UPSC Prelims 2024 Q78: Army Civic Action Operations — Explained
Operations undertaken by the Army towards upliftment of the local population in remote areas to include addressing of their basic needs is called:
- Operation Sankalp
- Operation Maitri
- Operation Sadbhavana
- Operation Madad
Answer: (c) Operation Sadbhavana
Statement-wise explanation
- a: incorrect — Operation Sankalp is an Indian Navy operation, not an Army civic-action programme. It began in June 2019, after tankers were attacked in the Gulf of Oman, to protect Indian-flagged merchant ships in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. It is about maritime security, not the welfare of local people.
- b: incorrect — Operation Maitri was India's rescue and relief mission in Nepal after the earthquake of 25 April 2015. It was a one-time disaster-relief effort in another country, not a standing Army programme for remote Indian areas. 'Maitri' is also the name of India's research station in Antarctica, which is a common distractor.
- c: correct — Operation Sadbhavana ('goodwill') is the Indian Army's military civic action programme. It was launched in 1998 in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh and later extended to parts of the North-East. Under it the Army runs Army Goodwill Schools and works on education, health and veterinary care, women's empowerment and infrastructure. It also meets basic needs such as water supply and electricity in remote and conflict-affected areas. In February 2023 PIB reported seven Army Goodwill Schools in Ladakh and ₹8.82 crore allotted to the Union Territory for 2022-23.
- d: incorrect — Operation Madad was the Indian Navy's rescue and relief operation during the August 2018 Kerala floods. It was a short disaster response led by the Navy, not a long-running Army development programme for remote areas.
How to eliminate
This question mostly needs one fact: Operation Sadbhavana is the Army's civic action programme. Two clues still help you narrow it down. First, the question describes a continuing development programme ('upliftment', 'basic needs'), not a one-time rescue. That rules out Maitri (Nepal earthquake, 2015) and Madad (Kerala floods, 2018), which were short disaster-relief missions. Second, the question names the Army. Sankalp and Madad are both Navy operations, and Sankalp is about escorting ships in the Gulf. Even without the Hindi, 'Sadbhavana' means goodwill, which suits a hearts-and-minds programme. Remember: Sadbhavana = Army, 1998, J&K/Ladakh/North-East, Army Goodwill Schools.
Know more
Military civic action means the armed forces running development and welfare work for civilians. The aim is to win the trust of people in areas hit by insurgency or isolation, often called 'winning hearts and minds'. India's main example is Operation Sadbhavana.
- Launched: 1998, by the Army's Northern Command in Jammu & Kashmir. It was later extended to Ladakh and parts of the North-East.
- Funding: government-sponsored, through Operation Sadbhavana funds.
- Focus areas: quality education through Army Goodwill Schools, women's empowerment centres, vocational and computer training, health and veterinary camps, water supply, electrification, small infrastructure, and national integration tours for children.
- Ladakh example (PIB, Feb 2023): seven Army Goodwill Schools, and ₹8.82 crore allotted for 2022-23.
UPSC often lists several named operations as options. Learn each one by service + purpose + year:
| Operation | Service | What it was |
|---|---|---|
| Sadbhavana | Army | Civic action and development in J&K, Ladakh and the North-East (1998–) |
| Maitri | Armed forces + Govt of India | Nepal earthquake relief (2015) |
| Madad | Navy | Kerala flood rescue (2018) |
| Sankalp | Navy | Protecting Indian merchant ships in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman (2019–) |
| Rahat | Armed forces | Evacuation from Yemen (2015) |
| Dost | NDRF + Army | Türkiye–Syria earthquake relief (2023) |
A useful pattern: humanitarian operations abroad usually get friendship words (Maitri, Dost). Navy security missions get resolve words (Sankalp). Sadbhavana stands out as a permanent programme at home, not a one-time mission.