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UPSC Essentials brings to you its initiative of subject-wise quizzes. These quizzes are designed to help you revise some of the most important topics from the static part of the syllabus. Attempt today’s subject quiz on International Relations to check your progress.
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Which of the following European countries is/are not a part of the European Union?
1. Liechtenstein
2. Germany
3. Switzerland
4. France
5. Norway
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
(a) 1 and 3 only
(b) 2 and 4 only
(c) 5 only
(d) 1, 3 and 5
Explanation
— In a bid to soften the impact of steep US tariffs on Indian exports, the Commerce and Industry Ministry is pushing for export diversification and has fast-tracked EU trade negotiations by holding monthly talks with the 27-member bloc, a government official said.
— This is significant since the EU is among India’s largest export destinations. Duty elimination under a trade deal for goods such as textiles, footwear, and gems and jewellery could boost India’s labour-intensive sectors and help offset export declines to the US due to high tariffs and expected demand slowdowns.
— The EU countries are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.
— Several European countries are not part of the EU. These include Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino, the Vatican City, and Andorra. Furthermore, Brexit has resulted in the United Kingdom’s departure from the EU.
Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.
With reference to the Equator Prize 2025, consider the following statements:
1. It is announced by UNICEF every year.
2. It is presented to honour nature-based solutions led by Indigenous Peoples and local communities that promote sustainable development and ecological resilience.
3. There is no winner from India in 2025.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Explanation
— On the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), through its Equator Initiative, proudly announces the ten winners of the Equator Prize 2025. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
— This renowned award is given each year to recognise nature-based solutions driven by Indigenous Peoples and local communities that promote sustainable development and ecological resilience. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
— This year’s winners, from Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Papua New Guinea, Peru, and Tanzania, demonstrate the potential of nature-based solutions spearheaded by people on the front lines of climate change.
— From India, the Bibifathima Swa Sahaya Sangha (Bibifathima Self Help Group) is a women-led initiative that assists over 5,000 farmers in 30 villages through millet-based multi-cropping, seed banks, and solar-powered processing. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.
Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.
(Source: http://www.undp.org)
According to a new assessment conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT) through satellite, which of the following regions has 98.5 per cent of cropland that is either damaged or inaccessible?
(a) South Sudan
(b) Southern Ukraine
(c) Eretria
(d) Gaza Strip
Explanation
— As famine looms in the Gaza Strip, a new assessment conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT) through satellite imagery reveals a staggering reality: 98.5 percent of cropland in the Gaza Strip is either damaged, inaccessible, or both.
— This means that only 1.5 percent of Gaza’s agriculture, or 232 hectares, is currently accessible for cultivation, down from 4.6 percent (688 hectares) in April 2025, in a region with over 2 million inhabitants.
— The combination of extremely limited cropland availability, the impact of an ongoing conflict, severe restrictions on the delivery and distribution of humanitarian aid, and widespread destruction of critical infrastructure – including irrigation systems, roads, equipment, storage facilities, and markets – has resulted in catastrophic food security conditions throughout Gaza.
Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.
(Source: http://www.fao.org)
Which of the following countries, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), has launched a new initiative to improve food security, boost rural livelihoods, and help Afghan communities better withstand climate and economic shocks?
(a) United Kingdom
(b) United States
(c) Russia
(d) India
Explanation
— The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the UK government have announced a new effort to promote food security, boost rural livelihoods, and assist Afghan people in better coping with climate and economic shocks.
— Over the next ten months, the FAO’s Resilient Agriculture Livelihoods (ReAL) project will impact over 151 000 people (21 572 households) in 15 provinces across Afghanistan’s eight regions. The project will prioritise small-scale farmers, livestock keepers, and landless labourers, with a special focus on widows and women-headed households.
— The project is generously sponsored by the UK as part of the ‘Promoting Resilient and Equitable Recovery of Agriculture and Livelihoods in Afghan Communities’ (PREVALE) program.
Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.
(Source: http://www.fao.org)
The “Scarborough Shoal” was recently in the news. It is a disputed territory primarily between:
(a) China and Vietnam
(b) China and the Philippines
(c) Malaysia and Indonesia
(d) Indonesia and Brunei
Explanation
— China’s military said it monitored and “drove away” a U.S. destroyer that sailed near the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the busy waterway of the South China Sea, while the U.S. Navy said its action was in line with international law.
— The first documented US military operation in at least six years within the shoal’s waters occurred the day after the Philippines accused Chinese boats of “dangerous manoeuvres and unlawful interference” during a supply mission around the atoll.
— Scarborough Shoal is a disputed region, principally between China and the Philippines. The shoal is situated in the South China Sea and is claimed by both countries.
Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.
Consider the following international organisations/forum
1. Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
2. Quadrilateral Security Dialogue
3. Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
4. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Which of the above groupings include India as a member?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 1, 2 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Explanation
— Prime Minister Narendra Modi was likely to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) leaders’ meet in Tianjin, China. The grouping includes nine member nations, including India, China, Pakistan and Russia.
— Scholars in China have also questioned India’s commitments in both the SCO and BRICS (including Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), stating that PM Modi attended just three of the last ten SCO leaders’ meetings.
— They have also pointed to the June meeting in Qingdao for the SCO Defence Ministers, where Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh accused Pakistan of supporting cross-border terrorism, and refused to sign the SCO joint statement.
— India being a member of the SCO and the US-led QUAD security dialogue (with Australia and Japan).
— India is not a part of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.
Operation ‘Midnight Hammer’ is:
(a) a covert Russian operation during the Cold War to tunnel under Alaska.
(b) a joint military offensive by Brazil and Argentina during the Falklands War.
(c) a cyberwarfare campaign by Israel during the war with Iran.
(d) a United States led attack on nuclear facilities in Iran.
Explanation
— ‘Operation Midnight Hammer’ is the codename given to the US’s precision strikes on three of Iran’s nuclear facilities, which marked a dramatic escalation in the Middle East and plunged US-Iran relations to their lowest point since the Iranian Revolution.
— The covert operation involved over 125 aircraft and deception tactics, and the fleet included seven B-2 stealth bombers, the press briefing revealed. The US strike targeted three of Iran’s most sensitive nuclear facilities — Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.
Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.
Consider the following pairs:
1. ‘axis of evil’ — refers to Iran, Iraq and North Korea
2. ‘axis of resistance’ — refers to a coalition of Iranian-backed groups
Which of the above given pairs is/are correctly matched?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Explanation
— A coalition of Iranian-backed groups is known as the ‘axis of resistance’. Hezbollah, Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), and the Houthis are some of the major groups in the alliance.
— The roots of the ‘axis of resistance’ go back to the Iranian Revolution of 1979, which paved the way for radical Shia Muslim clerics to come to power. To expand its political and military influence in a region where most powers — such as US-ally Saudi Arabia — are Sunni-majority nations, Iran’s new regime began to support non-state actors. Another reason for this was to deter threats from Israel and the US — Iran has seen Israel’s creation in 1948 as a means for the US (and the West) to influence the region for its strategic interests.
— The coalition’s name is said to be inspired by former US President George W Bush’s use of the term ‘axis of evil’ — referring to Iran, Iraq and North Korea — in his 2002 State of the Union address.
Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.
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Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment and Geography (Week 123)
Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 122)
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