SNIPPETS 12 MARCH 2026

THAAD: Advanced missile defence system designed to intercept short, medium and intermediate-range ballistic missiles+ Developer: Lockheed Martin Corporation (USA)+ Uses “hit-to-kill” kinetic interception, destroying targets inside and outside the Earth’s atmosphere+ A THAAD battery includes ~95 personnel, truck-mounted launchers, interceptor missiles, AN/TPY-2 radar and fire-control system.

War of Attrition: A military strategy aimed at gradually exhausting the enemy’s resources, manpower, and morale until its capacity to fight collapses+ Method: Involves sustained attacks and prolonged conflict, relying on superior resources and endurance+ Example: Prominent during World War I trench warfare, where opposing sides sought to outlast each other+ Escalating tensions between the U.S., Israel and Iran are increasingly being described as a war of attrition

Santiniketan: Established in 1901 by Rabindranath Tagore located in West Bengal+ The site was established as an ashram and given its name in 1863 by Tagore’s father, Debendranath Tagore+ It was a residential school and centre for art based on ancient Indian traditions+ In 1921, a ‘world university’ was established at Santiniketan, later recognised as ‘Visva Bharati’+ It was recognized by UNESCO as India’s 41st World Heritage Site in 2023