UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — PM in Uzbekistan for 2-day visit ahead of SCO summit

Q1. Which one of the following correctly pairs the permanent standing administrative organ of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, along with the city where it is located, with the year in which the Organisation itself was established?

  • A. The SCO Secretariat, located at Beijing — established in the year 2001
  • B. The SCO Secretariat, located at Tashkent — established in the year 1996
  • C. The Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure, located at Beijing — established in the year 2001
  • D. The Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure, located at Tashkent — established in the year 1996

Q2. Consider the following statements regarding accession to membership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation: 1. Belarus was admitted as the tenth Member State of the SCO at the Astana Summit of 2024. 2. India and Pakistan were both granted full membership at the Astana Summit of 2017. 3. Uzbekistan was among the six States that founded the Organisation in 2001. 4. Mongolia and Afghanistan are Member States of the SCO, while Iran holds the status of an Observer. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. Belarus was admitted as the tenth Member State of the SCO at the Astana Summit of 2024.
  2. India and Pakistan were both granted full membership at the Astana Summit of 2017.
  3. Uzbekistan was among the six States that founded the Organisation in 2001.
  4. Mongolia and Afghanistan are Member States of the SCO, while Iran holds the status of an Observer.
  • A. 1 and 3 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3
  • C. 2 and 4
  • D. 1, 2 and 4

Q3. Consider the following statements about the 26th Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation: 1. It is being hosted at Bishkek by the Kyrgyz Republic from 31 August to 1 September 2026. 2. Its programme includes an SCO-Plus format meeting which the Secretary-General of the United Nations is to address. 3. The Kyrgyz Republic took over the Presidency of the SCO immediately following the preceding Summit at Tianjin. 4. Bishkek is hosting a meeting of the Council of Heads of State for the first time since the Organisation was founded. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. It is being hosted at Bishkek by the Kyrgyz Republic from 31 August to 1 September 2026.
  2. Its programme includes an SCO-Plus format meeting which the Secretary-General of the United Nations is to address.
  3. The Kyrgyz Republic took over the Presidency of the SCO immediately following the preceding Summit at Tianjin.
  4. Bishkek is hosting a meeting of the Council of Heads of State for the first time since the Organisation was founded.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3
  • C. 2, 3 and 4
  • D. 1 and 4 only

Q4. Consider the following statements comparing the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit of 2026 with its immediately preceding edition: 1. Unlike the preceding edition, which concluded with the adoption of a declaration, the 2026 meeting is a purely ceremonial gathering that adopts no outcome document whatsoever. 2. Both editions are scheduled across the same calendar window of 31 August to 1 September of their respective years. 3. The body that convenes at both editions is the Council of Heads of State, which is the Organisation's supreme decision-making body and meets annually. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Unlike the preceding edition, which concluded with the adoption of a declaration, the 2026 meeting is a purely ceremonial gathering that adopts no outcome document whatsoever.
  2. Both editions are scheduled across the same calendar window of 31 August to 1 September of their respective years.
  3. The body that convenes at both editions is the Council of Heads of State, which is the Organisation's supreme decision-making body and meets annually.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q5. In the run-up to the Kyrgyz Republic's SCO Presidency year, India's delegation to the SCO Defence Ministers' Meeting held at Bishkek in April 2026 was led by the head of which one of the following?

  • A. The Ministry of Defence, which leads India's participation in the SCO's defence-track ministerial mechanism
  • B. The Ministry of External Affairs, which leads India's participation in every SCO ministerial mechanism without exception
  • C. The Ministry of Home Affairs, which leads India's participation in all SCO security-related ministerial meetings
  • D. The National Security Council Secretariat, which leads India's delegations to all SCO ministerial formats

Q6. Counting the Samarkand Summit and the Bishkek Summit as the two end points and including both, how many meetings of the SCO Council of Heads of State fall within that span?

  • A. Four
  • B. Five
  • C. Six
  • D. Seven

Q7. The India–Uzbekistan Bilateral Investment Treaty concluded at Tashkent in September 2024 was signed on the Indian side by the Union Minister heading which one of the following ministries?

  • A. Ministry of Finance, which handled the Indian side of this investment treaty
  • B. Ministry of External Affairs, which alone negotiates and signs all of India's economic treaties
  • C. Ministry of Commerce and Industry, which exclusively concludes every investment agreement India enters into
  • D. Ministry of Law and Justice, which is solely responsible for all treaty signatures on behalf of India

Q8. Consider the following statements about the milestones of India–Uzbekistan engagement: 1. The two countries declared a Strategic Partnership in 2011, that is, before the first India–Central Asia Summit was convened. 2. The Bilateral Investment Treaty of September 2024 was signed at Samarkand, while the Lal Bahadur Shastri Monument visited during the same trip is situated at Tashkent. 3. The Prime Minister's 2022 visit to Uzbekistan was for a summit at Samarkand, whereas his visits of 2015 and 2016 were to Tashkent. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The two countries declared a Strategic Partnership in 2011, that is, before the first India–Central Asia Summit was convened.
  2. The Bilateral Investment Treaty of September 2024 was signed at Samarkand, while the Lal Bahadur Shastri Monument visited during the same trip is situated at Tashkent.
  3. The Prime Minister's 2022 visit to Uzbekistan was for a summit at Samarkand, whereas his visits of 2015 and 2016 were to Tashkent.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q9. With reference to the Prime Minister's two-nation Central Asia itinerary of August–September 2026, consider the following city–role pairs: 1. Tashkent — venue of the bilateral leg of the itinerary, hosted by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev 2. Bishkek — venue of the 26th SCO Summit, hosted by President Sadyr Zhaparov 3. Samarkand — venue of the SCO-Plus meeting to be addressed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations 4. Astana — the second of the two national legs of the itinerary Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. Tashkent — venue of the bilateral leg of the itinerary, hosted by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev
  2. Bishkek — venue of the 26th SCO Summit, hosted by President Sadyr Zhaparov
  3. Samarkand — venue of the SCO-Plus meeting to be addressed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations
  4. Astana — the second of the two national legs of the itinerary
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 4
  • D. 1, 3 and 4

Q10. Consider the following statements comparing India's participation in the SCO Summit of 2026 with earlier editions: 1. The 2026 summit host, the Kyrgyz Republic, was among the founding States of the Organisation, whereas the 2025 host, China, acquired membership only subsequently. 2. In 2026 the Prime Minister reaches the summit host country after a separate bilateral leg in another State, whereas in 2022 the summit host and the bilateral host were the same country. 3. At both the 2025 and the 2026 editions, India is represented at the level of the Council of Heads of State by the Prime Minister. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The 2026 summit host, the Kyrgyz Republic, was among the founding States of the Organisation, whereas the 2025 host, China, acquired membership only subsequently.
  2. In 2026 the Prime Minister reaches the summit host country after a separate bilateral leg in another State, whereas in 2022 the summit host and the bilateral host were the same country.
  3. At both the 2025 and the 2026 editions, India is represented at the level of the Council of Heads of State by the Prime Minister.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q11. The India–Central Asia Summit, launched in virtual format in January 2022, is the apex mechanism of India's outreach to the Central Asian republics. Consider the following statements about that mechanism: 1. Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic were represented at the first Summit by their Presidents. 2. Turkmenistan, although not a Member State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, took part in the first Summit. 3. The leaders decided to institutionalise the mechanism by holding the Summit every year. 4. Azerbaijan, being one of the Central Asian republics covered by the mechanism, participated in the first Summit. Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?

  1. Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic were represented at the first Summit by their Presidents.
  2. Turkmenistan, although not a Member State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, took part in the first Summit.
  3. The leaders decided to institutionalise the mechanism by holding the Summit every year.
  4. Azerbaijan, being one of the Central Asian republics covered by the mechanism, participated in the first Summit.
  • A. 3 only
  • B. 3 and 4 only
  • C. 1 and 2 only
  • D. 2, 3 and 4

Q12. Over and above its Member States and its Observer States, how many Dialogue Partners did the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation have as of 2025?

  • A. Ten
  • B. Twelve
  • C. Fourteen
  • D. Fifteen