UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Advancing India-South Korea defence innovation ties

Q1. Which of the following Republic of Korea agencies is the institutional counterpart of India's Ministry of Defence in the Secretary-level Joint Committee Meeting (JCM) on cooperation in defence industries and logistics?

  • A. Agency for Defense Development (ADD)
  • B. Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA)
  • C. Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI)
  • D. Korea National Defence University (KNDU)

Q2. In which year was the India-Republic of Korea bilateral relationship upgraded to a 'Special Strategic Partnership'?

  • A. 2010
  • B. 2015
  • C. 2019
  • D. 2026

Q3. Which is the principal bilateral platform whose roadmap was discussed during the May 2026 India-ROK defence talks to institutionalise joint defence start-up collaboration and R&D between the two countries?

  • A. INDUS-X
  • B. iDEX-Prime
  • C. KIND-X (India-Korea Defence Innovation Accelerator Ecosystem)
  • D. Quad Defence Innovation Network

Q4. With reference to India-South Korea defence-industry collaborations announced in 2025-26, consider the following: 1. L&T signed agreements with Hanwha Co Ltd during the May 2026 Seoul visit. 2. Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) signed an MoU with Hyundai Heavy Industries in November 2025 for joint design and construction of a Landing Platform Dock for the Indian Navy. 3. BEML Limited signed a strategic MoU with Hyundai KSOE in December 2025 to jointly design and build next-generation maritime and port crane systems in India. 4. HAL signed a co-production agreement with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) in 2025 for the Tejas Mk-2 fighter. Which of the above are correctly identified?

  1. L&T signed agreements with Hanwha Co Ltd during the May 2026 Seoul visit.
  2. Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) signed an MoU with Hyundai Heavy Industries in November 2025 for joint design and construction of a Landing Platform Dock for the Indian Navy.
  3. BEML Limited signed a strategic MoU with Hyundai KSOE in December 2025 to jointly design and build next-generation maritime and port crane systems in India.
  4. HAL signed a co-production agreement with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) in 2025 for the Tejas Mk-2 fighter.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • B. 1 and 4 only
  • C. 2, 3 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4