UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Op Sindoor was a balanced military response amidst global uncertainties, it is a symbol of India’s courage, strength, restraint & national character: Raksha Mantri on Army Day in Jaipur
Q1. Operation Sindoor (May 2025), the tri-service precision strike against terror infrastructure, was operationalised under the overall charge of which one of the following?
- A. Ministry of Defence
- B. Ministry of Home Affairs
- C. Ministry of External Affairs
- D. National Security Council Secretariat
Q2. With reference to Operation Sindoor (2025), consider the following:
1. It was launched on 7 May 2025.
2. It was a coordinated tri-service operation.
3. It struck nine terror infrastructure sites across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
4. Indian ground troops physically crossed the Line of Control to assault the targets.
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- It was launched on 7 May 2025.
- It was a coordinated tri-service operation.
- It struck nine terror infrastructure sites across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
- Indian ground troops physically crossed the Line of Control to assault the targets.
- A. 1, 2 and 3 only
- B. 1 and 3 only
- C. 2, 3 and 4 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q3. Which one of the following terror outfits was the primary group named as responsible for claiming the 22 April 2025 Pahalgam attack?
- A. The Resistance Front (TRF)
- B. Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)
- C. Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM)
- D. Hizbul Mujahideen (HuM)
Q4. In the context of the 22 April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack, 'Baisaran' is best described as which one of the following?
- A. A high-altitude meadow near Pahalgam, accessible only on foot or horseback
- B. A mountain pass on the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway
- C. A base camp on the Amarnath Yatra pilgrimage route
- D. A border hamlet situated along the Line of Control
Q5. With reference to The Resistance Front (TRF), consider the following:
1. It was formed in 2019 in the aftermath of the abrogation of Article 370.
2. It was banned by India under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in January 2023.
3. It was designated by the United States as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in July 2025.
4. It is a proxy of Jaish-e-Mohammed, a UN-designated terrorist group.
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- It was formed in 2019 in the aftermath of the abrogation of Article 370.
- It was banned by India under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in January 2023.
- It was designated by the United States as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in July 2025.
- It is a proxy of Jaish-e-Mohammed, a UN-designated terrorist group.
- A. 1, 2 and 3 only
- B. 1 and 4 only
- C. 2, 3 and 4 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q6. Consider the following statements comparing The Resistance Front (TRF) with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT):
1. LeT is listed by the UN Security Council's 1267 Sanctions Committee, whereas TRF, as of 2025, was not formally sanctioned under the 1267 list.
2. TRF emerged as an offshoot of LeT, which predates it.
3. Both TRF and LeT were designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations by the United States for the first time in July 2025.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- LeT is listed by the UN Security Council's 1267 Sanctions Committee, whereas TRF, as of 2025, was not formally sanctioned under the 1267 list.
- TRF emerged as an offshoot of LeT, which predates it.
- Both TRF and LeT were designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations by the United States for the first time in July 2025.
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q7. Army Day (15 January) commemorates the day in 1949 on which the office of Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army was first assumed by which one of the following?
- A. K. M. Cariappa
- B. Maharaj Rajendrasinhji
- C. K. S. Thimayya
- D. Sir Francis Roy Bucher
Q8. The Army Day parade held at Jaipur on 15 January 2026 marked which anniversary of Army Day?
- A. 76th
- B. 77th
- C. 78th
- D. 79th
Q9. Consider the following statements about the 78th Army Day parade (Jaipur, 2026) as compared with earlier Army Day parades:
1. It was the first Army Day parade held entirely outside a military cantonment.
2. Army Day parades had been held only in Delhi in every year before 2026.
3. The 2026 parade was staged on Mahal Road in the heart of Jaipur city rather than within a cantonment.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- It was the first Army Day parade held entirely outside a military cantonment.
- Army Day parades had been held only in Delhi in every year before 2026.
- The 2026 parade was staged on Mahal Road in the heart of Jaipur city rather than within a cantonment.
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q10. In the Vision 2047 roadmap reiterated by the Raksha Mantri, which one of the following was set as the single overarching goal for the Indian Army by 2047?
- A. To become the world's most powerful Army
- B. To become the world's largest standing army
- C. To achieve a fully conscription-based force structure
- D. To be the first fully autonomous, unmanned army
Q11. With reference to indigenous systems associated with Operation Sindoor and the Atmanirbhar Bharat drive, consider the following:
1. Akash surface-to-air missile system
2. ATAGS (Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System)
3. BrahMos land-attack cruise missile
4. S-400 (Sudarshan), described as an indigenously developed air-defence system
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- Akash surface-to-air missile system
- ATAGS (Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System)
- BrahMos land-attack cruise missile
- S-400 (Sudarshan), described as an indigenously developed air-defence system
- A. 1, 2 and 3 only
- B. 1 and 4 only
- C. 2, 3 and 4 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q12. With reference to the evolution of India's cross-border counter-terror responses, consider the following:
1. The 2016 surgical strikes were conducted across the Line of Control into Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
2. The 2019 Balakot airstrike was carried out by the Indian Air Force in response to the Pulwama attack.
3. The Balakot strike targeted a Jaish-e-Mohammed training camp.
4. Operation Sindoor (2025) targeted Hizbul Mujahideen's headquarters located in Kabul.
Which of the above is/are NOT correctly identified?
- The 2016 surgical strikes were conducted across the Line of Control into Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
- The 2019 Balakot airstrike was carried out by the Indian Air Force in response to the Pulwama attack.
- The Balakot strike targeted a Jaish-e-Mohammed training camp.
- Operation Sindoor (2025) targeted Hizbul Mujahideen's headquarters located in Kabul.
- A. 1 only
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1 and 4 only
- D. 4 only