UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — 13th BRICS Urbanisation Forum concludes with adoption of Declaration on inclusive and resilient urban futures
Q1. The 13th BRICS Urbanisation Forum, which adopted the Ministerial Declaration on inclusive, resilient and people-centred urban development in June 2026, was hosted under India's BRICS Chairship by which one of the following Union Ministries?
- A. Ministry of External Affairs
- B. Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
- C. NITI Aayog
- D. Ministry of Rural Development
Q2. With reference to India's agenda articulated at the 13th BRICS Urbanisation Forum, 2026, consider the following as the four 'anchors' for BRICS urban cooperation put forward by India:
1. Inclusive urban development
2. Climate- and disaster-resilient infrastructure
3. Privatisation of municipal water and sanitation services
4. Digital innovation in urban governance
Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?
- Inclusive urban development
- Climate- and disaster-resilient infrastructure
- Privatisation of municipal water and sanitation services
- Digital innovation in urban governance
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 3 only
- C. 3 and 4 only
- D. 2 and 3 only
Q3. Which one of the following was announced as India's flagship deliverable, endorsed by all member nations, at the 13th BRICS Urbanisation Forum held under India's 2026 Chairship?
- A. BRICS Urban Research and Knowledge Network (BURKN)
- B. BRICS Network of Universities
- C. BRICS Vaccine Research and Development Centre
- D. BRICS Partnership on New Industrial Revolution (PartNIR)
Q4. In the context of BRICS expansion announced during 2024–2025, the term 'BRICS partner country' most accurately refers to which one of the following?
- A. A state that participates in designated BRICS meetings and activities without enjoying the rights and obligations of a full member
- B. A founding shareholder of the New Development Bank that is not a member of the BRICS political grouping
- C. A non-BRICS state granted permanent observer status at BRICS summits under a United Nations framework
- D. A G20 economy formally designated to host the subsequent BRICS Leaders' Summit on a rotational basis
Q5. With reference to the membership of BRICS as of 2026, consider the following countries:
1. Indonesia
2. Argentina
3. Ethiopia
4. Belarus
Which of the above are correctly identified as full members of BRICS?
- Indonesia
- Argentina
- Ethiopia
- Belarus
- A. 1 and 3 only
- B. 2 and 4 only
- C. 1, 3 and 4
- D. 2, 3 and 4
Q6. Which one of the following is the official theme of India's BRICS Chairship 2026?
- A. Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability
- B. Strengthening Global South Cooperation for Just and Sustainable Development
- C. BRICS Partnership for Global Stability, Shared Security and Innovative Growth
- D. Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development and Inclusive Multilateralism
Q7. With reference to India's BRICS Chairship 2026 and its calendar of meetings, consider the following statements:
1. India is chairing BRICS for the fourth time in 2026, having previously held the Chairship in 2012, 2016 and 2021.
2. The first meeting of BRICS Sherpas and Sous Sherpas under India's 2026 Chairship, held in New Delhi, was attended by Sherpas from Saudi Arabia and Indonesia in addition to the original BRICS members.
3. The BRICS Youth Entrepreneurship Working Group meeting under India's 2026 Chairship was hosted in Varanasi in May 2026.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- India is chairing BRICS for the fourth time in 2026, having previously held the Chairship in 2012, 2016 and 2021.
- The first meeting of BRICS Sherpas and Sous Sherpas under India's 2026 Chairship, held in New Delhi, was attended by Sherpas from Saudi Arabia and Indonesia in addition to the original BRICS members.
- The BRICS Youth Entrepreneurship Working Group meeting under India's 2026 Chairship was hosted in Varanasi in May 2026.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q8. Which one of the following is the lead United Nations entity that serves as the focal point for sustainable urbanization and human settlements, and is mandated to coordinate implementation of the New Urban Agenda and SDG-11 within the UN system?
- A. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
- B. United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
- C. United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat)
- D. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Q9. Which one of the following ministries / agencies of the Government of India hosts the BRICS Urbanisation Forum on behalf of India and led the 13th edition convened in New Delhi in 2026?
- A. Ministry of External Affairs
- B. Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
- C. Ministry of Urban Development
- D. NITI Aayog
Q10. With reference to the editions of the BRICS Urbanisation Forum hosted by India, consider the following statements:
1. The 2016 edition of the Forum was the first occasion on which India hosted the Forum in a city other than New Delhi.
2. The 2021 Indian-hosted edition of the Forum was convened in virtual mode.
3. With the 13th edition in 2026, India has hosted the BRICS Urbanisation Forum five times in all.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The 2016 edition of the Forum was the first occasion on which India hosted the Forum in a city other than New Delhi.
- The 2021 Indian-hosted edition of the Forum was convened in virtual mode.
- With the 13th edition in 2026, India has hosted the BRICS Urbanisation Forum five times in all.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q11. AMRUT 2.0, launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, aims to provide universal water-supply coverage to all households in approximately how many statutory towns of India?
- A. 500
- B. 1,000
- C. 4,900
- D. 7,900
Q12. How many countries were the founding members that signed the Agreement establishing the New Development Bank (NDB) at the 6th BRICS Summit in Fortaleza in 2014?
Q13. For India, which institution executes the currency swap transactions under the BRICS Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA)?
- A. Ministry of Finance, Department of Economic Affairs
- B. Reserve Bank of India
- C. New Development Bank, Shanghai
- D. State Bank of India