Prahaar in the context of India defence capability refers to which of the following?

Introduction / Context:
India has developed several indigenous weapon systems with distinct names. Prahaar is one such system and features frequently in current affairs related to defence. Examination questions often test whether candidates can correctly match the name of a weapon system with its type, for example, whether it is a missile, tank, aircraft carrier or submarine. This question specifically asks about Prahaar.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The term Prahaar is given without further description.
• Four possible types are listed: battle tank, surface to surface missile, aircraft carrier and submarine.
• We assume basic awareness of major Indian missile and weapon programmes.

Concept / Approach:
Prahaar is an Indian surface to surface short range missile system designed to provide a quick reaction tactical strike capability. It is not a tank, ship or submarine. The approach is to recall whether Prahaar has been described in news reports and defence summaries as a missile and to differentiate it from the names of tanks (such as Arjun), aircraft carriers (such as Vikramaditya) or submarines (such as Arihant).

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Prahaar is an all weather, all terrain surface to surface tactical missile developed to fill the gap between multi barrel rocket systems and longer range ballistic missiles. Step 2: Because it is designed to deliver a conventional warhead to targets on land, it clearly belongs to the surface to surface missile category. Step 3: Option A suggests that Prahaar is a battle tank. This is incorrect, since the Indian indigenous tank is known as Arjun, not Prahaar. Step 4: Option C proposes that Prahaar is an aircraft carrier, but major Indian aircraft carriers have names like Vikramaditya and Vikrant, not Prahaar. Step 5: Option D suggests that Prahaar is a submarine, but Indian nuclear and conventional submarines have different names, such as Arihant or Kalvari. Step 6: Therefore option B, which identifies Prahaar as a surface to surface missile, is correct.

Verification / Alternative check:
Defence news often mentions test launches of Prahaar from missile ranges, describing its range, guidance and payload characteristics. These reports clearly classify it as a missile system. It is never described as a tank, ship or submarine. Furthermore, Indian naval assets and armoured vehicles have their own distinct naming patterns that do not match Prahaar. This cross check confirms that Prahaar must be a surface to surface missile.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• A battle tank is an armoured land vehicle, not a missile. Prahaar is not used in that sense.
• An aircraft carrier is a large warship designed to carry aircraft. Prahaar is a land based missile and does not fit this description.
• A submarine is an underwater naval platform, again very different from a short range missile system.

Common Pitfalls:
Candidates sometimes confuse names of different weapon systems due to similar sounding Sanskrit words. They may also assume that any strong sounding name could apply to any weapon. The best way to avoid such errors is to prepare a small list linking each prominent name to its correct category, such as Akash for surface to air missile, Arjun for main battle tank and Prahaar for surface to surface missile. This quick mental mapping helps during exams.

Final Answer:
A surface-to-surface missile