Q 1. Consider the following statements regarding the Quad (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue) frameworks:
- The Quad Critical Minerals Initiative Framework is aimed at building secure and resilient supply chains for critical energy transition minerals.
- The Quad strictly functions as a formal military alliance with a mutual defense pact similar to NATO.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2
Q 2. With reference to India-France bilateral relations, consider the following statements:
- France is collaborating with India on TRISHNA, which is a joint Earth Observation Mission.
- France was the first European country to officially accept India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) payment mechanism.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2
Q 3. Consider the following statements regarding India’s bilateral trade with the African continent:
- Major Indian exports to Africa primarily comprise raw crude oil, diamonds, and unprocessed agricultural commodities.
- India maintains a continuous trade surplus with Africa, where the value of Indian exports has consistently exceeded imports over the last decade.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2
Q 4. The term “Diplomatic Whitespaces", which frequently appears in international relations and strategic analyses, best describes which of the following?
a) Undefined maritime boundaries in international waters that are subject to the UNCLOS dispute mechanism.
b) Unexplored or under-utilized gaps in global governance where middle powers can build issue-specific, flexible coalitions.
c) Demilitarised zones established between adversarial nations under the mediation of the United Nations Security Council.
d) Geographically isolated island territories in the Indian Ocean used exclusively for global climate research. Q 5. Consider the following international groupings/summits and the cities that hosted them:
- First Raisina Middle East Conference — Abu Dhabi
- First Biennial BIMSTEC-India Marine Research Network Conference — Kochi
- India–AI Impact Summit — New Delhi
Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Answers with Explanation
Q 1. Correct Option: a) 1 only
- Why it is correct: Statement 1 is correct. The Quad Critical Minerals Initiative Framework was advanced to reduce heavy reliance on single-source monopolies (like China) and build resilient, secure supply chains for critical minerals necessary for green technologies.
Q 2. Correct Option: c) Both 1 and 2
- Why it is correct: Statement 1 is correct; TRISHNA (Thermal Infrared Imaging Satellite for High-resolution Natural resource Assessment) is a joint ecosystem-monitoring satellite mission by ISRO and France’s CNES. Statement 2 is also correct; France became the pioneer in Europe to roll out UPI integration, starting at the Eiffel Tower, to boost economic diplomacy.
Q 3.Correct Option: d) Neither 1 nor 2
- Why it is correct: Both statements are incorrect based on economic data trends.
Q 4 Correct Option: b) Unexplored or under-utilized gaps in global governance where middle powers can build issue-specific, flexible coalitions.
- Why it is correct: In modern geopolitical shifts, “Diplomatic Whitespaces" refers to areas outside rigid multilateral platforms (like the UN or WTO) where countries can engage in nimble, plurilateral arrangements or mini-laterals to bypass deadlocks.
Q 5. Correct Option: d) 1, 2 and 3
- Why it is correct: All three pairs are accurately matched based on recent foreign policy summits:
