UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Ambassador Jamieson Greer Leads U.S. Delegation to India for Bilateral Trade Agreement Talks

Question 1

On which date were the broader India–U.S. Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) negotiations — later reaffirmed in the 7 February 2026 Joint Statement — formally launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the U.S. President?

Accepted Answer

13 February 2025

Answer

7 February 2026

Answer

4 March 2025

Answer

20 April 2026

Question 2

In the context of the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP), the 'non-reciprocal' character of the scheme most precisely means which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

Preference-giving developed countries grant reduced or duty-free tariff access to developing countries without requiring equivalent market-access concessions in return

Answer

Beneficiary developing countries unilaterally grant duty-free access to developed-country exports without expecting any concessions in return

Answer

Both the developed and the developing country phase out tariffs on each other's goods on a matched, simultaneous schedule

Answer

The beneficiary developing country must extend the same preferential tariff to every developed trading partner on a most-favoured-nation basis

Question 3

The 'Enabling Clause', which provides the permanent GATT/WTO legal basis allowing developed countries to extend non-reciprocal GSP tariff preferences to developing countries, was adopted in which year?

Accepted Answer

1979

Answer

1968

Answer

1971

Answer

1994

Question 4

In the Government of India, which one of the following is the nodal department responsible for negotiating tariff and non-tariff barrier commitments in bilateral trade agreements such as the India–U.S. Bilateral Trade Agreement?

Accepted Answer

Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry

Answer

Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance

Answer

Economic Diplomacy and States Division, Ministry of External Affairs

Answer

Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce & Industry

Question 5

In the context of international trade, the term 'Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs)' is most precisely defined as:

Accepted Answer

A sub-set of non-tariff measures that violate WTO obligations and discriminate against imports

Answer

All measures affecting trade other than customs tariffs, whether trade-restricting or not

Answer

Import duties levied at a higher rate once a fixed quantity threshold is exceeded

Answer

Quantitative ceilings on the value or volume of goods that may be imported in a given period

Question 6

In the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994, the most-favoured-nation (MFN) obligation for trade in goods is primarily enshrined as the very first substantive article. Which one of the following is that article?

Accepted Answer

Article I

Answer

Article III

Answer

Article XI

Answer

Article XXIV

Question 7

In the context of India's recent trade pacts, the agreement with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) is designated 'TEPA'. The acronym TEPA stands for which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement

Answer

Tariff Elimination and Preferential Access

Answer

Trade Enhancement and Protocol Arrangement

Answer

Treaty on Economic Partnership and Access

Question 8

The India–EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) entered into force with effect from which one of the following dates?

Accepted Answer

1 October 2025

Answer

24 July 2025

Answer

10 March 2024

Answer

18 December 2025

Question 9

The target of more than doubling India–United States bilateral trade to US$500 billion by 2030, announced jointly in February 2025, is known by which one of the following names?

Accepted Answer

Mission 500

Answer

INDUS-X

Answer

iCET (Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology)

Answer

Trade Policy Forum

Question 10

Within the digital trade framework being negotiated as part of the India–U.S. Bilateral Trade Agreement, which one of the following best describes India's officially stated position on data governance?

Accepted Answer

India has preserved its regulatory autonomy to manage its own data within its established legal framework

Answer

India has committed to fully unrestricted cross-border data flows with no domestic localisation measures

Answer

India has agreed to mandatory mirroring of all Indian data on servers located in the United States

Answer

India has transferred data governance authority to a joint India–U.S. statutory regulatory body

Question 11

The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), under which India and the U.S. cooperate on supply-chain resilience, is structured around how many pillars?

Accepted Answer

Four

Answer

Three

Answer

Five

Answer

Six

UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Ambassador Jamieson Greer Leads U.S. Delegation to India for Bilateral Trade Agreement Talks

Q1. On which date were the broader India–U.S. Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) negotiations — later reaffirmed in the 7 February 2026 Joint Statement — formally launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the U.S. President?

Q2. In the context of the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP), the 'non-reciprocal' character of the scheme most precisely means which one of the following?

Q3. The 'Enabling Clause', which provides the permanent GATT/WTO legal basis allowing developed countries to extend non-reciprocal GSP tariff preferences to developing countries, was adopted in which year?

Q4. In the Government of India, which one of the following is the nodal department responsible for negotiating tariff and non-tariff barrier commitments in bilateral trade agreements such as the India–U.S. Bilateral Trade Agreement?

Q5. In the context of international trade, the term 'Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs)' is most precisely defined as:

Q6. In the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994, the most-favoured-nation (MFN) obligation for trade in goods is primarily enshrined as the very first substantive article. Which one of the following is that article?

Q7. In the context of India's recent trade pacts, the agreement with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) is designated 'TEPA'. The acronym TEPA stands for which one of the following?

Q8. The India–EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) entered into force with effect from which one of the following dates?

Q9. The target of more than doubling India–United States bilateral trade to US$500 billion by 2030, announced jointly in February 2025, is known by which one of the following names?

Q10. Within the digital trade framework being negotiated as part of the India–U.S. Bilateral Trade Agreement, which one of the following best describes India's officially stated position on data governance?

Q11. The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), under which India and the U.S. cooperate on supply-chain resilience, is structured around how many pillars?