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ICBM stands for:
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Answer: Option C — Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile
Detailed Solution
An ICBM is a ballistic missile with a very long range, generally more than 5,500 km, which allows it to strike targets on other continents. ICBMs are usually designed to carry nuclear warheads.
A ballistic missile is powered by rockets only during the first part of its flight. It rises high above the atmosphere and then falls towards its target along a curved path, called a ballistic trajectory, under the force of gravity. A cruise missile, in contrast, flies within the atmosphere for most of its journey, powered by a jet engine, and can fly low to avoid detection. India's BrahMos, developed jointly with Russia, is a supersonic cruise missile.
Ballistic missiles are classified by range: short-range, medium-range, intermediate-range and intercontinental. Countries known to possess ICBMs include the United States, Russia, China, North Korea, and France and the United Kingdom (submarine-launched).
India's longest-range missile is the Agni-V, a surface-to-surface ballistic missile developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), with a range of more than 5,000 km. It was first tested in 2012. In 2024, India tested an Agni-V fitted with MIRV technology (Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicles) under "Mission Divyastra", which allows one missile to carry several warheads aimed at different targets. India's missile programme, the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP), was led by Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, and it produced the Agni, Prithvi, Akash, Trishul and Nag missiles.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Integrated Coastal Battle Missile is not a real expansion.
- ✗Indian Cruise Ballistic Missile is incorrect; cruise and ballistic missiles are different types.
- ✗International Combat Bomber Mission is not a real expansion.
Quick tip
Remember: ICBM = Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (range above 5,500 km); India's Agni-V has a range of over 5,000 km and was tested with MIRV in 2024 (Mission Divyastra).
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Abbreviations & Full Forms — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Abbreviations & Full Forms, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the full forms of common abbreviations used in government, banking, science, technology, defence, international relations and everyday life, such as ISRO, NABARD, SEBI, GDP, GST and UNICEF. These questions are quick marks if you have revised the most common abbreviations. Group them by field (banking, government bodies, science and technology, international organisations) and pay attention to small words such as 'of', 'for' and 'and', since wrong options often change just one word. Practise the abbreviations and full forms questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.