Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer by using the codes given below the lists:
List-I
A. Operation Talwar - i. 1998
B. Operation Shakti - ii. 1999
C. Operation Meghdoot - iii. 2000
D. Operation Khukri - iv. 1984

Question

Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer by using the codes given below the lists: 
List-I 
A. Operation Talwar -  i. 1998 
B. Operation Shakti -  ii. 1999
C. Operation Meghdoot - iii. 2000 
D. Operation Khukri - iv. 1984

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 1:

The correct match is Option 1, which pairs the military operations with their historically accurate years of execution: A-ii, B-i, C-iv, D-iii. This requires a strong foundational knowledge of key military and strategic operations conducted by the Indian Armed Forces.

Operation Talwar (A) is correctly matched with **1999 (ii)**. This was the naval operation conducted by the Indian Navy during the Kargil War of 1999. Its main objective was to choke Pakistani trade routes, particularly the maritime oil supply, creating strategic pressure on Pakistan during the land conflict. The operation was instrumental in giving India a decisive strategic upper hand in the conflict.

Operation Shakti (B) is correctly matched with **1998 (i)**. This code name refers to the series of five nuclear tests conducted by India in May 1998 at the Pokhran Test Range in Rajasthan. These tests marked India's successful demonstration of nuclear weapon capability, solidifying its position as a nuclear state and significantly impacting the geopolitical landscape of South Asia.

Operation Meghdoot (C) is correctly matched with **1984 (iv)**. Launched on April 13, 1984, this was the preemptive military operation carried out by the Indian Armed Forces to gain control over the Siachen Glacier in the Karakoram range. It successfully secured the glacier, which is the highest battlefield in the world, preventing Pakistan from occupying the strategically important Saltoro Ridge.

Operation Khukri (D) is correctly matched with **2000 (iii)**. Operation Khukri was a critical mission undertaken by the Indian Army in Sierra Leone in 2000 as part of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL). The operation involved rescuing 223 Indian Army personnel, who were being held captive by the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels, demonstrating India's capability and commitment to UN peacekeeping operations.

The incorrect option is 2:

Option 2 suggests the pairing A-i, B-ii, C-iv, D-iii. This is incorrect primarily because it reverses the years for Operation Talwar and Operation Shakti. Operation Talwar (A) is matched with 1998 (i), which is wrong as Operation Talwar was conducted in 1999 during the Kargil War. Conversely, Operation Shakti (B) is matched with 1999 (ii), which is also incorrect, as Operation Shakti (the nuclear tests) took place in 1998. The remaining matches for Operation Meghdoot and Operation Khukri are correct, but the misidentification of the years for the two critical operations (Talwar and Shakti) renders this entire option false.

The incorrect option is 3:

Option 3 suggests the pairing A-ii, B-i, C-iii, D-iv. While it correctly matches Operation Talwar with 1999 (A-ii) and Operation Shakti with 1998 (B-i), it incorrectly pairs the latter two operations. Operation Meghdoot (C) is matched with 2000 (iii), but the operation was historically conducted in 1984 to secure the Siachen Glacier. Furthermore, Operation Khukri (D) is incorrectly matched with 1984 (iv), which is the year of Operation Meghdoot. By swapping the years for the two key Himalayan and UN operations (Meghdoot and Khukri), this option fails to accurately map the timeline of these military actions.

The incorrect option is 4:

Option 4 suggests the pairing A-iii, B-ii, C-iv, D-i. This option is entirely incorrect in its chronological assignment of the major operations. It incorrectly links Operation Talwar (A) with 2000 (iii), Operation Shakti (B) with 1999 (ii), and Operation Khukri (D) with 1998 (i). Only Operation Meghdoot (C) is correctly matched with 1984 (iv) in this combination. Since three out of the four pairings—especially the high-profile operations like Shakti and Talwar—are placed in the wrong years, this option is fundamentally flawed for a chronological matching exercise. Accurate knowledge of these historical dates is essential to rule out this option.