The Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel 'Shruti', launched on 11 August 2026, is being built at which shipyard?
Explanation
Yard 3037, named Shruti, was launched at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, on 11 August 2026 in the presence of Vice Admiral Sanjay Sadhu, Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition. GRSE is a Navratna defence PSU under the Ministry of Defence. NGOPV construction is running concurrently at GRSE Kolkata and Goa Shipyard Limited. These indigenously designed ships are meant for maritime surveillance, search and rescue, HADR and anti-piracy missions.
Q2
According to the Ministry of Defence, the naval vessel 'Shruti', launched in August 2026, is named with reference to which of these?
Explanation
The Ministry of Defence states that the Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel Shruti takes its name from a reference to the four Vedas, these ships being named after India's heritage. Shruti means that which is heard, knowledge preserved by oral tradition. The ship's crest shows the Ursa Major constellation and a red and white lighthouse. Launched at GRSE Kolkata on 11 August 2026, it is the second of the series; the first, Sanghmitra, was launched on 20 May 2026.
Q3
Which two airports were among the 11 new international ports notified in August 2026 for entry of e-Visa holders?
Explanation
In August 2026 the Ministry of Home Affairs notified 11 more international ports for the entry of foreign nationals holding e-Visas. These include two airports, Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh and Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh, and nine land ports, of which Attari and Agartala are confirmed. The total number of designated entry points now stands at 88, comprising 37 airports, 38 seaports and 13 land ports. The Ministry states that about 95 percent of e-Visa applications are processed in under 72 hours.
Q4
What is the title of former President Ram Nath Kovind's autobiography released by the Prime Minister in August 2026?
Explanation
Prime Minister Narendra Modi released former President Ram Nath Kovind's autobiography, Triumph of the Indian Republic: My Life, My Struggles, at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi on 12 August 2026. The PMO said the book traces Kovind's journey from his early struggles through his public life to his term as the 14th President of India. Kovind held the office from 2017 to 2022 and had earlier served as Governor of Bihar from 2015 to 2017. He was born in 1945 at Paraunkh, Kanpur district.
Q5
Which country is NOT a member of SACU, the bloc with which India is negotiating a PTA?
Explanation
The Southern African Customs Union (SACU) has five members: Botswana, Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), Lesotho, Namibia and South Africa. Zimbabwe is not a member. India is negotiating a Preferential Trade Agreement with the bloc, seeking preferential market access for automobiles, auto components and pharmaceuticals. Under a PTA, tariffs are not eliminated but kept lower than for non-members, whereas a Free Trade Agreement removes duties on most traded goods.
Q6
The Bankers' Books Evidence Bill, 2026, passed by Parliament in August 2026, replaces which colonial-era law?
Explanation
The Bankers' Books Evidence Bill, 2026 repeals and replaces the colonial-era Bankers' Books Evidence Act, 1891. Introduced in the Lok Sabha on 3 August 2026, it was passed by the Lok Sabha on 5 August and the Rajya Sabha on 10 August. Under the original Act, certified copies of bank records were admissible without producing the originals. The new Bill recognises electronic, digital and cloud-based records as valid evidence, subject to conditions on authenticity and absence of tampering.
Q7
Who will confer the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship and Awards for 2024-25 at Vigyan Bhawan on 13 August 2026?
Explanation
President Droupadi Murmu will confer the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship (Akademi Ratna) and the Akademi Puraskar on 115 artists at a special investiture ceremony at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, on 13 August 2026. Seven have been chosen as Fellows and 108 for the Awards. The Fellowship carries three lakh rupees and the Award one lakh rupees, with a Tamrapatra and Angavastram. The Fellowship is the Akademi's highest honour and is restricted to 40 living Fellows at any time.