Defence & Foreign Policy Online Test 8th Social Science Lesson 21 Questions in English

The President of India being the head of the State occupies the highest position in our defence organisation.

Indian Armed Forces – They are primary forces consist of country’s Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast guard. They serve under the Ministry of Defence.

Paramilitary Forces – They are Assam Rifles and Special Frontier Force.

Central Armed Police Forces – They are Border Security forces (BSF), Central reserve police forces (CRPF), Central industrial security force (CISF), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).

Central Armed Police Forces serve under the authority of Ministry of Home Affairs. CAPF work along with both Army and Police in different roles assigned to them.

The Indian Army is the land-based branch and it the largest volunteer army in the world.

Indian army is commanded by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), who is a four-star general.

Indian army conducts humanitarian rescue operations during natural disaster and calamities. The Indian Army has a regimental system. It is operationally and geographically divided into seven commands.

The Chief of Naval Staff, a four-star Admiral, commands the navy. It has three Naval Commands.

The primary objective of the navy is to safeguard the nation's maritime borders, and in conjunction with other Armed Forces of the union.The Indian Air Force primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during armed conflict.

The Chief of Air Staff, an air chief marshal, is a four-star officer and is responsible for the bulk of operational command of the Air Force. It has seven commands.

The Indian Coast Guard was established in 1978 by the Coast Guard Act, 1978 of the Parliament of India as an independent Armed force of India.

Indian Coastal Guard operates under the Ministry of Defence. The Coast Guard works in close cooperation with the Indian Navy, the Department of Fisheries, the Department of Revenue (Customs) and the Central and State police forces.

The Forces which help in maintaining internal security, protecting the coastline and assisting the army are known as “Paramilitary Forces”.

The National War Memorial is a monument built by the Government of India to honour the Indian Armed Forces.

The memorial is spread over 40 acres of land and is built around the existing chhatri (canopy) near India Gate, New Delhi. The names of armed forces personnel martyred during the conflicts are inscribed on the memorial walls.

Field Marshal – is a Five Star General officer rank and the highest attainable rank in the Indian Army.

Arjan Singh was the first and the only officer of the Indian Air Force to be promoted to Five Star Rank as Marshal.

Sam Manekshaw was the first Field Marshal of India and the second Field Marshal was K. M. Cariappa.

The Madras Regiment is one of the oldest infantry regiment of the Indian Army, originating in the year 1758.

The Madras Regimental Centre is at wellington, Udhagamandalam, Tamil Nadu.

In 1962, after the Sino-Indian War, the need to expand the number of officers was felt. Two Officers Training Schools (OTS) were established in Pune and Chennai to train officers for Emergency Commission into the Army.

On 1st January 1988, the Officers Training school was renamed as the Officers Training Academy (OTA).

Paramilitary Forces also participate in the management of natural or man-made disasters. During peace time, the paramilitary forces also have the responsibility of protecting the international borders.

The Assam Rifles came into being in 1835 which was established by the British in the Assam region, as a militia called the ‘Cachar Levy’.

The Assam Rifles is under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

There are currently 46 battalions of Assam Rifles (AR). 2. The Special Frontier Force (SFF) was put under the direct supervision of the Intelligence Bureau, and later, under the Research and Analysis Wing, India's external intelligence agency.

The Special Frontier Force (SFF) is a paramilitary special force of India created in 1962.

In 1025 AD (CE), Rajendra Chola I, the Chola king from Tamil Nadu launched naval on the city-state of expedition Srivijaya in maritime Southeast Asia, and conquered Kadaram (modern Kedah).

The five forces (BSF, CRPF, ITBP, CISF and SSB) which come under Ministry of Home Affairs were earlier considered paramilitary forces, but from March’ 2011, They have been reclassifled as Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) to avoid confusion.

Indo-Tibetan Border Police is a border guarding police force. This force is specialized in high altitude operations.

The border security force is a Border Guarding Force of India. BSF is charged with guarding India's land border during peace time and preventing transnational crimes.

The Rapid Action Force is a specialised wing of the CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) to deal with riot, crowd control, rescue and relief operations, and related unrest situations.

The mission of Central Reserve Police force shall be to enable the government to maintain Rule of law, public order and internal security effectively and efficiently. Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) is deployed for border guarding duties from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh (India – China border).

The National Cadet Corps in India is a voluntary organization which recruits cadets from high schools, colleges and universities all over India.

The Central Industrial Security Force was set up under an Act of the Parliament of India on 10th March 1969. Its duties are guarding sensitive governmental buildings, the Delhi Metro, and providing airport security.

Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), in English the Armed Border Force is the border Guarding force for Nepal and Bhutan border.

National Cadet Corps is a Tri-Services Organization, comprising the Army, Navy and Air Force, engaged in grooming the youth of the country into disciplined and patriotic citizens. The Cadets are given basic military training in small arms and parades.

The Indian Home Guard is a voluntary force, tasked as an auxiliary to the Indian Police.

All citizens of India, in the age group of 18–50, are eligible for Home Guard.

Normal tenure of membership in Home Guards is three to five years.

Home Guards are recruited from various cross sections of the civil society such as professionals, college students, agricultural and industrial workers, etc. Recruitment to the Defence services is open to all Indians.

A foreign policy is a set of political goals that define how a sovereign country will interact with other countries in the world. It seeks to secure the best interest of the people, territory and economy of the country.

Basic Principles of Foreign Policy are 1. Preservation of national interest, 2. Achievement of world peace 3. Disarmament 4. Abolition of Colonialism, Racism and Imperialism 5. Increasing the number of friendly nations 6. Economic development.

Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India was the chief architect of India’s foreign policy. Nehru was a supporter of world peace.

The National Army was celebrated on 15th January every year.

Jawaharlal Nehru declared the five principles of peace, known as Panchsheel. These principles included 1. Mutual respect for each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty 2. Mutual non-aggression 3. Mutual non-interference in each other’s internal affairs 4. Equality and mutual benefit 5. Peaceful co-existence.

The word Non-Alignment was coined by V.K. Krishna Menon. Non-alignment has been regarded as the most important feature of India’s foreign policy.

Non-alignment aimed to maintain national independence in foreign affairs by not joining any military alliance formed by the USA or Soviet Union in the aftermath of the Second World War. Nonalignment was neither neutrality nor non-involvement nor isolationism.

The founding fathers of Non-Aligned Movement: Jawaharlal Nehru of India, Tito of Yugoslavia, Nasser of Egypt, Sukarno of Indonesia, and Kwame Nkumarah of Ghana.

Nelson Mandela – Leader of the African National Council of South Africa. A determined fighter against apartheid.

India fought against Apartheid and opposed all types of racial discrimination. The end of racialism in South Africa in 1990 was a great success for India’s policy.

Every year 1st of February was celebrated as the National Coastal Guard Day.

India shares a common land border with Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, China, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Burma. It also shares a common sea border with Sri Lanka.

India is a vast country with 1. Pakistan and Afghanistan to the north-west 2. China, Nepal, Bhutan to the north 3. Bangladesh to the east 4. Myanmar to the far east 5. Sri Lanka (south-east) and 6 Maldives (south-west).

India’s position is unique in its neighbourhood. India has always favoured international and regional cooperation, because she believes that through cooperation all disputes and problems among nations can be sorted out peacefully. India's foreign policy is based on the principle of developing friendly relations and cooperation with her neighbours.

Nation Air Force Day is celebrated on 8th October every year.

India is a vast country with 1. Pakistan and Afghanistan to the north-west 2. China, Nepal, Bhutan to the north 3. Bangladesh to the east 4. Myanmar to the far east 5. Sri Lanka (south-east) and 6 Maldives (south-west).

Neighbourhood First policy is part of India’s foreign policy that actively focuses on improving ties with India’s immediate neighbours. India provides neighbours with support as needed in the form of resources, equipment and training.

South East Asia begins with North East India.

Myanmar is our land bridge to the countries of the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The purpose is to ensure a stable and multipolar balance of power in the Indo-Pacific and to become an integral part of Asia.

India believes in regional co-operation. To foster the bonds of brotherhood, co-operation and peaceful co-existence SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) was established. India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Afghanistan are the eight members of the SAARC.

This Bangladesh – China – India – Myanmar (BCIM) Economic corridor envisages the formation of a thriving economic belt, focusing on cross- border transport, energy and telecommunication networks.BIMSTEC refers Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation.

BIMSTEC main objectives are to strengthen and improve the technological economic cooperation, international trade and foreign direct investment cooperation. The member countries are Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal.

Bangladesh – Bhutan – India – Nepal (BBIN) has signed a framework to enable movement of passengers, cargo vehicles and for energy development.

The National Navy Day is celebrated 4th December of every year.

The Armed Force Flag Day was celebrated 7th December of every year.

India is a huge country with manifold cultures. It has high status in the South East Asia. India’s foreign policy is to maintain peace, freedom and mutual co-operation among the nations. Though India is not in any major military alliance, our relations with the major powers have acquired a strategic depth.

The president of India is the supreme commander of the Armed forces in India.

Central Industrial Security Force Day is celebrated on 10th March and Rapid Action Force Day is celebrated on 7th October.