UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Updates on Key Sectors in View of Developments in West Asia

Question 1

The Strait of Hormuz, the chokepoint critical to India's LPG and crude imports, lies between which of the following pair of countries?

Accepted Answer

Iran and Oman

Answer

Iran and the United Arab Emirates

Answer

Saudi Arabia and Iran

Answer

Oman and Yemen

Question 2

In the context of India's crude oil supply security, the entity 'ISPRL' is best described as which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited — a Special Purpose Vehicle under the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas that builds and manages underground crude oil reserves

Answer

Indian Strategic Petroleum Refining Limited — a public sector refiner that processes strategic reserve crude

Answer

Indian State Petroleum Regulation Board — the statutory regulator allocating reserve crude to refineries

Answer

Integrated Strategic Pipeline Reserves Limited — the agency operating India's strategic gas pipeline grid

Question 3

The Natural Gas Control Order issued in 2026 to prioritise gas allocation during the West Asia crisis derives its statutory authority from which one of the following laws?

Accepted Answer

The Essential Commodities Act, 1955

Answer

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board Act, 2006

Answer

The Petroleum Act, 1934

Answer

The Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Act, 1948

Question 4

The Informal Group of Ministers (IGoM) constituted in 2026 to review the impact of the West Asia situation on India's key sectors is chaired by which Union Minister?

Accepted Answer

The Raksha Mantri (Minister of Defence)

Answer

The Minister of External Affairs

Answer

The Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas

Answer

The Minister of Home Affairs

Question 5

Under India's flagship long-term LNG supply contract, the Qatari entity that supplies liquefied natural gas to Petronet LNG Limited is:

Accepted Answer

RasGas (now part of QatarEnergy LNG)

Answer

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC)

Answer

Saudi Aramco

Answer

Petronas

Question 6

In India's fertilizer sector, the primary feedstock used for the domestic manufacture of urea — and hence the link that makes urea output vulnerable to West Asia gas disruptions — is:

Accepted Answer

Natural gas

Answer

Rock phosphate

Answer

Muriate of potash

Answer

Sulphur

Question 7

Approximately how many persons were evacuated by India from Sudan under Operation Kaveri (2023)?

Accepted Answer

About 4,100

Answer

About 18,300

Answer

About 2,500

Answer

About 11,000

Question 8

During the West Asia crisis, two Indian-flagged LPG carriers safely transited the Strait of Hormuz toward India carrying a combined cargo of approximately how much LPG?

Accepted Answer

94,000 MT

Answer

31,000 MT

Answer

2,90,000 MT

Answer

1,50,000 MT

UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Updates on Key Sectors in View of Developments in West Asia

Q1. The Strait of Hormuz, the chokepoint critical to India's LPG and crude imports, lies between which of the following pair of countries?

Q2. In the context of India's crude oil supply security, the entity 'ISPRL' is best described as which one of the following?

Q3. The Natural Gas Control Order issued in 2026 to prioritise gas allocation during the West Asia crisis derives its statutory authority from which one of the following laws?

Q4. The Informal Group of Ministers (IGoM) constituted in 2026 to review the impact of the West Asia situation on India's key sectors is chaired by which Union Minister?

Q5. Under India's flagship long-term LNG supply contract, the Qatari entity that supplies liquefied natural gas to Petronet LNG Limited is:

Q6. In India's fertilizer sector, the primary feedstock used for the domestic manufacture of urea — and hence the link that makes urea output vulnerable to West Asia gas disruptions — is:

Q7. Approximately how many persons were evacuated by India from Sudan under Operation Kaveri (2023)?

Q8. During the West Asia crisis, two Indian-flagged LPG carriers safely transited the Strait of Hormuz toward India carrying a combined cargo of approximately how much LPG?