UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Shri Piyush Goyal, Commerce & Industries Minister, leads the Indian delegation for the 14th Ministerial Conference of the WTO starting on March 26, 2026 in Yaounde, Cameroon

Q1. The World Trade Organization was established on 1 January 1995 under which agreement that concluded the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations?

  • A. The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, 1947
  • B. The Marrakesh Agreement, 1994
  • C. The Havana Charter, 1948
  • D. The Doha Ministerial Declaration, 2001

Q2. Counting from the inaugural session held at Singapore in 1996 up to and including the one hosted at Yaoundé in 2026, how many WTO Ministerial Conferences have been convened?

  • A. 12
  • B. 13
  • C. 14
  • D. 15

Q3. In which year did WTO members first agree to the moratorium on imposing customs duties on electronic transmissions?

  • A. 1995
  • B. 1996
  • C. 1998
  • D. 2001

Q4. Within the Government of India, which body is the nodal department that frames and leads India's negotiating positions, including on the e-commerce moratorium, at the WTO?

  • A. Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry
  • B. Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade
  • C. Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance
  • D. Directorate General of Foreign Trade

Q5. The WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, which entered into force in September 2025, is distinctive as the first WTO agreement to have which one of the following at its core?

  • A. Environmental sustainability
  • B. Intellectual property protection
  • C. Trade facilitation procedures
  • D. Agricultural market access

Q6. The WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies entered into force in September 2025 after acceptance by at least how many members, the number representing two-thirds of the membership?

  • A. 100
  • B. 111
  • C. 124
  • D. 166

Q7. With reference to the venue and leadership of the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC14), consider the following statements: 1. Yaoundé, the host city, is the capital of Cameroon. 2. MC14 was the second WTO Ministerial Conference to be hosted by an African country. 3. The ceremonial opening of MC14 was chaired by the WTO Director-General. 4. The WTO Director-General who participated in MC14 is a national of Nigeria. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. Yaoundé, the host city, is the capital of Cameroon.
  2. MC14 was the second WTO Ministerial Conference to be hosted by an African country.
  3. The ceremonial opening of MC14 was chaired by the WTO Director-General.
  4. The WTO Director-General who participated in MC14 is a national of Nigeria.
  • A. 1 and 3
  • B. 2 and 4
  • C. 1, 2 and 4
  • D. 3 only

Q8. Which city was the venue of the first WTO Ministerial Conference ever hosted on the African continent?

  • A. Nairobi
  • B. Yaoundé
  • C. Marrakesh
  • D. Doha

Q9. With reference to India's negotiating positions at MC14 (2026), consider the following statements: 1. India sought a 25-year transition period for developing countries in the Phase II negotiations on fisheries subsidies. 2. India advocated WTO reform through a transparent, inclusive and Member-driven process with development at its core. 3. India supported the United States' proposal to make the moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions permanent. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. India sought a 25-year transition period for developing countries in the Phase II negotiations on fisheries subsidies.
  2. India advocated WTO reform through a transparent, inclusive and Member-driven process with development at its core.
  3. India supported the United States' proposal to make the moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions permanent.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q10. India's demand for a 'permanent solution' on public stockholding for food security pertains to the domestic support disciplines contained in which WTO agreement?

  • A. Agreement on Agriculture
  • B. Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures
  • C. Trade Facilitation Agreement
  • D. Agreement on Trade-Related Investment Measures

Q11. With reference to the governance architecture of the WTO, consider the following statements: 1. The Ministerial Conference is the topmost decision-making body and meets at least once every two years. 2. Between sessions of the Ministerial Conference, its functions are exercised by the General Council. 3. The General Council also convenes as the Dispute Settlement Body and the Trade Policy Review Body. 4. WTO decisions are normally taken by a two-thirds majority vote of the membership. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. The Ministerial Conference is the topmost decision-making body and meets at least once every two years.
  2. Between sessions of the Ministerial Conference, its functions are exercised by the General Council.
  3. The General Council also convenes as the Dispute Settlement Body and the Trade Policy Review Body.
  4. WTO decisions are normally taken by a two-thirds majority vote of the membership.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 2 and 4
  • C. 1 and 4
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q12. Which coalition of developing countries, in which India is a leading member, principally champions the demand for a permanent solution on public stockholding and a special safeguard mechanism in WTO agriculture negotiations?

  • A. G33
  • B. Cairns Group
  • C. G20 developed-country bloc
  • D. G90