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9 Jul 2026GEOGRAPHY3 questions

India's Southernmost Sentinel: Why Indira Point Still Matters

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Article summary

Indira Point, on Great Nicobar Island in the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, marks the southernmost tip of India's territory. Its lighthouse — commissioned on 30 April 1972 — was severely damaged in the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, which permanently subsided the site by about 2.04 metres, submerged the lighthouse base and left the structure tilted by about 3.86°; a rebuilt lighthouse was made operational in 2018 by the Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships. Recent attention centres on structural repair and plans to develop the site as a sustainable tourism landmark. Indira Point's significance is strategic as much as symbolic: it sits close to the Malacca Strait approaches and overlooks the Singapore-Colombo shipping corridor, one of the world's busiest sea lanes, and lies only around 150 km from Indonesia. For UPSC, it anchors India's island geography, the tectonics of the 2004 tsunami, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands' emerging role in Indo-Pacific maritime strategy.

What this tests

recallTests whether you read the article and retained key facts.
1Q
applicationTests whether you can apply the concept to a new scenario.
1Q
analysisTests whether you can reason across multiple related facts.
1Q

Sample questions — answers revealed after test

GEOGRAPHYRecallEasy

Q1. With reference to Indira Point, which one of the following statements is correct?

AIt is the southernmost point of the Indian mainland, situated in Tamil Nadu.
BIt lies on Great Nicobar Island and is the southernmost point of Indian territory, distinct from Kanyakumari, which is the southernmost point of the mainland.
CIt lies on North Andaman Island and marks the northernmost extent of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
DIt is the southernmost point of Indian territory, lying roughly 15 km from Indonesia.
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GEOGRAPHYApplicationMedium

Q2. The 2004 earthquake subsided the Indira Point site by about 2.04 metres and tilted the lighthouse by roughly 3.86 degrees. Which one of the following best explains why an earthquake produces permanent changes in land level of this kind?

AThe shaking compacts loose sediment beneath the structure, which settles under its own weight.
BThe tsunami that followed eroded the shoreline, lowering the ground surface at the site.
CA great subduction-zone earthquake releases accumulated strain by displacing the crust itself, so the overriding plate can subside or uplift permanently — the magnitude 9.1 Sumatra-Andaman event on the Sunda subduction zone altered land levels across the Nicobar Islands.
DThe land level did not change; the apparent subsidence reflects a permanent rise in mean sea level caused by the displaced water.
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GEOGRAPHYAnalysisHard

Q3. Consider the following statements: 1. The Indira Point lighthouse was commissioned on 30 April 1972 and the rebuilt structure has been operational since 2018 under the Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships. 2. Great Nicobar lies near the approaches to the Malacca Strait and along the Singapore–Colombo shipping corridor. 3. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands host one of India's several tri-services theatre commands, established alongside similar commands for the western and northern sectors. Which of the statements given above are correct?

A1 only
B1 and 2 only
C2 and 3 only
D1, 2 and 3
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