UPSC Essentials | Daily subject-wise quiz : International Relations MCQs on Agreements between India and Pakistan, BRICS group and more (Week 76)

(a) The first BRIC Summit was held in Russia in 2009.

(b) South Africa was included in the group in 2013.

(c) Currently, the BRICS has more member countries than ASEAN.

(d) The New Development Bank, which was also known as the BRICS Development Bank was established in 2015.

Explanation

— Turkey has decided to officially bid to join BRICS, a grouping of some of the world’s emerging economies, originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

— If Turkey indeed becomes a member of BRICS, often described as a counterbalance to a Western-led global order, it could move further away from joining the European Union (EU) — and from deriving benefits of the 27-member bloc’s single market.

— Last year, the BRICS invited six more countries to join the alliance. The invited countries are Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Egypt, and Ethiopia.

— The founding of BRICS in 2009 was motivated by the belief that the four emerging markets of Brazil, Russia, India, and China will be the world’s future economic powerhouses.

— The inaugural BRIC Summit took place in Yekaterinburg, Russia, in 2009. South Africa was invited to the BRIC Foreign Ministers’ Conference in New York in 2010, and as a result, it attended the third BRICS Summit in Sanya, China in 2011.

— BRICS has grown to 11 members, surpassing ASEAN (10 members) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (10).

— The New Development Bank (NDB), previously known as the BRICS Development Bank, was established in 2015.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 2

Consider the following pairs:

How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

(a) Only one pair

(b) Only two pairs

(c) All three pairs

(d) None of the above pairs

Explanation

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 3

Which of the following countries has decided to reduce its elephant population to provide food for communities severely impacted by the worst drought in four decades?

(a) Nigeria

(b) Zimbabwe

(c) Botswana

(d) Ghana

Explanation

— Zimbabwe plans to cull 200 elephants to provide food for communities severely impacted by the worst drought in four decades.

— The El Nino-induced drought has devastated southern Africa, leading to widespread crop failures and leaving 68 million people facing food shortages across the region.

— This marks the first elephant cull in Zimbabwe since 1988 and will take place in districts including Hwange, Mbire, Tsholotsho, and Chiredzi. The decision follows Namibia’s recent move to cull 83 elephants, distributing the meat to people similarly impacted by the drought.

— Southern Africa is home to one of the world’s largest elephant populations, with over 200,000 elephants living across a conservation area that spans Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Angola, and Namibia.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 4

Arrange the following agreements between India and Pakistan in chronological order:

1. Tashkent Declaration

2. Indus Water Treaty

3. Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack Against Each Other’s Nuclear Installations and Facilities

4. Agreement on Reducing the Risk from Accidents Relating to Nuclear Weapons

Select the correct answer using the code given below: (UPSC-CDS (II) – 2024)

(a) 1, 2, 3, 4

(b) 2, 3, 4, 1

(c) 2, 1, 3, 4

(d) 1, 4, 2, 3

Note: The aspirants should also refer to the questions from other competitive exams conducted by the UPSC which might be useful for UPSC–CSE.

Explanation

Tashkent Declaration

— It was signed on January 10, 1966.

— The Prime Minister of India and the President of Pakistan, after meeting in Tashkent and discussing existing relations, hereby declare their firm resolve to restore normal and peaceful relations between their countries, as well as to promote understanding and friendly relations between their peoples.

Indus Water Treaty

— It was signed on September 19, 1960.

— India and Pakistan signed the Indus Waters Treaty, which governs the use of water from the Indus and its tributaries.

Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack Against Each Other’s Nuclear Installations and Facilities

— It was signed on December 31, 1988.

— In January 2024, India and Pakistan exchanged a list of their nuclear installations under a bilateral pact that prohibits the two sides from attacking each other’s atomic facilities, continuing an annual practice that began in 1992.

Agreement on Reducing the Risk from Accidents Relating to Nuclear Weapons

— It was signed on February 21, 2007.

— This was in compliance with Article 8 of the agreement between the Republic of India and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on reducing the risk of accidents related to nuclear weapons.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: http://www.mea.gov.in)

QUESTION 5

Recently, the United States of America has completed its military withdrawal from which country?

(a) Burkina Faso

(b) Mali

(c) Benin

(d) Niger

Explanation

— The US military has concluded its pullout from Niger. According to Pentagon spokesman Sabrina Singh, while the majority of soldiers have left, a small contingent of military remains to secure the US embassy.

— Earlier this year, Niger’s ruling junta revoked an agreement allowing US forces to operate in the West African country.

— The US handed over its last military bases in Niger to local authorities, with perhaps two dozen American soldiers remaining to supervise administrative parts of the pullout.

— Niger’s expulsion of US soldiers following last year’s coup poses considerable issues for Washington, as the country has previously functioned as a crucial hub for Sahel counterterrorism efforts.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 76)

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 76)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment, Geography, Science and Technology (Week 76)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 76)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 75)

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