UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Quad summit likely to be held in Manila on Nov. 17

Q1. Both AUKUS and the Quad are Indo-Pacific minilateral formats that include Australia and the United States. Which one of the following correctly distinguishes the two?

  • A. AUKUS includes Japan and India as members; the Quad is limited to the three partners that share the Five Eyes network
  • B. AUKUS is an informal leaders' dialogue without defence content; the Quad is a treaty organisation with a defence clause
  • C. AUKUS deals mainly with critical-mineral supply chains; the Quad deals mainly with transferring submarine propulsion technology
  • D. AUKUS centres on helping one member acquire nuclear-powered submarines; the Quad's agenda covers supply chains and maritime safety

Q2. Consider the following statements: Which of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. A foreign-flagged LNG carrier may sail through the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines without seeking the permission of the Philippines.
  2. Under UNCLOS, States other than the coastal State enjoy freedom of navigation and overflight in the coastal State's exclusive economic zone.
  • A. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
  • B. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
  • C. Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect
  • D. Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct

Q3. The Philippines, host of the 2026 Quad summit, is a South China Sea littoral State with a 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone. Under UNCLOS, consider the following statements about that zone: Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?

  1. The Philippines has sovereign rights over the fish and other natural resources of its EEZ.
  2. Other States may lay submarine cables and pipelines in the Philippines' EEZ.
  3. The Philippines exercises the same sovereignty over its EEZ waters as it does over its territorial sea.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1 and 3 only