UPSC Prelims 2013–2026 — International Relations

Q1. Pakistan Which among the above are Nuclear Weapons States as recognized by the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons, commonly known as Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)?

Q2. ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ is sometimes mentioned in the news in the context of the affairs of: (2016)

Q3. Recently, India signed a deal known as 'Action Plan for Prioritisation and Implementation of Cooperation Areas in the Nuclear Field' with which of the following countries? (2019)

Q4. North Macedonia How many of the above are members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization?

Q5. Consider the following statements in respect of BIMSTEC: (2025) I. It is a regional organization consisting of seven member States till January 2025. II. It came into existence with the signing of the Dhaka Declaration, 1999. III. Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Nepal are founding member States of BIMSTEC. IV. In BIMSTEC, the subsector of ‘tourism’ is being led by India. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q6. Consider the following statements with regard to BRICS; (2025) I. 16th BRICS Summit was held under the Chairship of Russia in Kazan. II. Indonesia has become a full member of BRICS. III. The theme of the 16th BRICS Summit was Strengthening Multiculturalism for Just Global Development and Security. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q7. Which organization has enacted the Nature Restoration Law (NRL) to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss? (2025)

Q8. The main focus of its function is to grant funds to the least developed countries and developing countries to achieve the end of open defecation. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q9. Digital public infrastructure is one of India’s G-20 priorities. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q10. The Exclusive Economic Zone shall not extend beyond 200 nautical miles from the baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured. Which of the statements given above are correct ?

Q11. It assesses the credentials of all UN members before submitting a report to the General Assembly for approval. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q12. Permanent Observers in the UN General Assembly can maintain missions at the UN headquarters. Which of the statements given above are correct?

Q13. Shanghai Cooperation Organisation India is a member of which of the above?

Q14. It is an initiative to support Low Income Countries with unsustainable debt. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q15. In which one of the following groups are all the four countries members of G20? (2020)

Q16. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is mandated by its member States to assist in the implementation of both UNCAC and UNTOC. Which of the statements given above are correct?

Q17. AIIB does not have any members from outside Asia. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q18. It automatically becomes a member of “The Treaty of non- proliferation of Nuclear weapons (NPT)”. Which of the statements given below is/ are correct?

Q19. International Labour Organization’s Conventions 138 and 182 are related to: (2018)

Q20. In the Indian context, what is the implication of ratifying the ‘Additional Protocol’ with the ‘International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)’? (2018)

Q21. USA Which of the above are among the ‘free-trade partners’ of ASEAN?

Q22. India hosts all the Annual Ministerial Conferences in partnership with ADB, APEC and ASEAN. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q23. TFA came into force in January 2016. Which of the statements given above are correct?

Q24. IONS is a voluntary initiative that seeks to increase maritime cooperation among navies of the littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region. Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Q25. It is an alliance meant for maritime security only. Which of the following statements given above is/are correct?

Q26. East Asia Summit Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Q27. South Africa was the last to join the BRICS grouping. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q28. United States of America Which of the above are the members of the ‘Arctic Council’?

Q29. Consider the following statements: (2024) Statement-I: Sumed pipeline is a strategic route for Persian Gulf oil and natural gas shipments to Europe. Statement-II: Sumed pipeline connects the Red Sea with the Mediterranean Sea. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Q30. South Africa Which of the above countries are frequently mentioned in the media for their low birth rates, aging population or declining population?

Q31. Kherson and Zaporizhzhia : Dispute between Israel and Lebanon How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?

Q32. Consider the following statements regarding AI Action Summit held in Grand Palais, Paris in February 2025: (2025) I. Co-chaired with India, the event builds on the advances made at the Bletchley Park Summit held in 2023 and the Seoul Summit held in 2024. II. Along with other countries, US and UK also signed the declaration on inclusive and sustainable AI. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q33. India is one of the founding members of the International North- South Transport Corridor (INSTC), a multimodal transportation corridor, which will connect (2025)

Q34. Consider the following statements : (2024) Statement-I: There is instability and a worsening security situation in the Sahel region. Statement-II: There have been military takeovers/coups d’état in several countries of the Sahel region in the recent past. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Q35. Turkey: Rescinded its membership of NATO How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

Q36. In the recent years Chad, Guinea, Mali and Sudan caught international attention for which one of the following reasons is common to all of them? (2023)

Q37. Uzbekistan Which of the above are members of the Organization of Turkic States ?

Q38. Which one of the following statements best reflects the issue with Senkaku Islands, sometimes mentioned in the news? (2022)

Q39. Which one of the following statements best describes the ‘Polar Code’ ? (2022)

Q40. Tunisia Suspension of Parliament by President How many pairs given above are correctly matched?

Q41. Swat Valley Iraq Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?

Q42. Match List I with List II and select the answer using the code given below the Lists: List I (INTERPOL Notice) — List II (Description) A. Silver Notice — 1. To seek information on unidentified bodies B. Blue Notice — 2. To collect additional information about a person's identity, location, or activities in relation to a criminal investigation C. Black Notice — 3. To provide warning about a person's criminal activities, where the person is considered to be a possible threat to public safety D. Green Notice — 4. To identify and trace criminal assets Code: A B C D (2026)

Q43. The Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany visited India in January, 2026. Which of the following is/are NOT correct in terms of outcomes of this visit? 1. Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the All India Institute of Ayurveda and the University of Hamburg 2. Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Youth Hockey Development between Hockey India and the German Hockey Federation 3. Establishment of a bilateral dialogue mechanism on the Indo- Pacific 4. Opening of an Honorary Consul of Germany in Lucknow Select the answer using the code given below: (2026)

Q44. Consider the following statements about river bridges connecting India with neighbouring countries: 1. 'Maitri Setu', built over Feni river, connects Ramgarh in India with Sabroom in Bangladesh. 2. Jhulaghat suspension bridge connects India with Myanmar. 3. Mechi bridge and its approaches connect Panitanki Bypass in India with Kakarvitta in Nepal. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (2026)

Q45. Which of the following international conventions have NOT been ratified by India? 1. Employment Policy Convention 2. Abolition of Forced Labour Convention 3. International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families 4. Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War 5. Convention on Reduction of Statelessness Select the answer using the code given below: (2026)

Q46. Which of the following connectivity projects is/are a part of cooperation between India and the ASEAN member countries? 1. Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project 2. IMT Trilateral Highway 3. Agartala-Akhaura Rail Line Select the answer using the code given below: (2026)

Q47. Match List I with List II and select the answer using the code given below the Lists: List I (Project Supported by India) — List II (Country) A. Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Project — 1. Maldives B. Restoration of Stor Palace — 2. Afghanistan C. District Hospital at Dickoya — 3. Bhutan D. Institute of Security and Law Enforcement Studies — 4. Sri Lanka Code: A B C D (2026)

Q48. Consider the following statements about platforms for multilateral co- operation: 1. The 'Colombo Process' is a regional consultative process in which member states take binding decisions by consensus. 2. The 'Abu Dhabi Dialogue' is a voluntary non-binding consultative process among Asian countries of labour origin and destination to facilitate regional cooperation on contractual labour mobility. 3. The 'Global Forum for Migration and Development', created upon the proposal of a former UN Secretary General, is a voluntary forum whose decisions are non-binding in nature. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (2026)

Q49. Consider the following UN organisations/agencies: 1. World Food Programme 2. United Nations Children's Fund 3. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 4. International Labour Organisation How many of the above has/have been awarded the Nobel Prize twice? (2026)

Q50. Match List I with List II and select the answer using the code given below the Lists: List I (UN Peacekeeping Operation) — List II (Period of Operation) A. UNMIL — 1. 2007– 2010 B. MINURCAT — 2. 2002–2005 C. MINUSTAH — 3. 2003–2018 D. UNMISET — 4. 2004– 2017 Code: A B C D (2026)

Q51. Match List I with List II and select the answer using the code given below the Lists: List I (BIMSTEC Centre/Establishment) — List II (Location) A. BIMSTEC Cultural Industries Observatory — 1. NOIDA B. BIMSTEC Energy Centre — 2. Bengaluru C. BIMSTEC Centre for Weather and Climate — 3. Colombo D. BIMSTEC Technology Transfer Facility — 4. Thimphu Code: A B C D (2026)

Q52. Which of the following countries are members of the European Union? 1. Belarus 2. Poland 3. Germany 4. Switzerland Select the answer using the code given below: (2026)