UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Quad leaders to meet in Philippines on Tuesday

Q1. With reference to the institutional character of the Quad (Australia, India, Japan and the United States), consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. The Quad has a permanent secretariat whose seat rotates with the country chairing the grouping.
2. The Quad's positions are set out in leaders' joint statements and declarations rather than in a founding treaty ratified by its members.
3. The Quad binds each member to treat an armed attack on any one of them as an attack on all.

• A. 2 and 3 only
• B. 1 and 2 only
• C. 2 only
• D. 1, 2 and 3

Q2. A coastal state claims 'historic rights' to fish and extract resources in a sea area that lies within another state's exclusive economic zone under UNCLOS. Applying the reasoning of the 2016 South China Sea arbitral award, which one of the following follows?

• A. The UNCLOS-based EEZ entitlement supersedes the claimed historic rights wherever the two come into conflict.
• B. The conflict over the EEZ must be referred to the UN Security Council, whose decision alone binds both states.
• C. The historic rights prevail over the EEZ, since rights exercised before UNCLOS came into force are preserved by it.
• D. The overlapping part of the EEZ automatically becomes a zone of joint development shared by both states.

Q3. With reference to India's Act East Policy, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. It brought a proactive focus on India's extended neighbourhood across the Indo-Pacific, rather than on Southeast Asia alone.
2. It marked the beginning of India's policy-level engagement with the countries of Southeast Asia.
3. India's commitment to ASEAN centrality under this policy rules out its participation in minilateral groupings such as the Quad.

• A. 2 and 3 only
• B. 1 and 3 only
• C. 1 and 2 only
• D. 1 only