UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — ICG bolsters operational effectiveness with induction of indigenous Air Cushion Vehicle

Q1. As per the Ministry of Defence contract of October 2024 with Chowgule & Company Pvt. Ltd., Goa, how many indigenous Air Cushion Vehicles (ACVs) are being procured for the Indian Coast Guard?

  • A. Four
  • B. Six
  • C. Eight
  • D. Ten

Q2. Which one of the following shipyards constructed the first indigenously built Air Cushion Vehicle inducted into the Indian Coast Guard in June 2026?

  • A. Goa Shipyard Limited
  • B. Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited
  • C. Chowgule & Company Pvt. Ltd.
  • D. Cochin Shipyard Limited

Q3. In October 2024, the Ministry of Defence signed a ₹387.44 crore contract for indigenous construction of six Air Cushion Vehicles for the Indian Coast Guard. Which one of the following shipyards was awarded this contract?

  • A. Goa Shipyard Limited
  • B. Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited
  • C. Chowgule & Company Pvt. Ltd.
  • D. Cochin Shipyard Limited

Q4. How many Air Cushion Vehicles (ACVs) are being indigenously constructed for the Indian Coast Guard under the October 2024 Ministry of Defence contract with Chowgule & Company Pvt. Ltd., Goa, the first of which was inducted in June 2026?

  • A. Four
  • B. Six
  • C. Eight
  • D. Twelve

Q5. Who among the following is credited as the inventor of the first practical air-cushion vehicle (hovercraft), the SR.N1, launched in 1959?

  • A. John Thornycroft
  • B. Christopher Cockerell
  • C. Frank Whittle
  • D. Barnes Wallis

Q6. Under the Coast Guard Act, 1978, the Indian Coast Guard is constituted as which one of the following?

  • A. A Central Armed Police Force under the Ministry of Home Affairs
  • B. An armed force of the Union under the Ministry of Defence
  • C. An auxiliary civilian service of the Indian Navy under the Department of Military Affairs
  • D. A paramilitary force under the Department of Border Management

Q7. In the context of the platforms recently inducted into the Indian Coast Guard from Chowgule Shipyard based on Griffon Hoverwork lineage, an 'Air Cushion Vehicle' is best described as which one of the following?

  • A. An amphibious craft that is supported above land or water on a cushion of air generated by lift fans and contained beneath a flexible skirt
  • B. A high-speed planing vessel whose hull is lifted clear of the water by submerged wing-like foils at cruising speed
  • C. A semi-submersible reconnaissance craft that uses variable-ballast tanks to operate in shallow littoral waters
  • D. A wing-in-ground-effect vehicle that flies a few metres above the sea surface using aerodynamic lift from stub wings

Q8. As of 2025, how many Positive Indigenisation Lists (PILs) have been notified by the Department of Defence Production for Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative?

  • A. Three
  • B. Four
  • C. Five
  • D. Seven

Q9. With reference to the SRIJAN portal and the Positive Indigenisation Lists (PILs) notified under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative in defence, consider the following statements: 1. While the PILs notified by the Department of Defence Production apply to procurement by Defence Public Sector Undertakings, those notified by the Department of Military Affairs cover capital procurement by the Armed Forces. 2. The SRIJAN portal and every Positive Indigenisation List have been launched and notified exclusively by the Department of Military Affairs. 3. Unlike the earlier lists which covered sub-systems and components, the fifth Positive Indigenisation List of the Department of Defence Production exclusively covers complete weapon platforms such as warships and combat aircraft. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. While the PILs notified by the Department of Defence Production apply to procurement by Defence Public Sector Undertakings, those notified by the Department of Military Affairs cover capital procurement by the Armed Forces.
  2. The SRIJAN portal and every Positive Indigenisation List have been launched and notified exclusively by the Department of Military Affairs.
  3. Unlike the earlier lists which covered sub-systems and components, the fifth Positive Indigenisation List of the Department of Defence Production exclusively covers complete weapon platforms such as warships and combat aircraft.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q10. With reference to the Air Cushion Vehicles (ACVs) recently inducted by the Indian Coast Guard, which one of the following best describes an ACV?

  • A. An amphibious craft that rides on a self-generated cushion of air produced by lift fans and a flexible skirt, enabling operation over water, mudflats and marshy terrain
  • B. A waterjet-propelled shallow-draft patrol boat optimised for navigation in coral-reef lagoons
  • C. A submersible patrol craft designed for covert shallow-coastal surveillance
  • D. A wing-in-ground-effect vessel that flies just above the sea surface using aerodynamic lift from stub wings

Q11. With reference to the operational roles envisaged for the indigenous Air Cushion Vehicles (ACVs) being inducted into the Indian Coast Guard, consider the following: 1. High-speed patrolling and interdiction in shallow coastal waters. 2. Search and rescue in creeks and marshy areas inaccessible to conventional patrol vessels. 3. Strategic nuclear deterrent patrols in the deep ocean. 4. Surveillance over mudflats and sandbars along sensitive stretches of the Indian coast. Which of the above are correctly identified as roles of these ACVs?

  1. High-speed patrolling and interdiction in shallow coastal waters.
  2. Search and rescue in creeks and marshy areas inaccessible to conventional patrol vessels.
  3. Strategic nuclear deterrent patrols in the deep ocean.
  4. Surveillance over mudflats and sandbars along sensitive stretches of the Indian coast.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 1, 2 and 4
  • C. 2 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 3 and 4

Q12. Under which of the following does Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), a premier defence shipbuilder constructing vessels for the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard, function administratively?

  • A. Department of Military Affairs, Ministry of Defence
  • B. Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence
  • C. Directorate General of Shipping, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways
  • D. Department of Heavy Industry, Ministry of Heavy Industries

Q13. In October 2024, the Ministry of Defence signed a contract worth Rs 387.44 crore with Chowgule & Company Pvt. Ltd., Goa, for indigenous construction of Air Cushion Vehicles (hovercraft) for the Indian Coast Guard. How many such Air Cushion Vehicles are to be built under this contract?

  • A. Four
  • B. Six
  • C. Eight
  • D. Twelve