Q1. Consider the following statements about the 7th India-Bhutan Joint Group of Customs Meeting on April 20–21, 2026: Assertion (A): The Bhutanese delegation visited Kochi Port and was briefed on maritime enforcement practices, including sea patrolling and identification of suspicious vessels. Reason (R): Bhutan, being a landlocked country, depends heavily on Indian seaports such as Kolkata, Haldia and increasingly Kochi for the movement of its overseas trade through the Electronic Cargo Tracking System for transit cargo. In the context of the above, which of the following is correct?
Explanation
Both Assertion and Reason are true. The Bhutanese delegation did visit Kochi Port and was briefed on maritime enforcement practices including sea patrolling and identification of suspicious vessels. Bhutan being landlocked does rely on Indian seaports for overseas trade, supported by the Electronic Cargo Tracking System for transit cargo. However, the visit was a familiarisation exercise on maritime enforcement organised in the context of the JGC meeting in Kerala, and not a direct operational consequence of Bhutan's landlocked dependence on Kochi specifically — Kolkata and Haldia handle most Bhutan transit cargo. Hence R is true but is not the precise explanation of A.