UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Doval hosts NSAs of BRICS nations amid West Asia tensions

Q1. On the Indian side, which body is the designated nodal ministry that coordinated India's 2026 BRICS Chairship processes and issued the official readouts of NSA Ajit Doval's sideline bilaterals during the BRICS NSAs Meeting in New Delhi?

  • A. Ministry of External Affairs
  • B. Ministry of Home Affairs
  • C. Ministry of Defence
  • D. National Security Council Secretariat acting independently of any ministry

Q2. With reference to India's 2026 BRICS Chairship compared with its earlier tenure, consider the following statements: 1. The year 2026 marks India's second BRICS Chairship, the first having been in 2021. 2. India's 2026 Chairship is guided by the theme 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability'. 3. The 18th BRICS Summit under India's 2026 Chairship is scheduled to be held in Mumbai in September 2026. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The year 2026 marks India's second BRICS Chairship, the first having been in 2021.
  2. India's 2026 Chairship is guided by the theme 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability'.
  3. The 18th BRICS Summit under India's 2026 Chairship is scheduled to be held in Mumbai in September 2026.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q3. With reference to the composition of BRICS as it stood when India hosted the BRICS NSAs Meeting in 2026, consider the following: 1. Indonesia 2. Iran 3. Belarus 4. Saudi Arabia Which of the above is/are correctly identified as full member countries of BRICS?

  1. Indonesia
  2. Iran
  3. Belarus
  4. Saudi Arabia
  • A. 1, 2 and 4 only
  • B. 2 and 4 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q4. As of India's 2026 Chairship, how many full member countries does BRICS comprise?

  • A. 9
  • B. 10
  • C. 11
  • D. 5

Q5. Iran was represented at the BRICS NSAs Meeting by the Deputy Secretary for Defence Affairs of its Supreme National Security Council (SNSC). What is the SNSC?

  • A. The supreme constitutional body of Iran, headed by the President, responsible for formulating and supervising national security and defence policy
  • B. A standing committee of Iran's Majlis (parliament) that oversees foreign affairs and treaty ratification
  • C. Iran's intelligence ministry tasked with counter-espionage and internal security operations
  • D. An advisory council of clerics that interprets Islamic jurisprudence for the Supreme Leader