16th May 2025

Explanation:

The document specifically states that "The Agamas do not derive their authority from the Vedas, but are not antagonistic to them." It further explains that "They are all Vedic in spirit and character. That is the reason why they are regarded as authoritative." This indicates that while they align with Vedic principles, they do not derive their authority directly from the Vedas, making statement (a) incorrect.

Explanation:

Statement 1 is incorrect. The document states that the Golden Dragon military exercise is an "annual drill between China and Cambodia, first initiated in late 2016," not the first-ever joint exercise between the countries.

Statement 2 is correct. The 2025 edition is being held at the Ream Naval Base in Sihanoukville, which was officially inaugurated in April 2025 with the docking of Chinese warships.

Statement 3 is correct. The exercise features advanced military technologies, including reconnaissance and attack drones, surgical robots, and robot dogs, indicating a shift towards tech-driven warfare capabilities.

Statement 4 is incorrect. The document explicitly states that "The Golden Dragon drills coincide with the U.S.-Philippines-led 'Balikatan' exercise involving troops from the U.S., Philippines, Australia, and Japan," indicating that they are not conducted independently of other regional military exercises.

Explanation:

Pair 1 is correctly matched. Madku Island is situated on the banks of the Shivnath River (the longest tributary of the Mahanadi River) in the Bilaspur district of Chhattisgarh.

Pair 2 is correctly matched. The Adyar River originates near the Chembarambakkam Lake in Kanchipuram district, Tamil Nadu, and is one of the three rivers that winds through Chennai.

Pair 3 is correctly matched. The document mentions a study conducted on the offshore breakwater system using geotube technology along the Poonthura coastal stretch in Kerala, which found remarkable transformations in the coastal landscape.

Explanation:

The document explicitly states that the geography of the Shakargarh Bulge consists of "flat terrain" and proximity to key road and rail networks, making it a strategic corridor for both sides. The statement that it consists primarily of mountainous highlands is therefore incorrect. The document further emphasizes that "the area's flat terrain" and its proximity to Indian cities makes it a high-priority area for the Indian Army.

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct. Operation Sindoor showcased India's precision strike capability using NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation), which provided positional accuracy of 10-20 cm, supported by high-resolution satellites capable of identifying objects as small as 25-30 cm.

Statement 2 is incorrect. The document states that the modernized Bofors anti-aircraft guns were effectively used to take down drones particularly in Jammu & Kashmir during Operation Sindoor, and that these upgraded units are "also deployed" along the LAC, not exclusively there.

Statement 3 is correct. The document explicitly mentions that Operation Sindoor marked the first significant deployment of unmanned systems-especially drones-by India in a conflict with Pakistan, with Indian drones penetrating deep into enemy territory and targeting strategic sites in cities like Lahore.

Explanation:

Statement 1 is incorrect. The Chambal River rises in the Vindhya Range just south of Mhow in western Madhya Pradesh, not in the Aravalli Range. However, it is indeed part of the greater Gangetic drainage system as it is a tributary of the Yamuna River.

Statement 2 is correct. The Chambal River flows through three states: it rises in Madhya Pradesh, runs through Rajasthan, forms the boundary between Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, and then turns southeast to join the Yamuna in Uttar Pradesh.

Statement 3 is correct. The National Chambal Sanctuary is a protected area established in 1979 with the primary goal of conserving the gharial (a rare species of crocodile), along with river dolphins and marsh crocodiles.

Statement 4 is correct. The main tributaries of Chambal include the Banas and Mej rivers on the left and the Parbati, Kali Sindh, and Shipra rivers on the right.