rate or limited usable quantity at any given time. Soil fits this description well.