RAS question
India's 78th Army Day on January 15, 2026, saw the first public debut of which newly raised Army unit?
Correct answer: (B) Bhairav Battalion.
The Bhairav Battalion made its first public appearance at India's 78th Army Day Parade in Jaipur on January 15, 2026.
Explanation
The unit that debuted publicly at the 78th Army Day Parade was the Bhairav Battalion. The Economic Times report on the Jaipur parade stated that the event would mark the battalion's first public appearance; the parade took place on January 15, 2026, at Mahal Road in Jaipur under the South Western Command. The answer matters because the Bhairav Battalion was not presented as an ordinary ceremonial unit: it was raised during the Indian Army's recent restructuring to meet modern warfare needs, including hybrid and multi-domain operations. The Army Day parade was also being held outside a cantonment area for the first time, making the battalion's debut especially visible.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Chakra Battalion is not the unit named as making its first public appearance at the Jaipur Army Day parade.
- (C) Shakti Regiment is not supported by The Economic Times account, which specifically identifies the debuting unit as the Bhairav Battalion.
- (D) Vajra Corps does not match the description of a newly raised battalion debuting publicly at the parade.
Concept
This tests defence current affairs within Science and Technology, especially the Indian Army's adaptation to hybrid and multi-domain warfare. RAS repeatedly asks such items because Rajasthan-hosted national events and military modernisation both connect directly with state-aware current affairs.