UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — July opens the biggest chapter in India-U.K. trade ties
Q1. The India–U.K. Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) was signed in London on 24 July 2025 on behalf of India by which one of the following Union Ministers?
- A. Dr. S. Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs
- B. Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of Finance
- C. Shri Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce and Industry
- D. Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas
Q2. With reference to the India–U.K. CETA and its companion Double Contribution Convention (DCC), consider the following statements:
1. Under the DCC, the social-security contribution exemption period for Indian temporary workers in the U.K. has been raised from three years to five years.
2. CETA was concluded in May 2025 after fourteen rounds of negotiations and was signed in London in July 2025.
3. CETA and the DCC are scheduled to enter into force on two different dates in 2026.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Under the DCC, the social-security contribution exemption period for Indian temporary workers in the U.K. has been raised from three years to five years.
- CETA was concluded in May 2025 after fourteen rounds of negotiations and was signed in London in July 2025.
- CETA and the DCC are scheduled to enter into force on two different dates in 2026.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q3. Which one of the following has been officially described by the Government of India as 'the most comprehensive Free Trade Agreement India has ever signed', integrating for the first time bilaterally a government procurement chapter?
- A. India–UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA)
- B. India–Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA)
- C. India–U.K. Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)
- D. India–EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA)
Q4. Consider the following sectors named in the context of duty-free access for Indian exporters under the India–U.K. CETA:
1. Textiles
2. Marine products
3. Crude petroleum
4. Pharmaceuticals
Which of the above is/are NOT correctly identified as a sector enjoying duty-free access for Indian exporters under CETA?
- Textiles
- Marine products
- Crude petroleum
- Pharmaceuticals
- A. 1 and 3
- B. 2 and 4
- C. 1, 2 and 4
- D. 3 only
Q5. Under the India–U.K. CETA, the United Kingdom has offered commitments covering all of its major services sectors and how many services sub-sectors of export interest to India?
- A. 117 sub-sectors
- B. 127 sub-sectors
- C. 137 sub-sectors
- D. 147 sub-sectors