6th June 2025

Explanation: 

The Kerch Strait is a crucial part of the regional grain trade connecting the Azov sea with the Black Sea. The 19-km (12-mile) Crimea Bridge over the Kerch Strait is the only direct link between the transport network of Russia and the Crimean peninsula, which Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014. The bridge is crucial for the supply of fuel, food and other products to Crimea, where the port of Sevastopol is the historic home base of Russia's Black Sea Fleet. 

Explanation: 

The earliest literature 'Rig-Veda' reveals that some kind of population count was maintained in during 800-600 BC in India. The celebrated 'Arthashastra' by 'Kautilya' written in the 3rd Century BC prescribed the collection of population statistics as a measure of state policy for taxation. It contained a detailed description of methods of conducting population, economic and agricultural censuses. During the regime of the Mughal king Akbar, the administrative report 'Ain-e-Akbari' included comprehensive data pertaining to population, industry, wealth and many other characteristics. 

Explanation: 

A systematic and modern population census, in its present form was conducted non synchronously between 1865 and 1872 (during Lord Mayo's time) in different parts of the country. This effort culminating in 1872 has been popularly labeled as the first population census of India However, the first synchronous census in India was held in 1881 (during Lord Mayo's time). Since then, censuses have been undertaken uninterruptedly once every ten year. The last caste-based census was conducted by the British in 1931. 

Explanation: 

ICRISAT was established under a Memorandum of Agreement between the Government of India and the CGIAR on 28 March 1972. It is a non-profit, non-political public international research organisation that conducts agricultural research for development in Asia & sub-Saharan Africa. Vision: ICRISAT's vision is a prosperous, food-secure and resilient dryland tropics. It is dedicated to combating poverty and uplifting the livelihoods of communities in the dryland regions it serves. It helps farmers by providing improved crop varieties and hybrids and also helps smallholder farmers in the drylands fight climate change. It conducts research on five highly nutritious drought-tolerant crops: chickpea, pigeonpea, pearl millet, sorghum, and groundnut. It has been awarded the 2021 Africa Food Prize for the Tropical Legumes Project that has improved food security across 13 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. It is headquartered in Hyderabad, Telangana State, in India, with two regional hubs (Nairobi, Kenya and Bamako, Mali). 

Explanation: 

Ice Breaker Missile is a long-range, autonomous, precision-guided weapon system. It was developed by Israeli defence company Rafael Advanced Defence Systems. Compatible with multiple air and ground platforms, it offers significant flexibility in operational deployment. It is suitable for jet fighters, light attack aircraft, and helicopters as well as small maritime vessels and ground vehicles. Features — It's about 4 meters long, weighs less than 400 kg, and can hit targets up to 300 km away at high subsonic speeds, carrying a 250 lb warhead. It uses an incredibly advanced electro-optical seeker that can "see" in all weather conditions. It is loaded with artificial intelligence that helps it recognise targets and ensures it only engages hostile ones. It flies incredibly low, hugging the terrain or skimming the waves, and its design makes it very hard to detect. This 'Very Low Observable' (VLO) capability gives it a significant edge in getting to its target unnoticed. It is remarkably compact and lightweight – under 400 kg. It can work in a synchronised attack with multiple missiles. It can function autonomously or in a man-in-the-loop mode.