UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — A bigger BRICS, shaped by India’s vision

Q1. Consider the following statements comparing the origin of the BRIC grouping with its transformation into BRICS: 1. The acronym 'BRIC' first appeared in a 2001 Goldman Sachs Global Economics Paper written by Jim O'Neill, before any leaders' level meeting of the four countries had taken place. 2. The first BRIC Leaders' Summit was held at Yekaterinburg in Russia, whereas the decision to expand the grouping by including South Africa was taken at a meeting of BRIC Foreign Ministers held in New York. 3. South Africa's first participation in a leaders' summit of the expanded grouping was at Fortaleza in Brazil, which was also where the grouping's acronym changed to BRICS. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The acronym 'BRIC' first appeared in a 2001 Goldman Sachs Global Economics Paper written by Jim O'Neill, before any leaders' level meeting of the four countries had taken place.
  2. The first BRIC Leaders' Summit was held at Yekaterinburg in Russia, whereas the decision to expand the grouping by including South Africa was taken at a meeting of BRIC Foreign Ministers held in New York.
  3. South Africa's first participation in a leaders' summit of the expanded grouping was at Fortaleza in Brazil, which was also where the grouping's acronym changed to BRICS.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 2 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q2. The expansion of the BRIC grouping to include South Africa was formally agreed upon at which one of the following?

  • A. A meeting of BRIC Foreign Ministers held in New York in 2010
  • B. The first BRIC Leaders' Summit at Yekaterinburg in 2009, the only forum competent to admit members
  • C. The third BRICS Leaders' Summit held at Sanya in China in 2011
  • D. A meeting of BRIC Finance Ministers on the margins of the G-20 process in 2008

Q3. Which one of the following is the nodal body of the Government of India for coordinating India's engagement with BRICS, including the Sherpa channel and outreach to its Partner Countries?

  • A. The Department of Economic Affairs in the Ministry of Finance
  • B. The Department of Commerce in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry
  • C. NITI Aayog, acting through its international cooperation vertical
  • D. The Ministry of External Affairs

Q4. Indonesia's admission as a full member of BRICS took effect in which year, and what was the resulting strength of the grouping's full membership?

  • A. 2025, taking full membership to eleven countries
  • B. 2024, taking full membership to eleven countries
  • C. 2025, taking full membership to ten countries
  • D. 2026, taking full membership to twelve countries, all with voting parity

Q5. India's BRICS Chairship of 2026, which culminated in the 18th BRICS Summit at Bharat Mandapam, involved more than 350 meetings and high-level engagements. These engagements were spread across how many Indian cities?

  • A. 15
  • B. 20
  • C. 25
  • D. 30

Q6. The 'BRICS Bharat Innovates Exposition', held at Bharat Mandapam as a lead-up to and alongside the 18th BRICS Summit, was organised in coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs by which one of the following?

  • A. The Ministry of Science and Technology, through the Department of Science and Technology
  • B. The Ministry of Education, through its higher-education innovation programme
  • C. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, through its artificial intelligence mission
  • D. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry, through its start-up promotion initiative

Q7. Under India's BRICS Chairship of 2026, the first BRICS Health Working Group Meeting in New Delhi and the 16th BRICS Health Ministers' Meeting were hosted by which one of the following?

  • A. The Ministry of Ayush, which exclusively leads every BRICS health-sector track
  • B. The Department of Pharmaceuticals in the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers
  • C. The Ministry of Science and Technology, through the Department of Biotechnology
  • D. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Q8. Consider the following pairings of BRICS Summits with the city or mode in which they were held: 1. 4th BRICS Summit — New Delhi 2. 8th BRICS Summit — Goa 3. 13th BRICS Summit — held in virtual format 4. 17th BRICS Summit — New Delhi Which of the above is/are NOT correctly matched?

  1. 4th BRICS Summit — New Delhi
  2. 8th BRICS Summit — Goa
  3. 13th BRICS Summit — held in virtual format
  4. 17th BRICS Summit — New Delhi
  • A. 1 and 3
  • B. 2 and 4
  • C. 3 only
  • D. 4 only

Q9. Consider the following statements about the two financial institutions created by BRICS: 1. The New Development Bank was established by an agreement signed in July 2014 at Fortaleza, Brazil, with an initial authorised capital of US$100 billion. 2. The Contingent Reserve Arrangement was established with an initial size of US$100 billion and is intended to help member countries forestall short-term liquidity pressures, complementing existing international arrangements. 3. Unlike the Contingent Reserve Arrangement, the Bank's initial subscribed capital was contributed entirely by the country that hosts its headquarters, which is the permanent seat of its Presidency. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The New Development Bank was established by an agreement signed in July 2014 at Fortaleza, Brazil, with an initial authorised capital of US$100 billion.
  2. The Contingent Reserve Arrangement was established with an initial size of US$100 billion and is intended to help member countries forestall short-term liquidity pressures, complementing existing international arrangements.
  3. Unlike the Contingent Reserve Arrangement, the Bank's initial subscribed capital was contributed entirely by the country that hosts its headquarters, which is the permanent seat of its Presidency.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q10. Consider the following statements about the demographic and economic weight of BRICS: 1. BRICS countries together account for about 43 per cent of the world's population. 2. BRICS accounts for the entire increase in global trade and its share in world trade exceeds 50 per cent. 3. BRICS countries together account for roughly a quarter of the world's total land area. 4. The combined economic output of BRICS measured in purchasing power parity terms now exceeds that of the G-7. Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?

  1. BRICS countries together account for about 43 per cent of the world's population.
  2. BRICS accounts for the entire increase in global trade and its share in world trade exceeds 50 per cent.
  3. BRICS countries together account for roughly a quarter of the world's total land area.
  4. The combined economic output of BRICS measured in purchasing power parity terms now exceeds that of the G-7.
  • A. 1 and 3
  • B. 3 and 4
  • C. 2 only
  • D. 2 and 4

Q11. Consider the following statements comparing India's BRICS Chairship themes: 1. India's 2026 Chairship is guided by the theme 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability', which places development, sustainability and innovation at the heart of the agenda and foregrounds the aspirations of the Global South. 2. India's earlier Chairship, which culminated in a virtual summit, used the theme 'BRICS@15: Intra-BRICS Cooperation for Continuity, Consolidation and Consensus'. 3. The people-centric, 'Humanity First' approach underlying the 2026 theme was articulated by the Prime Minister at the preceding BRICS Summit, held at Kazan. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. India's 2026 Chairship is guided by the theme 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability', which places development, sustainability and innovation at the heart of the agenda and foregrounds the aspirations of the Global South.
  2. India's earlier Chairship, which culminated in a virtual summit, used the theme 'BRICS@15: Intra-BRICS Cooperation for Continuity, Consolidation and Consensus'.
  3. The people-centric, 'Humanity First' approach underlying the 2026 theme was articulated by the Prime Minister at the preceding BRICS Summit, held at Kazan.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3