UPSC PRELIMS 2026 | Daily subject-wise quiz (Week 138) : International Relations MCQs on Operation Sagar Bandhu, Strait of Malacca and more

QUESTION 1

India rolled out ‘Operation Sagar Bandhu,’ delivering the first batch of relief materials transported by the Indian Navy’s aircraft carrier INS Vikrant and the frontline ship INS Udaigiri to:

(a) Mauritius

(b) Maldives

(c) Madagascar

(d) Sri Lanka

Explanation

— At least 153 people have lost their lives in Sri Lanka as the island nation faces one of its worst disasters, with Cyclonic Storm Ditwah tearing through the country and triggering severe floods and landslides that have left widespread destruction and heavy damage to infrastructure.

— Responding to Sri Lanka’s crisis, India rolled out ‘Operation Sagar Bandhu,’ delivering the first batch of relief materials transported by the Indian Navy’s aircraft carrier INS Vikrant and the frontline ship INS Udaigiri.

— An Indian Air Force C130 J aircraft carrying emergency supplies — food essentials and sanitary items—landed at Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport, where it was received by officials from the Indian High Commission and the Sri Lanka Air Force.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 2

Which of the following countries borders Peru?

1. Ecuador

2. Argentina

3. Bolivia

4. Chile

5. Paraguay

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1, 3 and 4

(b) 1, 2, 4 and 5

(c) 2, 3, 4 and 5

(d) 3, 4 and 5

Explanation

— Peru’s President José Jerí has declared a state of emergency along the border with Chile, in response to a Chilean presidential candidate’s promise to deport undocumented migrants.

— Peru has five neighbours: Ecuador and Colombia to the north, Brazil to the east, Bolivia to the southeast, and Chile to the south.

— Argentina and Paraguay do not share a border with Peru.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 3

With reference to the Strait of Malacca, consider the following statements:

1. It flows between Indonesia and the Philippines.

2. It connects the Indian Ocean with the Pacific Ocean through the South China Sea.

3. It is the shortest sea route between Persian Gulf suppliers and key Asian markets.

4. The Phillips Channel of the Singapore Strait is the widest point in the Strait of Malacca.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

Explanation

— The death toll from floods and landslides following cyclonic rains in the Indonesian island of Sumatra has risen to 303, the head of the country’s disaster mitigation agency said, up from a previous figure of 174 dead.

(Pic credit-BASARNAS via AP)

— The death toll from floods and landslides following cyclonic rains in the Indonesian island of Sumatra has risen to 303, the head of the country’s disaster mitigation agency said on Saturday, up from a previous figure of 174 dead.

— The Strait of Malacca, which flows between Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, connects the Indian and Pacific Oceans via the South China Sea. Hence, statement 1 is not correct and statement 2 is correct.

— It is the quickest sea route connecting Persian Gulf suppliers to major Asian consumers. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— The Strait of Malacca is only about 1.7 miles wide at its narrowest point in the Phillips Channel of the Singapore Strait, forming a natural bottleneck that could result in collisions, grounding, or oil spills. Hence, statement 4 is not correct.

— The Malacca Strait is also a vital transit route for liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Persian Gulf and African sources, mainly Qatar, to East Asian countries with rising LNG demand. Japan and South Korea are the region’s largest importers of LNG.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: http://www.eia.gov)

QUESTION 4

Which of the following Indian states border Bangladesh?

1. Assam

2. Arunachal Pradesh

3. Mizoram

4. Manipur

5. Tripura

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1, 2, 4 and 5

(b) 3, 4 and 5 only

(c) 1, 3 and 5 only

(d) 2, 3 and 4 only

Explanation

— Meghalaya’s East Khasi Hills district administration imposed a night curfew in areas along the India-Bangladesh border, amid concerns over infiltration by illegal migrants and members of banned militant groups, officials said.

— The night curfew will be clamped with immediate effect, and remain valid from 8 pm to 6 am for two months within a one-km radius from the ‘Zero Line’ along the border, they said.

— Indian States that share a border with Bangladesh are Assam, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Tripura, and West Bengal.

— Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh do not share a border with Bangladesh.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 5

Which of the following countries has been re-elected to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Council with the highest vote in its category for the 2025-26 biennium?

(a) China

(b) France

(c) Bhutan

(d) India

Explanation

— India has been re-elected to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Council with the highest vote in its category at elections held at its Assembly in London for the 2025-26 biennium.

(@MEAIndia/X via PTI Photo)

— India’s election in Category B falls under the collection of 10 states with “the largest interest in international seaborne trade,” alongside Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

— The newly elected Council will meet for its 136th session on December 4 and will elect its Chair and Vice-Chair for the next biennium, the IMO said.

— India was re-elected to the IMO Council, securing the highest vote in Category B with 154 votes.

— The IMO is the premier body that oversees the world’s maritime sector, which in turn underpins international trade, transport and all maritime activities.

— The Council is the executive organ of IMO and is responsible, under the Assembly, for supervising the work of the organisation.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 133)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 138)

Daily subject-wise quiz —  Science and Technology (Week 138)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 138)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment and Geography (Week 138)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 137)

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