UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Inter-Ministerial Briefing held on Recent Developments in West Asia
Q1. During the West Asia developments, the 24×7 control room set up to track Indian-flagged vessels and seafarers transiting the Strait of Hormuz is operated by which one of the following?
- A. Directorate General of Shipping, under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways
- B. Indian Coast Guard, under the Ministry of Defence
- C. Indian Navy, under the Ministry of Defence
- D. Consular, Passport & Visa Division of the Ministry of External Affairs
Q2. With reference to the diversification of India's crude oil imports as highlighted in the Inter-Ministerial Briefing, consider the following statements:
1. The share of India's crude imports routed outside the Strait of Hormuz has risen from about 55% earlier to about 70%.
2. India today imports crude oil from about 40 countries.
3. Russia's share in India's crude imports remained below 5% throughout the period since the 2022 Ukraine war.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The share of India's crude imports routed outside the Strait of Hormuz has risen from about 55% earlier to about 70%.
- India today imports crude oil from about 40 countries.
- Russia's share in India's crude imports remained below 5% throughout the period since the 2022 Ukraine war.
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q3. The Informal Group of Ministers (IGoM) on West Asia, which reviewed India's crude supply security and strategic stocks during the conflict, is chaired by which one of the following Union Ministers?
- A. Minister of Defence
- B. Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas
- C. Minister of External Affairs
- D. Minister of Finance
Q4. Consider the following statements regarding India's LPG position as presented in the briefing:
1. India imports about 60% of its LPG consumption.
2. About 90% of India's LPG imports transit the Strait of Hormuz.
3. Domestic LPG production was raised by about 25% following the March 2026 order.
4. India holds about 60 days of LPG as rolling stock.
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- India imports about 60% of its LPG consumption.
- About 90% of India's LPG imports transit the Strait of Hormuz.
- Domestic LPG production was raised by about 25% following the March 2026 order.
- India holds about 60 days of LPG as rolling stock.
- A. 1, 2 and 3
- B. 2 and 4
- C. 1 and 4
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q5. As stated at the IGoM briefing on rolling stocks, among the following India holds the SHORTEST number of days of cover for which one?
- A. LPG
- B. Crude oil
- C. Natural gas
- D. All three are held for an equal number of days
Q6. According to the 5th IGoM briefing, how many days of crude oil does India hold as rolling stock?
- A. About 60 days
- B. About 45 days
- C. About 30 days
- D. About 90 days
Q7. The advisory to States/UTs to act against black-marketing and hoarding, and the rationing of commercial LPG, were coordinated as part of the briefing by which one of the following?
- A. Department of Food & Public Distribution
- B. Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas
- C. Ministry of Commerce & Industry
- D. Ministry of Home Affairs
Q8. In the whole-of-government response to the West Asia energy disruption, which one of the following acted as the nodal ministry coordinating the Inter-Ministerial Briefing?
- A. Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas
- B. Ministry of External Affairs
- C. Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways
- D. Department of Food & Public Distribution
Q9. Consider the following agency–role pairings in the response to Gulf diaspora and seafarer safety:
1. Ministry of External Affairs — consular support and welfare of the diaspora
2. Directorate General of Shipping — operation of the 24×7 control room for seafarers
3. Ministry of Defence — facilitating repatriation of Indian seafarers from Gulf airports
4. Indian Missions in Gulf states — welfare of the roughly one-crore diaspora
Which of the above is/are NOT correctly matched?
- Ministry of External Affairs — consular support and welfare of the diaspora
- Directorate General of Shipping — operation of the 24×7 control room for seafarers
- Ministry of Defence — facilitating repatriation of Indian seafarers from Gulf airports
- Indian Missions in Gulf states — welfare of the roughly one-crore diaspora
- A. 3 only
- B. 1 and 3
- C. 2 and 4
- D. 3 and 4
Q10. In the context of India's post-2022 energy strategy, the term 'crude oil import diversification' most precisely refers to which one of the following?
- A. Spreading crude purchases across a larger number of supplier countries to reduce single-source and chokepoint risk
- B. Replacing imported crude with expanded domestic crude oil production
- C. Substituting crude oil consumption with renewable energy and natural gas
- D. Reducing the total volume of crude imported to lower the import bill