CURRENT AFFAIRS | 4 MAY 2026
CLAT GK + CONSTITUTIONAL LAW & RELEVANT AREA
On April 30, 2026, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Navy successfully test-fired a salvo (multiple launches in quick succession) of the Naval Anti-Ship Missile Short Range (NASM-SR) from a helicopter platform off the Odisha coast. The 380-kg, 55-km-range weapon — 200 kg lighter than the 1980s-era British Sea Eagle it replaces — features a “man-in-loop” capability allowing operator re-routing mid-flight, and a “waterline hit” profile designed to cripple a vessel’s hull. It is the first Atmanirbhar Bharat naval-air weapon, built with private and MSME partners.
What Happened
The salvo test validates the missile’s ability to overwhelm shipboard defences via multiple simultaneous tracks. NASM-SR’s technology stack uses indigenous propulsion, an active-radar seeker, and a “man-in-loop” command link — a doctrinally important feature because it allows a human operator to abort or re-route mid-flight, distinguishing it from “fire-and-forget” weapons. The missile is now production-ready for induction into the Indian Navy’s helicopter fleet (Sea King, ALH-Dhruv, MH-60R Romeo).
Why It Matters for CLAT
NASM-SR sits at the intersection of Atmanirbhar Bharat in Defence, the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020, and the Strategic Partnership Model 2017. The “man-in-loop” feature is also a fertile legal-reasoning hook: under International Humanitarian Law (Geneva Conventions, AP-I), accountability for civilian casualties hinges on the principle of distinction. A “fire-and-forget” missile makes attribution harder; a “man-in-loop” missile preserves an identifiable chain of command — a useful test passage on whether autonomous weapons satisfy IHL.
Constitutional & Statutory Framework
- Article 73 + List I Entry 7 — Union’s defence power
- DRDO (1958) — under MoD’s Department of Defence R&D
- DAP 2020 — Defence Acquisition Procedure (succeeded DPP 2016)
- iDEX (2018) — startup defence-innovation scheme under DIO
- SAGAR doctrine (2015) — Indo-Pacific maritime vision
- Strategic Partnership Model 2017 — private-sector OEM partnerships
- Indian Navy Act 1957 — service legal framework
The CLAT Angle
Defence questions in CLAT typically hide as legal-reasoning on (a) federal distribution — defence is List I (Union) Entry 7, never State or Concurrent; (b) IHL accountability — “man-in-loop” vs “fire-and-forget” affects culpability; (c) Atmanirbhar policy — DAP 2020 + iDEX + SP Model 2017. Don’t confuse “Atmanirbhar Bharat” (announced 2020 COVID package) with “Make in India” (2014 manufacturing initiative) — they overlap but aren’t identical.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Test date | April 30, 2026 |
| Weight / range | 380 kg / 55 km |
| Replaces | Sea Eagle (UK, 1980s) |
| Key feature | Man-in-loop, salvo-capable, waterline hit |
| DRDO founded | 1958 |
| Procurement framework | DAP 2020 |
| SAGAR articulated | 2015 (Mauritius) |
Mnemonic — NASM
Navy-Anti-Ship-Missile · Atmanirbhar · Salvo-test · Man-in-loop
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