UPSC Daily Current Affairs Quiz : 05 March 2026

Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3

Explanation:

• The Iranian frigate IRIS Dena sank in the Indian Ocean about 40 nautical miles off Galle (Sri Lanka).
• The U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that a U.S. submarine used a torpedo to sink the vessel.
• According to reports, the ship was returning from the International Fleet Review (IFR) 2026 in Visakhapatnam.
• The U.S. described the attack as the first sinking of an enemy ship by torpedo since World War II.
  Hence, all statements are correct.

Answer: (b) Sri Lanka

Explanation:

• Galle is a major coastal city in southern Sri Lanka, located on the Indian Ocean coast.
• It is historically known for the Galle Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site built by the Portuguese and later fortified by the Dutch.
• The Iranian frigate sank around 40 nautical miles off Galle, prompting a search and rescue operation by the Sri Lankan Navy.

Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3

Explanation:

• A torpedo is a self-propelled underwater missile designed to explode on contact or in proximity to a target.
• They can be launched from submarines, surface ships, aircraft, or coastal batteries.
• Torpedoes were widely used during World War I and World War II, especially in submarine warfare.
• German U-boats and Allied submarines used torpedoes extensively to sink enemy ships.

Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only

Explanation:

• Morbi (Gujarat) is often called the ceramic capital of India and is one of the largest ceramic tile clusters in the world. Statement 1 is correct.
• Ceramic production requires high-temperature kilns, which depend heavily on propane and natural gas. Statement 2 is correct.
• The industry mainly exports through western ports like Mundra and Kandla, not the eastern coast. Statement 3 is incorrect.

 Answer: (c) 1, 2 and 3

Explanation:

• Propane – A hydrocarbon gas commonly used in industrial heating and kilns.
• LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) – Mainly composed of propane and butane.
• Natural Gas – Primarily methane, widely used for electricity generation and industry.
• All are fossil-fuel-derived hydrocarbons used for industrial heating processes