UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Oslo summit must mark India’s northward turn
Q1. India's Arctic Policy, released in 2022, is officially titled which one of the following?
- A. India and the Arctic: building a partnership for sustainable development
- B. India's Vision for the Arctic: security, science and sustainability
- C. The Northern Frontier: India's Arctic and Polar Strategy
- D. India in the High North: a blueprint for blue economy and connectivity
Q2. India's Arctic Policy, 2022 was formally released under the authority of which one of the following Union Ministries?
- A. Ministry of External Affairs
- B. Ministry of Earth Sciences
- C. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
- D. Ministry of Science and Technology
Q3. As of 2026, which one of the following countries holds the rotating Chairship of the Arctic Council?
- A. Norway
- B. Kingdom of Denmark
- C. Russia
- D. Canada
Q4. Consider the following statements about the Arctic Council and India's place in it:
1. The Arctic Council has eight member states, each of which holds the Chairship for a two-year term on rotation.
2. India participates in the Arctic Council as an Observer, admitted in 2013, and is not a member state.
3. The Arctic Council's six Permanent Participants are all member states of the Council.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The Arctic Council has eight member states, each of which holds the Chairship for a two-year term on rotation.
- India participates in the Arctic Council as an Observer, admitted in 2013, and is not a member state.
- The Arctic Council's six Permanent Participants are all member states of the Council.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q5. The first India-Nordic Summit was hosted in which one of the following cities?
- A. Copenhagen
- B. Oslo
- C. Stockholm
- D. Helsinki
Q6. Consider the following pairings of India-Nordic Summit editions with their host cities and years:
1. First Summit — Stockholm, 2018
2. Second Summit — Copenhagen, 2022
3. Third Summit — Oslo, 2026
4. Second Summit — Helsinki, 2022
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- First Summit — Stockholm, 2018
- Second Summit — Copenhagen, 2022
- Third Summit — Oslo, 2026
- Second Summit — Helsinki, 2022
- A. 1, 2 and 3
- B. 1 and 4 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q7. At the 3rd India-Nordic Summit (2026), the leaders noted that investment inflows had increased by approximately what proportion?
- A. About 50%
- B. About 100%
- C. Nearly 200%
- D. About 400%
Q8. The 3rd India-Nordic Summit elevated ties to a 'Green Technology and Innovation Strategic Partnership'. Consider the following as stated focus areas of this partnership:
1. Renewable energy
2. Green hydrogen
3. Digital innovation
4. Nuclear weapons cooperation
Which of the above is/are NOT correctly identified as a focus area?
- Renewable energy
- Green hydrogen
- Digital innovation
- Nuclear weapons cooperation
- A. 1 only
- B. 3 and 4 only
- C. 4 only
- D. 2 and 4 only
Q9. Consider the following statements identifying Nordic countries as members of the European Union:
1. Denmark — EU member
2. Sweden — EU member
3. Norway — EU member
4. Finland — EU member
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- Denmark — EU member
- Sweden — EU member
- Norway — EU member
- Finland — EU member
- A. 1, 2 and 4
- B. 1, 2, 3 and 4
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1 and 4 only
Q10. Consider the following statements about Greenland in the Arctic context:
1. Greenland is an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark.
2. Greenland holds significant deposits of rare-earth and other critical minerals.
3. Greenland is a full member state of the Arctic Council in its own right.
4. Greenland has a prominent role in the Kingdom of Denmark's 2025–2027 Arctic Council Chairship.
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- Greenland is an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark.
- Greenland holds significant deposits of rare-earth and other critical minerals.
- Greenland is a full member state of the Arctic Council in its own right.
- Greenland has a prominent role in the Kingdom of Denmark's 2025–2027 Arctic Council Chairship.
- A. 1, 2 and 4
- B. 1 and 3 only
- C. 2, 3 and 4
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q11. Consider the following statements comparing India's polar research stations:
1. Himadri, India's Arctic research base, is located at Ny-Ålesund in Svalbard, Norway.
2. Maitri and Bharati are India's operational Antarctic research stations.
3. Every one of India's polar research stations is administered by the Ministry of External Affairs.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Himadri, India's Arctic research base, is located at Ny-Ålesund in Svalbard, Norway.
- Maitri and Bharati are India's operational Antarctic research stations.
- Every one of India's polar research stations is administered by the Ministry of External Affairs.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3