UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Serious escalation

Q1. Consider the following statements regarding the U.S. Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026: 1. It authorises tariffs of up to 500 per cent on goods imported directly from Russia, including petrochemicals and coal. 2. The secondary tariff it authorises applies to all goods entering the United States from a qualifying country, and not merely to that country's energy exports. 3. A waiver of these tariffs granted by the President takes effect only upon its approval by a joint resolution of both Houses of Congress. 4. The secondary tariff rate is fixed by the statute and cannot be lowered unless the provision itself is repealed. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

  1. It authorises tariffs of up to 500 per cent on goods imported directly from Russia, including petrochemicals and coal.
  2. The secondary tariff it authorises applies to all goods entering the United States from a qualifying country, and not merely to that country's energy exports.
  3. A waiver of these tariffs granted by the President takes effect only upon its approval by a joint resolution of both Houses of Congress.
  4. The secondary tariff rate is fixed by the statute and cannot be lowered unless the provision itself is repealed.
  • A. 3 and 4
  • B. 1 and 2
  • C. 2 and 3
  • D. 1, 3 and 4

Q2. Under the U.S. Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026, a country's fresh purchases of Russian-origin crude oil or natural gas count towards attracting secondary tariffs only if made on or after a date falling how many days from the date of enactment of the Act?

  • A. 15 days from the date of enactment of the Act
  • B. 30 days from the date of enactment of the Act
  • C. 60 days from the date of enactment of the Act
  • D. 90 days from the date of enactment of the Act

Q3. As of September 2026, and leaving aside the new statutory secondary tariff, how many distinct U.S. tariff layers were already applicable to Indian merchandise exports to the United States?

  • A. Two
  • B. Three
  • C. Four
  • D. Five

Q4. Consider the following statements about the sequence of U.S. actions against India over its purchases of Russian oil: 1. In August 2025 the United States imposed an additional 25 per cent duty on Indian goods through an Executive Order, taking the cumulative reciprocal tariff to 50 per cent. 2. U.S. sanctions on Russia's Rosneft and Lukoil, announced in late October 2025, came into effect only from the second half of November 2025. 3. In February 2026 the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the President's reliance on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, 1977 as a basis for imposing tariffs. 4. The Sanctioning Russia Act was cleared by the U.S. Senate in August 2026 before being signed into law in September 2026. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. In August 2025 the United States imposed an additional 25 per cent duty on Indian goods through an Executive Order, taking the cumulative reciprocal tariff to 50 per cent.
  2. U.S. sanctions on Russia's Rosneft and Lukoil, announced in late October 2025, came into effect only from the second half of November 2025.
  3. In February 2026 the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the President's reliance on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, 1977 as a basis for imposing tariffs.
  4. The Sanctioning Russia Act was cleared by the U.S. Senate in August 2026 before being signed into law in September 2026.
  • A. 1 and 3 only
  • B. 2, 3 and 4 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q5. It was reported that Russia's share in India's crude oil imports stood at about 21 per cent in February 2026. Which one of the following does this figure precisely denote?

  • A. The proportion, by value, of India's petroleum product exports that were refined from Russian-origin crude in that month
  • B. The proportion, by volume, of India's imports of Russian crude that were lifted from cargoes of Rosneft and Lukoil
  • C. The proportion, by volume, of India's total crude oil imports that originated in the Russian Federation
  • D. The discount, relative to the Brent benchmark, at which Russian crude was being sold to Indian refiners

Q6. Consider the following statements about India's imports of Russian crude oil: 1. Before the U.S. sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil took effect, Russia supplied roughly 35 per cent of India's crude oil imports. 2. Rosneft and Lukoil together accounted for about 60 per cent of India's crude oil imports from Russia before those sanctions. 3. In January 2026 Russia's share in India's crude oil imports fell to its lowest level since late 2022. 4. By February 2026 Russia had been displaced as India's single largest supplier of crude oil. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. Before the U.S. sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil took effect, Russia supplied roughly 35 per cent of India's crude oil imports.
  2. Rosneft and Lukoil together accounted for about 60 per cent of India's crude oil imports from Russia before those sanctions.
  3. In January 2026 Russia's share in India's crude oil imports fell to its lowest level since late 2022.
  4. By February 2026 Russia had been displaced as India's single largest supplier of crude oil.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • B. 1 and 4 only
  • C. 2, 3 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q7. Consider the following statements comparing the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, 2017 (CAATSA) with the U.S. Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026: 1. Both derive their force from statutes enacted by the U.S. Congress rather than from Executive Orders issued by the President. 2. CAATSA directs coercive measures at persons engaging in significant transactions with Russia's defence and intelligence sectors, whereas the 2026 Act keys its measures to a country's purchases of Russian energy. 3. Unlike CAATSA, which named Iran and North Korea alongside Russia, the 2026 Act confines its sanctions exclusively to the Russian Federation. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Both derive their force from statutes enacted by the U.S. Congress rather than from Executive Orders issued by the President.
  2. CAATSA directs coercive measures at persons engaging in significant transactions with Russia's defence and intelligence sectors, whereas the 2026 Act keys its measures to a country's purchases of Russian energy.
  3. Unlike CAATSA, which named Iran and North Korea alongside Russia, the 2026 Act confines its sanctions exclusively to the Russian Federation.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q8. Which one of the following Indian acquisitions from Russia was the principal transaction that raised the prospect of sanctions against India under Section 231 of CAATSA, 2017?

  • A. The Talwar-class stealth guided-missile frigates built for the Indian Navy
  • B. The Ka-226T light utility helicopters contracted for the armed forces
  • C. The Su-30MKI multirole combat aircraft licence-produced in India
  • D. The S-400 Triumf long-range surface-to-air missile system

Q9. Consider the following statements comparing the U.S. Section 232 tariffs with the forced-labour duty imposed on Indian goods: 1. The forced-labour duty on Indian goods was finally imposed at exactly the rate that the U.S. Trade Representative had initially proposed. 2. The Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminium draw their authority from the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, whereas the forced-labour duty flows from an investigation under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. 3. Goods already covered by the Section 232 measures, including steel, aluminium and auto parts, are exempt from the additional forced-labour duty. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The forced-labour duty on Indian goods was finally imposed at exactly the rate that the U.S. Trade Representative had initially proposed.
  2. The Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminium draw their authority from the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, whereas the forced-labour duty flows from an investigation under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.
  3. Goods already covered by the Section 232 measures, including steel, aluminium and auto parts, are exempt from the additional forced-labour duty.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q10. Taking the U.S. Section 232 duties together with the applicable MFN rates, exports of which one of the following categories from India face the highest total duty on entry into the United States?

  • A. Steel products
  • B. Aluminium products
  • C. Automobile parts
  • D. Copper products

Q11. India's proposals at the World Trade Organization to suspend concessions equivalent to the impact of U.S. Section 232 tariffs are formally notified on India's behalf by which one of the following?

  • A. The Department of Revenue under the Ministry of Finance
  • B. The Economic Diplomacy and States Division of the Ministry of External Affairs
  • C. The Department of Commerce under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry
  • D. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade under the Ministry of Finance

Q12. After the U.S. Supreme Court held in February 2026 that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, 1977 does not authorise the President to impose tariffs, the 10 per cent tariff proclaimed on most U.S. imports on the very same day rested on which one of the following authorities?

  • A. Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962
  • B. Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974
  • C. Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930
  • D. Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974