Q1. Which of the following initiatives/events highlighted at Indusfood 2026 best reflects the use of food diplomacy and cultural engagement as a tool of international cooperation?
- Bharat Mart session by DP World
- Launch of the India–UAE Food Corridor
- World Culinary Heritage Conference and ‘India on a Platter’ Gala Dinner
- APEDA’s Bharati Initiative for agri-food start-ups
Correct Option: 3. World Culinary Heritage Conference and ‘India on a Platter’ Gala Dinner
Explanation:
• The World Culinary Heritage Conference and the ‘India on a Platter’ Gala Dinner focus on culinary diplomacy, heritage preservation, and cultural exchange.
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These initiatives engage chefs, diplomats, policymakers, and global buyers, using cuisine as a soft-power instrument.
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While Options 1, 2, and 4 are important, they primarily address logistics, trade infrastructure, and innovation, not cultural diplomacy.
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Therefore, Option 3 most directly represents food and cultural diplomacy.
Q2. The Long Range Training Deployment (LRTD) of the Indian Navy’s First Training Squadron (1TS) aligns with which of India’s strategic policies?
- Make in India Policy
- Act East Policy
- SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region)
- Digital India Initiative
Correct Option: 2. Act East Policy
Explanation:
• The deployment reinforces India’s sustained maritime engagement with South East Asian nations in consonance with India’s Act East Policy.
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While the deployment also contributes to regional maritime security, which aligns indirectly with SAGAR, the primary policy framework guiding the engagement with South East Asia is the Act East Policy.
Q3. Which of the following is NOT a stated benefit of the bio-bitumen technology developed by CSIR-CRRI and CSIR-IIP?
- Reduced import dependence on bitumen
- Lower environmental pollution from roads
- Replacement of up to 100% of conventional bitumen
- Cost-effective road construction
Correct Option: 3. Replacement of up to 100% of conventional bitumen
Explanation:
• 20–30% of conventional bitumen can safely be replaced by bio-bitumen, not 100%.
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Other benefits like reduced import dependence, cost-effectiveness, and environmental friendliness are explicitly highlighted.
Q4. The pyrolysis process for producing bio-bitumen from farm residue generates which of the following value streams?
- Bio-binder for roads
- Energy-efficient gaseous fuel
- Bio-pesticide fractions
- High-grade carbon for batteries and water purification
Select the correct answer:
- 1 and 2 only
- 1, 2, and 3 only
- 1, 2, 3, and 4
- 2 and 4 only
Correct Option: 3. 1, 2, 3, and 4
Explanation:
Pyrolysis of biomass yields multiple products:
Explanation:
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Bio-binder for road construction
Explanation:
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Gaseous fuel
Explanation:
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Bio-pesticide fractions
Explanation:
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High-grade carbon suitable for batteries, water purification, and advanced materials
Q5. What is the key advantage of positioning Aditya-L1 at the Sun–Earth Lagrangian point (L1)?
- It enables continuous, uninterrupted observation of the Sun without eclipses or occultation.
- It significantly reduces the travel time for the spacecraft to reach the Sun.
- It allows Aditya-L1 to relay data directly to international space agencies.
- It allows observation of the Sun’s core directly.
Correct Option: 1. It enables continuous, uninterrupted observation of the Sun without eclipses or occultation.
Explanation:
• L1 is located approximately 1.5 million km from Earth, where gravitational forces of the Earth and Sun balance the spacecraft’s motion, allowing it to hover continuously in a fixed position relative to the Sun and Earth.
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This position enables uninterrupted, continuous solar observation, unlike low-Earth orbit satellites that experience eclipses or periodic occultation by Earth.
Q6. Which of the following statements about ISRO’s Announcement of Opportunity (AO) for Aditya-L1 is/are correct?
- AO is open only to Indian researchers residing and working in India.
- Principal Investigators (PIs) must provide scientific and technical justification for their proposals.
- Mission data from Aditya-L1 is restricted and not publicly available.
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2, and 3
Correct Option: 1. 1 and 2 only
Explanation:
• Statement 1 is correct: AO is open to Indian scientists and researchers based in India.
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Statement 2 is correct: PIs are required to submit proposals with scientific and technical justification to secure observation time.
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Statement 3 is incorrect: More than 23 TB of data has already been released in the public domain, and several scientific results have been published.