Treaties & Agreements MCQs for UPSC Prelims

104 practice questions on Treaties & Agreements from the International Relations section of the UPSC Prelims syllabus. 104 come with a written explanation and 17 are actual previous year questions. Try the sample set below - the answer stays hidden until you ask for it.

11 Easy 47 Medium 46 Hard 17 from past papers

Sample questions

Q1
Previous year question easy

The term 'Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership' often appears in the news in the context of the affairs of a group of countries known as

  1. A G20
  2. B ASEAN
  3. C SCO
  4. D SAARC
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 question medium

Consider the following pairs: International agreement/set-up : Subject 1. Alma-Ata Declaration - Healthcare of the people 2. Hague Convention - Biological and chemical weapons 3. Talanoa Dialogue - Global climate change 4. Under2 Coalition - Child rights Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

  1. A 1 and 2 only
  2. B 4 only
  3. C 1 and 3 only
  4. D 2, 3 and 4 only
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C - 1 and 3 only

The Alma-Ata Declaration of 1978 dealt with primary health care and the goal of health for all, so pair 1 is correct. The Talanoa Dialogue was launched at COP23 under the UNFCCC as an inclusive process to take stock of climate ambition, so pair 3 is also correct. The Hague Conventions primarily concern the laws of war, peaceful settlement of disputes and related matters; biological and chemical weapons are governed mainly by the Geneva Protocol, the BWC and the CWC, so pair 2 is mismatched. The Under2 Coalition is a grouping of subnational governments committed to keeping global warming under 2 degrees Celsius, not a child rights body, so pair 4 is also wrong.

Q3
Previous year question medium

Recently, India signed a deal known as 'Action Plan for Prioritization and Implementation of Cooperation Areas in the Nuclear Field' with which of the following countries?

  1. A Japan
  2. B Russia
  3. C The United Kingdom
  4. D The United States of America
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: B - Russia

India signed the 'Action Plan for Prioritization and Implementation of Cooperation Areas in the Nuclear Field' with Russia, reflecting their long-standing civil nuclear cooperation that includes the Kudankulam plant. Japan, the UK and the US have separate nuclear engagements with India, but this particular action plan was concluded with Russia, making it the correct answer.

Q4
Previous year question hard

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?

  1. A 1 only
  2. B 2 only
  3. C Both 1 and 2
  4. D Neither 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 question medium

Consider the following statements: Statement-I: Israel has established diplomatic relations with some Arab States. Statement-II: The 'Arab Peace Initiative' mediated by Saudi Arabia was signed by Israel and Arab League. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. A Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
  2. B Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
  3. C Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
  4. D Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C - Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect

Israel has formal diplomatic ties with several Arab states, beginning with Egypt (1979) and Jordan (1994) and extended through the 2020 Abraham Accords to the UAE, Bahrain and Morocco, so Statement-I is correct. Statement-II is incorrect because the Arab Peace Initiative of 2002, proposed by Saudi Arabia and endorsed by the Arab League, was never signed or accepted by Israel; it remains an unimplemented proposal offering normalisation in exchange for withdrawal to pre-1967 lines. Options treating Statement-II as correct therefore fail.

Q6
Previous year question medium

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?

  1. A 1 only
  2. B 2 only
  3. C Both 1 and 2
  4. D Neither 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.

Q7
Previous year question easy

With reference to the United Nations Convention on the Law of Sea, consider the following statements: 1. A coastal state has the right to establish the breadth of its territorial sea up to a limit not exceeding 12 nautical miles, measured from baseline determined in accordance with the convention. 2. Ships of all states, whether coastal or land-locked, enjoy the right of innocent passage through the territorial sea. 3. 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?

  1. A 1 and 2 only
  2. B 2 and 3 only
  3. C 1 and 3 only
  4. D 1, 2 and 3
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: D - 1, 2 and 3

UNCLOS allows every coastal state a territorial sea of up to 12 nautical miles from the baselines, so statement 1 is correct. The convention guarantees ships of all states, coastal and land-locked alike, the right of innocent passage through the territorial sea, so statement 2 is correct. It also caps the Exclusive Economic Zone at 200 nautical miles from the same baselines, so statement 3 is correct. These are textbook UNCLOS provisions, which is why all three statements stand and the question counts as easy.

Q8
Previous year question medium

'Broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA)' is sometimes seen in the news in the context of negotiations held between India and

  1. A European Union
  2. B Gulf Cooperation Council
  3. C Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
  4. D Shanghai Cooperation Organization
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A - European Union

The Broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA) is the proposed free trade agreement being negotiated between India and the European Union, so option A is correct. The Gulf Cooperation Council talks relate to a separate India-GCC framework, not BTIA. The OECD is a policy think-tank of developed economies, not a trade-agreement partner of this name. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is a security and political grouping, not the BTIA counterpart. Hence the answer is the European Union.

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More International Relations topics

Multilateral Groupings 113 Global Conventions & Forums 95 Regional Organisations 76 India & Neighbours 70 United Nations & Agencies 67 International Economic & Trade Bodies 65 Border & Security Issues 42 Bilateral Relations 36 Indian Diaspora 25