Current Affair MCQ for 2025-05-11

Notes: The Harop drone is a loitering munition developed by the MBT Missiles Division of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). It was recently used by the Indian Armed Forces in ‘Operation Sindoor’ to strike air defence systems in Pakistan. Harop drones can hover over target areas for up to nine hours while searching for threats. They destroy targets by crashing into them with an in-built explosive payload. These drones perform both surveillance and attack roles, unlike regular Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). They use electro-optical (EO) or infrared (IR) sensors to locate and attack enemy assets. Harop drones can operate autonomously but allow human operators to approve final strikes. They include abort features to cancel missions mid-air and prevent unintended damage.

Notes: India recently took part in the 20th Session of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF20) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) was created in 2000 by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC) to support sustainable forest management globally. It includes all UN Member States and related forest organisations, meeting annually for technical or policy-level discussions. India, as a founding member, plays a key role in shaping global forest policy. At UNFF20, India showcased its forest conservation efforts and support for Voluntary National Contributions (VNCs) under the United Nations Strategic Plan for Forests (UNSPF) 2017–2030.

Notes: The Centre for Joint Warfare Studies (CENJOWS), along with Aerospace Services India (ASI) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), hosted the Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM) India Eco-System Summit 2.0 in New Delhi on May 07, 2025. The summit aimed to boost India’s air and missile defence capabilities under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make-in-India missions. It brought together key players from the Ministry of Defence (MoD), Armed Forces, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Bharat Electronics Limited, and Bharat Dynamics Limited. The event highlighted the growing India-Israel defence cooperation and the shared goal of making India a global defence hub.

Notes: India has become the third-largest vehicle manufacturer in the world as per Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways. This was highlighted at the 4th International Bioenergy Biofuels Biomass (BBB) Summit and Expo on Bioenergy Value Chain held in New Delhi. The growing demand for various types of vehicles is increasing fossil fuel consumption. There is a strong push to reduce fuel imports and increase exports to strengthen the economy. The summit also focused on promoting technologies that use the country’s biomass resources for energy.

Notes: The South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Under-19 Football Championship 2025 takes place in Yupia, Papum Pare District, Arunachal Pradesh from May 10, 2025. Six countries are taking part in the tournament, which aims to promote youth football in South Asia. Group A includes Bangladesh, Bhutan, and the Maldives, while Group B has India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. The championship runs until May 18, encouraging regional sportsmanship and football development among young players.