Question 1

Consider the following statements with respect to the AI Impact Summit, 2026 held in New Delhi:
1. The Summit's intellectual framework was based on three foundational Sutras: People, Planning, and Progress.
2. The Preamble of the Summit stresses Democratising AI Resources, which acknowledges the Charter for Democratic Diffusion of AI as a binding framework to support locally relevant innovation and strengthen resilient AI ecosystems while respecting national laws.
3. The New Delhi Declaration on AI Impact was structured around seven Chakras (Pillars), which included Access for Social Empowerment, AI for Science, and Secure and Trusted AI.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

2 and 3 only. * Statement 1 is incorrect: The intellectual framework of the 2026 summit was built on three guiding principles: People, Planet, and Prosperity (not People, Planning, and Progress). * Statement 2 is incorrect: The Preamble supports democratizing AI, but the Charter for Democratic Diffusion of AI was designed as a voluntary, non-binding framework, not a legally binding configuration. * Statement 3 is correct: The signature New Delhi Declaration on AI Impact was structured around seven core pillars or Chakras, which explicitly included Access for Social Empowerment, AI for Science, and Secure and Trusted AI.

Question 2

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:

Accepted Answer

2 and 3. * Option 1 is not correct: The bilateral leaders welcomed an MoU signed between the All-India Institute of Ayurveda and Charité University of Germany to promote scientific cooperation, not the University of Hamburg. * Option 2 is correct: A specialized MoU covering Youth Hockey Development was signed. * Option 3 is correct: A formal bilateral dialogue mechanism covering the Indo-Pacific was established. * Option 4 is not correct: The opening of an Honorary Consul of Germany was agreed for Ahmedabad, not Lucknow. * Since the question asks for outcomes that are NOT correct, the answer is (b) 1 and 4.

Question 3

Consider the following statements:
Statement I: At the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), India refrained from signing the 'Declaration on Climate and Health'.
Statement II: The COP28 Declaration on Climate and Health is a binding declaration; and if signed, it becomes mandatory to decarbonize health sector.
Statement III: If India's health sector is decarbonized, the resilience of its health-care system may be compromised.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Accepted Answer

Both Statement II and Statement III are correct but only one of them explains Statement I. * (c) is correct: India refrained from signing the COP28 Declaration on Climate and Health, satisfying Statement I. * Statement II is incorrect: The COP28 Declaration on Climate and Health is a voluntary, non-negotiated, non-binding collective commitment, not a mandatory treaty. * Statement III is correct: India chose not to sign because the draft outlined greenhouse gas reduction targets for cooling systems in healthcare infrastructure. India expressed concerns that mandatory decarbonization would limit cooling capacity, compromise the operational resilience of clinics in remote or underserved areas, and hinder its healthcare delivery capacity. This valid operational concern (Statement III) explains why India refrained from signing (Statement I).

Question 4

Which one of the following launched the 'Nature Solutions Finance Hub for Asia and the Pacific'?

Accepted Answer

The Asian Development Bank (ADB). * (a) The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is correct: The ADB officially launched the Nature Solutions Finance Hub for Asia and the Pacific at the COP28 conference. * The hub aims to channel at least $2 billion into development programs that integrate nature-based solutions, utilizing risk-reduction tools like blended finance, guarantees, and impact-linked payments to crowd in private capital.

Question 5

Consider the following countries:
I. Austria
II. Bulgaria
III. Croatia
IV. Serbia
V. Sweden
VI. North Macedonia

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

Accepted Answer

Only three. * NATO's active alliance membership recently reached 32 sovereign nations. * Items II (Bulgaria, joined 2004), III (Croatia, joined 2009), V (Sweden, joined 2024 as the 32nd member), and VI (North Macedonia, joined 2020) are verified members. * Items I (Austria) and IV (Serbia) are neutral and are not members of NATO. * Therefore, exactly four of the listed nations are members.

Question 6

Consider the following statements in respect of BIMSTEC:
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?

Accepted Answer

I and IV. * Statement I is correct: BIMSTEC comprises seven Member States (Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Bhutan, and Nepal). * Statement II is not correct: It was established on 06 June 1997 with the signing of the Bangkok Declaration, not the Dhaka Declaration of 1999. * Statement III is not correct: The founding member states were Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand (initially BIST-EC); Nepal joined later in February 2004. * Statement IV is not correct: Reorganized in 2021, India leads the Security sector, while Nepal is the lead country for the Tourism subsector.

Question 7

Consider the following statements regarding AI Action Summit held in Grand Palais, Paris in February 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?

Accepted Answer

I only. * Statement I is correct: The AI Action Summit held at the Grand Palais in Paris in February 2025 was co-chaired by France and India, building upon the Bletchley Park Summit (2023) and the Seoul Summit (2024). * Statement II is not correct: While the summit introduced a declaration on inclusive and sustainable AI, the United States and the United Kingdom declined to sign it due to national security concerns.

Question 8

Consider the following pairs:
International Year : Focus Area
I. 2026 : International Year of the Woman Farmer
II. 2027 : International Year of Sustainable and Resilient Tourism
III. 2025 : International Year of Peace and Trust
IV. 2029 : International Year of Asteroid Awareness and Planetary Defence

How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

Accepted Answer

Only three. * Pair I is correctly matched: The UN General Assembly declared 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer. * Pair II is correctly matched: 2027 was designated as the International Year of Sustainable and Resilient Tourism. * Pair III is correctly matched: 2025 was declared as the International Year of Peace and Trust. * Pair IV is correctly matched: 2029 was declared as the International Year of Asteroid Awareness and Planetary Defence.

Question 9

Consider the following statements with regard to BRICS:
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?

Accepted Answer

I and II. * Statement I is correct: The 16th BRICS Summit took place in Kazan with Russia as the chair, marking the first summit with expanded membership. * Statement II is correct: Indonesia officially joined BRICS as a full member, announced by Brazil, the holder of the 2025 BRICS presidency. * Statement III is not correct: The actual theme of the summit was "Strengthening Multilateralism for Just Global Development and Security," using the word multilateralism, not multiculturalism.

Question 10

Who of the following is the author of the books "The India Way" and "Why Bharat Matters"?

Accepted Answer

Shashi Tharoor. * (d) Subrahmanyam Jaishankar is correct: Both "The India Way: Strategies for an Uncertain World" and "Why Bharat Matters" (published in 2024) are non-fictional works authored by Dr. S. Jaishankar. Writing from his vantage perspective as a career diplomat and the incumbent Minister of External Affairs, he analyzes India's contemporary foreign policy, critiquing historical strategies while emphasizing India's growing potential as a global superpower.

Question 11

Consider the following pairs:
Country : Reason for being in the news
1. Argentina : Worst economic crisis
2. Sudan : War between the country's regular army and paramilitary forces
3. Turkey : Rescinded its membership of NATO

How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

Accepted Answer

Only one pair. * Pair 1 is correctly matched: Argentina has faced a severe, historical economic crisis characterized by hyperinflation, forcing the government to multiply the face value of its largest bank note in circulation. * Pair 2 is correctly matched: Sudan is gripped by a major humanitarian crisis and internal war driven by intense fighting between its regular army (led by Gen. Burhan) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF led by Dagalo). * Pair 3 is incorrectly matched: Turkey remains a member of NATO. No mechanism exists inside the North Atlantic Treaty framework to forcefully expel a wayward member, and Turkey has not voluntarily rescinded its membership. * Therefore, exactly two pairs (1 and 2) are correctly matched.

Question 12

Consider the following statements:
Statement-I: There is instability and 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.

Accepted Answer

Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I. * (a) is correct: The vast African Sahel strip faces severe geopolitical instability, humanitarian crises, and deteriorating security parameters. This validates Statement I. * The region has recently witnessed a succession of successful military coups d'état and unconstitutional takeovers, including multi-stage coups across Burkina Faso, Mali, and Chad since 2020. This validates Statement II. * Because the collapse of constitutional checks and the rise of armed military takeovers (Statement II) directly trigger the breakdown of public governance and exacerbate the chronic security crisis across the Sahel belt (Statement I), Statement II provides the correct explanation for Statement I.

Question 13

Consider the following statements:
Statement-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?

Accepted Answer

Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I. * Statement I is correct: The European Parliament formally adopted the Net-Zero Industry Act to bolster domestic industrial production capacities for green technologies essential to decarbonization targets. * Statement II is incorrect: Under its established European Climate Law, the European Union legally commits to achieving full climate neutrality (net-zero greenhouse gas emissions) by the year 2050, not 2040.

Question 14

Consider the following statements:
Statement-I: Recently, Venezuela has achieved a rapid recovery from its economic crisis and succeeded in preventing its people fleeing/emigrating to other countries.
Statement-II: Venezuela has the world's largest oil reserves.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Accepted Answer

Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect. * Statement I is incorrect: Venezuela continues to deal with a severe, deep economic crisis, political repression, and institutional decay. Far from stopping emigration, its hyperinflation and basic shortages have generated one of the largest displacement and refugee migration crises globally. * Statement II is correct: Venezuela holds the world's largest proven crude oil reserves, encompassing over 300 billion barrels and accounting for approximately 17% of the global total. Thus, option (d) is correct.

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