UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — ‘BrahMos deal with Vietnam inked, Indonesia next in line’

Q1. With reference to the origins of the BrahMos missile programme, consider the following statements. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

  1. It is a joint venture between India's DRDO and Russia's NPO Mashinostroyeniya.
  2. The joint venture was established in 1998.
  3. Its name is a portmanteau of the Brahmaputra and Moskva rivers.
  4. The missile is derived from the Russian S-400 air-defence system.
  • A. 1 and 2
  • B. 4 only
  • C. 3 and 4
  • D. 2 only

Q2. The name 'BrahMos' is a portmanteau derived from the names of which two rivers?

  • A. Brahmaputra of India and Moskva of Russia
  • B. Brahmaputra of India and Volga of Russia
  • C. Beas of India and Moskva of Russia
  • D. Brahmani of India and Neva of Russia

Q3. India's first vertical launch of a supersonic cruise missile from a submerged platform — the maiden test of the submarine-launched BrahMos off Visakhapatnam — was conducted in which year?

  • A. 2013
  • B. 2008
  • C. 2016
  • D. 2020

Q4. On the Indian side, which organisation develops the BrahMos missile in partnership with Russia's NPO Mashinostroyeniya?

  • A. Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
  • B. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
  • C. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)
  • D. Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL)

Q5. With reference to BrahMos export deals, consider the following statements. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The Philippines was the first foreign buyer of the BrahMos missile.
  2. The Vietnam deal is valued at approximately US$629 million.
  3. The Indonesia deal is for submarine-launched BrahMos variants.
  4. The Philippines contract was for a shore-based anti-ship variant.
  • A. 1, 2 and 4
  • B. 1 and 3
  • C. 2, 3 and 4
  • D. 1 and 2 only

Q6. The training of Philippine personnel for the operation of the BrahMos coastal missile system was led primarily by which of the following?

  • A. Indian Navy and BrahMos Aerospace experts
  • B. Indian Army Corps of Engineers
  • C. Indian Air Force training command
  • D. Border Roads Organisation

Q7. With reference to the announcement on BrahMos deals at the 2026 Shangri-La Dialogue, consider the following statements. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

  1. The Shangri-La Dialogue is organised by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).
  2. The 2026 edition of the dialogue was held in Singapore.
  3. The BrahMos deals were disclosed by India's Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh.
  4. At the dialogue, the Indonesia deal was confirmed as already signed.
  • A. 4 only
  • B. 1 and 2
  • C. 3 only
  • D. 2 and 4

Q8. With reference to what was stated about BrahMos deals at the 2026 Shangri-La Dialogue, consider the following statements. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The 2026 dialogue was held in Singapore.
  2. India confirmed that the Vietnam BrahMos deal had already been signed.
  3. The Indonesia deal was described as being in its final stages.
  4. The announcement was made by the Chief of Defence Staff.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 2 and 4
  • C. 1 and 4
  • D. 3 and 4 only

Q9. Under the Atmanirbhar Bharat targets for the defence sector, India aims to achieve annual defence exports of ₹50,000 crore by which year?

  • A. 2029
  • B. 2025
  • C. 2027
  • D. 2032

Q10. With reference to India's defence acquisition and export framework, consider the following statements. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

  1. The Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020 superseded the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) 2016.
  2. The first Positive Indigenisation List was issued in 2020.
  3. India's defence exports crossed a record of about ₹24,000 crore in FY 2024-25.
  4. India targets ₹3 lakh crore in defence exports by 2029.
  • A. 4 only
  • B. 1 and 2
  • C. 3 only
  • D. 2 and 3

Q11. With reference to export constraints and the strategic context of the BrahMos missile, consider the following statements. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. BrahMos's range was originally capped at 290 km to stay within the MTCR Category-I threshold.
  2. India became a full member of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) in 2016.
  3. Owing to joint intellectual property, BrahMos can be sold only to nations friendly to both India and Russia.
  4. The BrahMos-ER variant has an extended range of 290 km.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 2 and 4
  • C. 1 and 4
  • D. 3 and 4 only

Q12. Consider the following ASEAN member states in the context of official territorial claims in the South China Sea. Which of the above is/are NOT correctly identified as an official South China Sea claimant?

  1. Vietnam
  2. Philippines
  3. Indonesia
  4. Malaysia
  • A. 3 only
  • B. 1 and 2
  • C. 3 and 4
  • D. 1 only