113 practice questions on Multilateral Groupings from the International Relations section of the UPSC Prelims syllabus.
113 come with a written explanation and 22 are actual previous year questions.
Try the sample set below - the answer stays hidden until you ask for it.
29 Easy60 Medium24 Hard22 from past papers
Sample questions
Q1
Previous year questioneasy
The term 'Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership' often appears in the news in the context of the affairs of a group of countries known as
AG20
BASEAN
CSCO
DSAARC
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: B - ASEAN
RCEP is a mega regional free trade agreement negotiated between the ten ASEAN members and their FTA partners, with ASEAN occupying the central, driving role in the talks; negotiations were formally launched at the ASEAN Summit in 2012. The G20 is a forum for global macroeconomic coordination and does not negotiate trade pacts. The SCO is a Eurasian political and security grouping led by China and Russia, and SAARC is the South Asian regional body, neither of which is connected with RCEP.
Q2
Previous year questionmedium
Consider the following statements:
Statement-I: Recently, the United States of America (USA) and the European Union (EU) have launched the 'Trade and Technology Council'.
Statement-II: The USA and the EU claim that through this they are trying to bring technological progress and physical productivity under their control.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
ABoth Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
BBoth Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
CStatement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
DStatement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: C - Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
The US-EU Trade and Technology Council was indeed launched in 2021 as a forum to coordinate approaches to trade, emerging technologies and supply chains, so Statement-I is correct. Statement-II is incorrect because the two sides describe the TTC as a platform for cooperation on shared democratic values, standards and resilient trade, not as an attempt to bring technological progress and physical productivity under their control; no such claim is made. Hence the option marking Statement-I correct and Statement-II incorrect is the right choice, and the others misstate one or both statements.
Q3
Previous year questionhard
With reference to 'Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Housing and Urban Development (APMCHUD)', consider the following statements :
1. The first APMCHUD was held in India in 2006 on the theme 'Emerging Urban Forms - Policy Responses and Governance Structure'.
2. India hosts all the Annual Ministerial Conferences in partnership with ADB, APEC and ASEAN.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A1 only
B2 only
CBoth 1 and 2
DNeither 1 nor 2
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: D - Neither 1 nor 2
The first APMCHUD was held in New Delhi in December 2006, but its theme was about a vision for sustainable urbanisation in the Asia-Pacific, not 'Emerging Urban Forms - Policy Responses and Governance Structure', so statement 1 is incorrect. Statement 2 is also wrong because India does not host all the conferences; later editions were held in countries such as Iran, and they are not run in partnership with ADB, APEC and ASEAN. The official UPSC key marked 'Neither 1 nor 2', though the theme wording made this a disputed question.
Q4
Previous year questionhard
What is/are the consequence/consequences of a country becoming the member of the 'Nuclear Suppliers Group'?
1. It will have access to the latest and most efficient nuclear technologies.
2. It automatically becomes a member of "The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)".
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A1 only
B2 only
CBoth 1 and 2
DNeither 1 nor 2
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A - 1 only
The official key marks only statement 1 as correct, so 'A' is the answer. NSG membership eases access to advanced nuclear technology and materials through guideline-based trade. Statement 2 is clearly wrong: NSG membership does not make a country an automatic party to the NPT, as the two are distinct regimes. Note: this question was disputed by several coaching keys (many argued statement 1 is also weak and answered 'Neither'), but the official UPSC key retains 'A'.
Q5
Previous year questionmedium
Consider the following statements:
1. New Development Bank has been set up by APEC.
2. The headquarters of New Development Bank is in Shanghai.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A1 only
B2 only
CBoth 1 and 2
DNeither 1 nor 2
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: B - 2 only
The New Development Bank was established by the BRICS grouping (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), not by APEC, so statement 1 is incorrect. Its headquarters are located in Shanghai, China, making statement 2 correct. Since only statement 2 holds, the answer is (b). Options (a), (c) and (d) wrongly credit APEC or reject the true statement about the Shanghai headquarters.
Q6
Previous year questionmedium
Consider the following countries: 1. Denmark 2. Japan 3. Russian Federation 4. United Kingdom 5. United States of America Which of the above are the members of the ‘Arctic Council’?
A1, 2 and 3
B2,3 and 4
C1, 4 and 5
D1, 3 and 5
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: D - 1, 3 and 5
The Arctic Council's eight member states are Canada, Denmark (via Greenland), Finland, Iceland, Norway, the Russian Federation, Sweden and the United States. From the list, Denmark (1), the Russian Federation (3) and the United States (5) are members, so 1, 3 and 5 is correct. Japan (2) and the United Kingdom (4) are only observer states, not members, which rules out the other combinations.
Q7
Previous year questionmedium
With reference to the 'Trans-Pacific Partnership', consider the following statements:
1. It is an agreement among all the Pacific Rim countries except China and Russia.
2. It is a strategic alliance for the purpose of maritime security only.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A1 only
B2 only
CBoth 1 and 2
DNeither 1 nor 2
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: D - Neither 1 nor 2
The Trans-Pacific Partnership was a trade agreement among only 12 Pacific Rim nations, not all of them, so statement 1 is incorrect because many Pacific Rim countries were never part of it. It was fundamentally a trade and economic pact covering tariffs, investment and regulation, not a maritime security alliance, so statement 2 is also incorrect. Since neither statement is correct, the answer is (d). Options (a), (b) and (c) wrongly accept one or both flawed statements.
Q8
Previous year questionmedium
With reference to a grouping of countries known as BRICS, consider the following statements: 1. The First Summit of BRICS was held in Rio de Janeiro in 2009. 2. South Africa was the last to join the BRICS grouping. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A1 only
B2 only
CBoth 1 and 2
DNeither 1 nor 2
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: B - 2 only
South Africa joined the grouping in 2010-11, becoming the last member to be added and turning BRIC into BRICS, so statement 2 is correct. Statement 1 is wrong because the first BRIC summit in 2009 was held at Yekaterinburg in Russia, not at Rio de Janeiro. Hence 2 only.
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