UPSC Essentials brings to you its initiative of subject-wise quizzes. These quizzes are designed to help you revise some of the most important topics from the static part of the syllabus. Attempt today’s subject quiz on the International Relations Quiz to check your progress.🚨 Click Here to read the Union Budget Special issue of the UPSC Essentials magazine for February 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at manas.srivastava@indianexpress.com🚨QUESTION 1With reference to the BRICS, consider the following statements:1. It was founded in 2010 and South Africa was the founding member.2. The BRICS Summit 2025 will be held in Russia.3. Nigeria has been given “partner country” status, a designation introduced at the 2024 summit.How many of the statements given above are correct?(a) Only one(b) Only two(c) All three(d) NoneExplanation— Brazil has announced that the next BRICS summit will be held in Rio de Janeiro on July 6 and 7. According to a government statement, the country plans to focus on global governance reform and improving cooperation among Global South nations as it leads the bloc of developing economies through 2025. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.— Brazil, Russia, India, and China created BRICS in 2009, with South Africa joining the following year. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.Story continues below this ad— The alliance, which was originally founded as a counterweight to the Group of Seven (G7) major countries, expanded last year to include Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia has also been invited, and Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Malaysia have submitted formal applications for membership.— Indonesia recently became one of BRICS’ 11 official members, and Nigeria was granted “partner country” status, a title introduced at the 2024 summit in Kazan. Hence, statement 3 is correct.Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.QUESTION 2With reference to the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), consider the following statements:1. It is an international collaborative project aimed at building the world’s largest magnetic fusion device.2. The project, under development since 2005.3. It is located in Norway.Which of the statements given above are correct?(a) 1 and 3 only(b) 2 and 3 only(c) 1 and 2 only(d) 1 2 and 3ExplanationStory continues below this ad— Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was in France for an AI summit, toured the ambitious International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, or ITER, alongside French President Emmanuel Macron.— According to the ITER website, ITER is a multinational collaborative effort that aims to create the world’s largest magnetic fusion device in order to demonstrate the feasibility of fusion as a large-scale, carbon-free source of energy. This operates on the same mechanism that powers the sun and stars. Hence, statement 1 is correct.— According to the ITER website, dozens of engineers and scientists have worked on the ITER’s design since the idea for the international collaborative experiment was first proposed in 1985. The project has been under development since 2005 and is expected to become one of the world’s largest international science institutions. Hence, statement 2 is correct.— The construction of a 42-hectare property in southern France began in 2010. In March 2020, the ITER organisation took over the central Tokamak facility to begin machine assembly. The construction of the 1,250-tonne cryostat base in May 2020 was the first significant event in this new phase. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.Story continues below this ad— A tokamak is an experimental mechanism designed to control the energy of fusion. Inside a tokamak, the vessel’s wall absorbs the energy generated by atomic fusion. A fusion power plant, like a regular power plant, will use this heat to generate steam, which is then converted into electricity using turbines and generators.Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.QUESTION 3With reference to the International Criminal Court, consider the following statements:1. The court was established in 2002.2. It can prosecute crimes committed by nationals of member states or on the territory of member states by other actors.3. All the UN members are the member states of the court.Which of the statements given above are correct?(a) 1 and 2 only(b) 2 and 3 only(c) 1 and 3 only(d) 1, 2 and 3ExplanationStory continues below this ad— US President Donald Trump has authorised economic and travel sanctions targeting people who work on International Criminal Court investigations of US citizens or US allies such as Israel.— The court was established in 2002 to prosecute war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and the crime of aggression when member states are unwilling or unable to do so themselves. Hence, statement 1 is correct.— It has the authority to punish crimes committed by member state nationals or by other actors on their territory. Hence, statement 2 is correct.— It has 125 member nations. The court’s budget for 2025 is around 195 million euros ($202 million). Hence, statement 3 is not correct.Story continues below this ad— According to its website, the ICC is undertaking investigations in Palestinian territories, Ukraine, African states such as Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Kenya, Venezuela in Latin America, and Myanmar and the Philippines in Asia. It says there have been 32 cases before the court, with some involving multiple suspects. ICC judges have issued at least 60 arrest warrants.Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.QUESTION 4M23 rebels were recently in the news. They are:(a) the latest group of ethnic Tutsi-led insurgents to take up arms against Congolese forces.(b) immigrants mostly Germans and southern Europeans but also Lebanese.(c) mixture of Amerindian and European ancestry.Story continues below this ad(d) part of the largest population in Brazil and the Dominican Republic.Explanation— Rwandan-backed M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are attempting to march south towards Bukavu, the seat of South Kivu province, in an attempt to expand their dominance over the country’s east after seizing Goma.— The most recent fighting is part of a massive escalation in a decades-long war over power, identity, and resources that has killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced more than one million since its recent rebirth.— M23, named after the March 23, 2009, accord that ended a previous Tutsi-led insurrection in eastern Congo, is the most recent group of ethnic Tutsi-led militants to take up arms against Congolese soldiers. It started the present insurrection in 2022.Story continues below this ad— The group has accused the Congolese government of failing to implement the peace agreement and properly integrating Congolese Tutsis into the army and administration.Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.QUESTION 5The Chernobyl nuclear power plant is located in:(a) Russia(b) Japan(c) Denmark(d) UkraineExplanation— Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that a Russian drone struck the Chernobyl nuclear power plant’s containment structure, sparking new concerns about the war’s potential for disastrous consequences.— The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (ChNPP) is currently being decommissioned. It is situated near the abandoned city of Pripyat in northern Ukraine.— The drone struck the protective shelter of Reactor 4, which was wrecked in the historic 1986 tragedy. Though radiation levels stayed below normal limits, initial evaluations show considerable damage to the bunker, and a fire was extinguished shortly thereafter. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed the occurrence, citing an explosion near the New Safe Confinement, which holds the reactor’s radioactive leftovers.— The Chernobyl site heard an explosion from the New Safe Confinement, which protects the remnants of the former Chernobyl NPP’s reactor 4, resulting in a fire.Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.QUESTION 6Consider the following countries:1. Italy2. Japan3. Nigeria4. South Korea5. South AfricaWhich of the above countries are frequently mentioned in the media for their low birth rates, or ageing population or declining population? (UPSC 2024)(a) 1, 2 and 4(b) 1, 3 and 5(c) 2 and 4 only(d) 3 and 5 onlyExplanation— According to the 2023 research, while numbers will continue to grow for several decades, the current predictions show that the rate of global population growth has slowed to less than 1% since 2020.— This is partly due to declining fertility; around two-thirds of people live in a country or territory with a total fertility rate of 2.1 children per woman (also known as “replacement fertility” or “zero-growth fertility”). In 1950, the world fertility rate was at 5.— Many countries, including Japan and South Korea, are experiencing demographic declines. A diminishing fertility rate, with fewer women having children, is accompanied by an elderly population that is no longer employed.— For the past decade, Europe’s fertility rate has been relatively stable around 1.5 births per woman. The shortage of infants is most acute in Italy, where births fell to a historic low in 2023, marking the 15th straight yearly reduction.Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.QUESTION 7Which of the following countries have adopted new decarbonisation targets aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 70 per cent from 2013 levels over the next 15 years?(a) Japan(b) France(c) Iceland(d) NorwayExplanation— Japan’s government set new decarbonisation targets aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions by more than 70% from 2013 levels over the next 15 years, and approved a new energy strategy to help accomplish the goal.— This is part of a new climate plan that aims to help the country become carbon neutral by 2050.— Japan’s new climate plan, authorised by the Cabinet, intends to reduce carbon emissions by 60% from 2013 levels and 73% by 2040. Japan has already set a 46% reduction target for 2030.— The targets are referred to as a Nationally Determined Contribution, or NDC, under the Paris Agreement and will be presented to the United Nations.Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.QUESTION 8Consider the following pairs:CountryReason for being in the news1. ArgentinaWorst economic crises2. SudanWar between the country’s regular army and paramilitary forces3. TurkeyRescinded its membership of NATOHow many of the pairs given above are correctly matched? (UPSC 2024)(a) Only one pair(b) Only two pairs(c) All three pairs(d) None of the pairsExplanationCountryReason for being in the news1ArgentinaWorst economic crisesCorrect2SudanWar between the country’s regular army and paramilitary forcesCorrect3TurkeyRescinded its membership of NATONot correct— NATO is a Western security alliance founded on April 4, 1949, with 12 founding members – Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom and the United States.— Apart from the original 12, members include Greece and Turkey (1952); West Germany (1955; later as Germany); Spain (1982); the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland (1999); Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia (2004); Albania and Croatia (2009); Montenegro (2017); North Macedonia (2020); Finland (2023); and Sweden (2024).Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.QUESTION 9Statement-I: The European Parliament approved The Net-Zero Industry Act recently.Statement-II: The European Union intends to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040 and therefore aims to develop all of its own clean technology by that time.Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements? (UPSC 2024)(a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-I Statement-II explains(b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I(c) Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect(d) Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correctExplanation— The European Union’s governments have formally approved a new rule that would ensure the EU produces 40% of its solar panels, wind turbines, heat pumps, and other clean tech equipment, as well as assist European industry compete with US and Chinese rivals.— The Net Zero Industry Act (NZIA) will take effect next month or early July after being signed by the presidents of the European Parliament and Council and published in the EU’s official journal. Hence, statement 1 is correct.— The legislation is a cornerstone of the EU’s efforts to become not just a global leader in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but also in manufacturing the necessary technology.— The union has set a 2030 aim of generating 40% of the items required to minimise greenhouse gas emissions. The EU also aims to account for 15% of worldwide production of these technologies by 2040.— The EU intends to be climate-neutral by 2050, which means having no net greenhouse gas emissions. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.(Other Source: climate.ec.europa.eu)QUESTION 10Galwan Valley, Depsang and Demchok are the disputed regions between:(a) India-China(b) India-Bangladesh(c) India-Pakistan(d) India-NepalExplanation— Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has expressed readiness to join hands with India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval to “properly handle” issues related to the situation on the ground in the border areas, amid the protracted border row in eastern Ladakh.— It was the first high-level meeting between Indian and Chinese officials since Prime Minister Narendra Modi formed his 3.0 cabinet following India’s recent parliamentary elections.— According to the Chinese military, the two sides so far agreed to disengage from four points, namely the Galwan Valley, the Pangong Lake, Hot Springs, and Jianan Daban (Gogra) in eastern Ladakh.— India is pressuring the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to withdraw from the Depsang and Demchok regions, arguing that normalcy in its ties with China cannot be restored while the border situation remains anomalous.Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.QUESTION 11Recently, Argentina’s President Javier Milei was in the news for his alleged promotion of which cryptocurrency?(a) Bitcoin (b) Ethereum (c) $LIBRA(d) Dogecoin ExplanationArgentina’s Memecoin scandalArgentina’s libertarian President Javier Milei has been rocked by a scandal involving his promotion of the cryptocurrency $LIBRA. The coin’s value surged briefly before collapsing, and amid accusations of a “rug pull” scheme, Milei described the debacle as a “slap in the face.” He noted, “I’m a techno-optimist… and this was proposed to me as an instrument to help fund Argentine projects,” adding that “it’s true that in trying to help out those Argentines, I took a slap in the face.” His office later clarified that although the president had met with representatives involved in creating the coin, he “was not involved at any point” in its development, and admitted that “the most interesting lesson is that… I need to put up more filters, it can’t be so easy for people to reach me.”Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.QUESTION 12Match the following historical place names with their modern counterparts:Old NameModern NameA. Lutetia1. TokyoB. New Amsterdam2. ParisC. Edo3. New YorkD. Constantinople 4. IstanbulWhich of the following is the correct match?(a) A-2, B-3, C-1, D-4(b) A-1, B-3, C-2, D-4(c) A-3, B-2, C-1, D-4(d) A-2, B-4, C-1, D-3ExplanationThe study of renaming historically significant places has taken on additional momentum following US President Donald Trump’s decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. While the country’s leaders have largely dismissed this suggestion, the name has been changed on the US version of Google Maps.While the pace may have accelerated, the instinct to rename places is not new. Paris was once Lutetia, a holdover from Roman times. Before 1665, New York was New Amsterdam. Toronto, for a time, was simply York. Tokyo was once Edo. And, in what is perhaps history’s most famous renaming, Constantinople became Istanbul in 1930, a declaration of Turkish pride that remains immortalised in song. Names shift with politics, with conquest, with identity. Each change marks a moment in time, an assertion of power, or a reckoning with history.Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.QUESTION 13It is an artificial waterway that connects the Caribbean Sea with the Pacific Ocean. The country associated with this waterway has recently decided to not renew the Memorandum of Understanding on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Identify the subject of the statements.(a) Danube-Black Sea Canal(b) Houston Ship Canal(c) Suez Canal(d) Panama CanalExplanationChina’s Assistant Foreign Minister Zhao Zhiyuan on February 7 summoned Panama’s Ambassador to China to lodge “solemn representations” over its decision to not renew the Memorandum of Understanding on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.QUESTION 14With reference to the Bay of Bengal Programme Inter-Governmental Organisation, consider the following statements:1. It is a unique regional ports and shipping body.2. It evolved from the erstwhile Bay of Bengal Programme of the UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD).Which of the above given statements is/are correct?(a) 1 only(b) 2 only(c) Both 1 and 2(d) Neither 1 nor 2Explanation1. It is a unique regional fisheries body.2. It evolved from the erstwhile Bay of Bengal Programme of the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) of the UN.Recently, India assumed Chairmanship of Bay of Bengal (BOB) Inter-Governmental Organisation from Bangladesh.(Source: bobpigo.org)Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.QUESTION 15‘Rural Community Immigration Class’ was recently seen in news. This scheme belongs to:(a) United States of America(b) Canada(c) United Kingdom(d) AustraliaExplanation— Over the past year, changes in immigration and study visa rules have made it harder to secure Permanent Residency (PR) in Canada. PR remains the primary goal for the majority of students from India, particularly those from Punjab.— Recently, Canada announced that the Post-Graduate Work Permits (PGWPs) of nearly 7.66 lakh international students are set to expire by the end of next year. Many fear they would have to leave the country if they can’t secure PR before their permits expire. However, Canada has introduced a new programme that offers fresh opportunities for such students to settle in the country.— This initiative, known as the Rural Community Immigration Class (RCIC), provides a pathway for foreign nationals, including students, to apply for PR if they commit to living and working in designated rural communities.Therefore, (b) is the correct answer. 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