| List I (Exercise) | List II (Country) |
|---|---|
| 1. Garuda | A. Russia |
| 2. Indra | B. Mongolia |
| 3. Nomadic Elephant | C. France |
| 4. Shakti | D. United Kingdom |
Codes:
Garuda → France (bilateral Air Force exercise).
Indra → Russia (bilateral tri-services exercise).
Nomadic Elephant → Mongolia (Army field training).
Shakti → United Kingdom (Army exercise, last held in UK in 2023).
1. Tiger Lightning 2025
2. Tiger Shark 2025
3. Pacific Angel 2025
4. RQ-21 Blackjack UAS Program
Select the correct answer from the options given below:
Tiger Lightning → Bangladesh Army & U.S. Army Pacific → Involves U.S.
Tiger Shark → Bangladesh SWADS, Para Commandos & U.S. Special Forces → Involves U.S.
Pacific Angel → U.S. Pacific Air Forces + Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Australia, Japan, Maldives → Involves U.S.
RQ-21 Blackjack → U.S. Army & Navy with Bangladesh Army/Navy → Involves U.S.
1. The Bhakra–Nangal Dam was completed before the Hirakud Dam.
2. The Kallanai Dam was constructed during the British colonial period.
3. The Damodar Valley Corporation was established in the 19th century under Lord Curzon.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1: Incorrect. Hirakud Dam was completed in 1957 whereas Bhakra–Nangal (the Bhakra Dam completion) was in 1963; therefore Bhakra–Nangal was completed after Hirakud.
Statement 2: Incorrect. The Kallanai (Grand Anicut) was originally constructed in the 2nd century CE by King Karikalan of the Chola dynasty, not during the British colonial period.
Statement 3: Incorrect. The Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) was established in 1948 after India’s independence. Lord Curzon served as Viceroy in 1899–1905, long before DVC’s establishment.
Sarnath (Uttar Pradesh) is one of the four holiest Buddhist pilgrimage sites.
In Buddhist texts, it is referred to as Mrigadava (Deer Park) or Rishipatana.
It is the place where Gautama Buddha delivered his first sermon (Dhammachakkappavattana Sutta), marking the beginning of the Buddhist Sangha.
Emperor Ashoka later built the Lion Capital pillar (now India’s National Emblem) and stupas at this site.
Sarnath – Buddha’s First Sermon Site
Location & Importance
- ~10 km northeast of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
- One of the four major Buddhist pilgrimage sites (with Lumbini, Bodh Gaya, Kushinagar).
- Buddha delivered his first sermon here (Dhammachakkappavattana Sutta).
- Beginning of the Buddhist Sangha.
Early History
- Known as Mrigadava / Rishipatana in texts.
- Ashoka (268–232 BCE) built stupas, monasteries, and the Lion Capital Pillar (India’s National Emblem).
- Dhamek Stupa marks the sermon site; vihara ruins show early monastic life.
Flourishing Period
- Ashokan patronage → major Buddhist centre.
- Kushan & Gupta rule (1st–6th CE) → expansion of monasteries and flourishing Buddhist art.
- Prominent until the 12th century CE.
Decline
- Destroyed in the 12th century CE (possibly during Qutb-ud-din Aibak’s invasion, 1193).
- Abandoned by monks; remained in ruins ~700 years.
Rediscovery
- 1787–88: Buddha images unearthed by Jagat Singh’s workers.
- 1799: Reported by Jonathan Duncan.
- 1835–36: Identified by Alexander Cunningham.
- 1904–05: Excavations by Friedrich Oertel → 476 artefacts & 41 inscriptions.
Present-Day Features
- Dhamek Stupa – Cylindrical stone stupa marking sermon site.
- Ashokan Pillar & Lion Capital – India’s National Emblem.
- Archaeological Museum – Relics, inscriptions, sculptures (notably seated Buddha in Dharmachakra Mudra).
1. World Economic Outlook – International Monetary Fund (IMF)
2. World Development Report – World Economic Forum
3. Global Competitiveness Report – World Bank
4. World Trade Report – World Trade Organization (WTO)
Select the correct answer from the options given below:
1. World Economic Outlook – IMF: Correctly matched. A flagship IMF report released twice a year, providing detailed analyses and projections of global economic performance and policy trends.
4. World Trade Report – WTO: Correctly matched. Published annually by the WTO, offering insights on trade trends, policy issues, and the functioning of the multilateral trading system.
Why other options are incorrect:
2. World Development Report – World Economic Forum: Incorrect. It is published by the World Bank, not the WEF. It provides annual in-depth analysis and policy recommendations on global development challenges.
3. Global Competitiveness Report – World Bank: Incorrect. Published by the World Economic Forum (WEF), it assesses countries on their ability to provide productivity and prosperity.
World Trade Report 2025
The World Trade Organization (WTO) released its World Trade Report 2025 in September 2025, titled “Making Trade and AI Work Together to the Benefit of All.” The report presents artificial intelligence (AI) as a force that could redefine global trade by 2040, projecting significant economic gains while cautioning that inclusive benefits will only be realized if major policy and infrastructure gaps are addressed.
Key Projections
Trade and GDP Growth
- AI could raise global trade flows by 34–37% by 2040.
- This expansion is nearly equivalent to a 40% surge in cross-border trade in goods and services.
- Global GDP may rise by 12–13%, depending on how effectively nations coordinate policies and bridge technological divides.
Sectoral Impact
- Digitally deliverable services – ~40% growth.
- Other services – ~30% increase.
- Manufacturing – moderate rise of 22–24%.
- Primary sectors (raw inputs) – modest growth of 9.5–9.9%.
AI-Enabling Goods
- Trade in AI-critical goods reached USD 2.3 trillion in 2023.
- Includes semiconductors, servers, raw materials, and intermediate components—key inputs for building AI capacity globally.
Current Adoption and Challenges
Firm-Level Usage
- 90% of companies using AI report benefits in trade-related tasks.
- 56% highlight better risk management.
- Yet, adoption gaps persist:
- Only 41% of small firms use AI (vs. 60%+ of large firms).
- In low and lower-middle income economies, less than one-third of firms employ AI.
Barriers and Policy Gaps
- Tariffs on AI goods can reach 45% in poorer countries.
- Quantitative restrictions on AI-related goods rose from 130 in 2012 to nearly 500 in 2024.
- 98% of subsidies for AI goods and services are concentrated in high- and upper-middle-income nations.
- This concentration risks widening the global digital divide.
AI’s Role in Trade Facilitation
- AI technologies are already cutting trade costs—potentially by up to 15%—through:
- Smarter supply chain management.
- Faster regulatory and customs processing.
- Automated translation, reducing language barriers.
- Improved buyer-supplier matching.
- Stronger contract analysis and enforcement.
- Knowledge spillovers are evident: a 10% rise in digital services trade links with a 2.6% rise in cross-border AI patent citations.
Labor Market Impacts
Displacement and Creation
- Medium- and high-skilled workers face greater task substitution than low-skilled workers.
- In low-AI-intensity sectors like textiles and apparel:
- ~3% task replacement for low-skilled workers.
- 7–9% replacement for medium- and high-skilled workers.
Skill Premium Effects
- AI could reduce the global skill premium (high- vs. low-skilled wage ratio) by 3–4%, helping lower inequality within countries.
Developmental and Regional Implications
Growth Scenarios for Developing Nations
- If low- and middle-income economies halve their digital gap with advanced economies:
- Low-income countries could see incomes rise by 15%.
- Middle-income countries could gain ~14%.
Policy Needs for Inclusivity
- Expand digital infrastructure and internet access.
- Train and reskill workforces.
- Reduce tariffs and restrictions on AI goods.
- Ensure regulatory transparency and coherence.
- Preserve open and predictable trading systems.
WTO’s Role and Recommendations
Multilateral Support
- WTO provides a forum for AI-related trade concerns (80 raised since 2012).
- Supports initiatives under the Information Technology Agreement and GATS to expand access.
Key Recommendations
- Build interoperable digital systems.
- Align regulations and incentives across borders.
- Strengthen multilateral cooperation to reduce uncertainty.
- Keep electronic services transmissions tariff-free.
Current Trade Backdrop
- The AI debate unfolds amid sluggish trade conditions:
- WTO projects a 0.2% decline in global merchandise trade in 2025, possibly deepening to 1.5% if tensions escalate.
- North America faces a sharp 12.6% fall in exports.
- Services trade, however, is forecast to grow by 4.0%.
Opportunity with Caution
- The World Trade Report 2025 identifies AI as a transformative driver of trade, capable of nearly 40% growth in flows and a 12–13% GDP boost by 2040.
- Yet, it stresses that these gains will only be widely shared if countries close digital divides, invest in skills, and sustain open trade systems.
- The report serves both as an opportunity blueprint and a warning: without coordinated policies, AI could deepen inequality between nations instead of fostering inclusive global prosperity.
1. El Niño events always lead to weaker Indian summer monsoon rains.
2. The Oceanic Niño Index (ONI) measures 3-month sea surface temperature anomalies in the eastern and central tropical Pacific.
3. El Niño only impacts global weather through oceanic warming; atmospheric pressure patterns are unaffected.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1: Incorrect. While El Niño is often associated with weaker monsoon rains in India, it does not always lead to such an outcome. Some El Niño years see near-normal or even above-normal monsoon rains, depending on other factors (like Indian Ocean Dipole, local sea surface temperature anomalies, etc.).
Statement 2: Correct. The ONI is indeed one of the primary indices used to identify El Niño, based on 3-month average sea surface temperature anomalies in the central and eastern tropical Pacific.
Statement 3: Incorrect. El Niño doesn’t just involve warming of ocean waters — it also strongly involves changes in atmospheric circulation (weakened trade winds, shifts in Walker Circulation, pressure pattern changes), which are crucial to its teleconnections.
Reason (R): The temple plan includes a portico, mandapa, vestibule and sanctum only, hence no provision for circumambulation around the sanctum.
Which of the following is correct?
Assertion (A): True. Javari Temple is indeed in the Nagara style and it is without a pradakshinapatha.
Reason (R): True. The temple’s architectural plan includes sanctum, vestibule, mandapa, and portico — but no circumambulatory passage around the sanctum.
Relation: R correctly explains A because the absence of the pradakshinapatha is directly tied to how the plan omits that feature despite having the other components around the sanctum that a pradakshinapatha would encircle.
Javari Temple, Khajuraho
The Javari Temple in Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh, entered the spotlight following a controversy over a seven-foot-tall headless idol of Lord Vishnu enshrined within its sanctum. The matter gained national attention when Chief Justice of India (CJI) B.R. Gavai made a dismissive remark during a Supreme Court hearing on a petition demanding restoration of the idol.
Historical Background
- Constructed between 1075–1100 CE under the Chandela dynasty of Jejakabhukti (modern Bundelkhand).
- Part of the Eastern Group of Khajuraho monuments, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Despite its relatively small scale, the temple reflects the aesthetic ideals of Chandela architecture: balanced proportions, symmetry, mandala-based layouts, and finely carved sculptural panels.
Architectural Features
Layout and Structure
- Sanctum (Garbha Griha): Once housed a four-armed Vishnu idol, now headless.
- Mandapa (hall) & Vestibule: Compact interior spaces leading to the sanctum.
- Portico with Makara Torana: Entrance framed by a sculpted arch depicting mythical sea creatures (makaras) and crowned by a kirtimukha mask.
- Shikhara (superstructure): Slender, curvilinear spire rising above the sanctum, flanked by miniature spires.
Sculptural Program
- Exterior walls display 2–3 bands of high-relief carvings, including:
- Deities such as Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva.
- Nava-Grahas (nine planetary deities).
- Celestial couples and sensuous figures, characteristic of Khajuraho’s artistic idiom.
Etymology and Local Legend
- The name “Javari” has no direct link to any deity.
- Local traditions suggest two possible origins:
- Derived from a landowner named “Javara”.
- Linked to millet fields (javara) that once surrounded the temple site.
- Absence of inscriptions leaves the name’s origin uncertain, but the title has persisted through centuries.
Location and Access
- Situated in the Eastern cluster of Khajuraho monuments.
- Landmarks:
- ~200 metres south of the Vamana Temple.
- ~1.5 km from the Khajuraho Bus Stand.
- Managed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
- Visiting hours: 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM, with no entry fee.
1. They are classified as Group I carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
2. They occur only in animal products and not in plant-based foods.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1 – Correct: Aflatoxin B1 is classified as a Group I carcinogen (carcinogenic to humans) by IARC.
Statement 2 – Incorrect: Aflatoxins mainly contaminate plant-based foods like maize, peanuts, cereals; they can also appear in animal products via contaminated feed → not “only in animal products.”