UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — U.S. to announce nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia

Q1. With reference to a '123 Agreement' under United States law, which one of the following statements is correct?

  • A. It is concluded under Section 123 of the U.S. Atomic Energy Act of 1954 and requires the partner state to accept a set of non-proliferation conditions.
  • B. Once signed by the U.S. President, it takes effect immediately and requires no review of any kind by the U.S. Congress.
  • C. It automatically and permanently bars every partner state from ever enriching uranium on its own soil.
  • D. It can be concluded only with non-nuclear-weapon states and can never be signed with a nuclear-weapon state.

Q2. In the context of United States nuclear diplomacy, a '123 Agreement' is best described as which one of the following?

  • A. A congressionally-reviewed bilateral agreement that must be in force before the U.S. can make significant transfers of nuclear material, equipment or technology to another country.
  • B. A safeguards arrangement concluded between the IAEA and a state covering all of that state's declared nuclear material.
  • C. An export-control guideline issued by the Nuclear Suppliers Group governing the transfer of enrichment and reprocessing technology.
  • D. A multilateral treaty administered by the IAEA that certifies a country's reactors as meeting international nuclear-safety standards.

Q3. Consider the following statements about the U.S.-Saudi Arabia civil nuclear agreement signed in July 2026: 1. It was signed by U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman. 2. It is reported to be a 30-year agreement. 3. It incorporates the non-proliferation 'Gold Standard', explicitly barring Saudi Arabia from enriching uranium on its soil. 4. It permits domestic uranium enrichment only after a joint U.S.-Saudi study of the economics of fuel production. Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?

  1. It was signed by U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman.
  2. It is reported to be a 30-year agreement.
  3. It incorporates the non-proliferation 'Gold Standard', explicitly barring Saudi Arabia from enriching uranium on its soil.
  4. It permits domestic uranium enrichment only after a joint U.S.-Saudi study of the economics of fuel production.
  • A. 3 only
  • B. 3 and 4 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 2 only

Q4. On the United States side, the negotiation and signing of '123 Agreements' for civil nuclear cooperation, including the July 2026 agreement with Saudi Arabia, is led principally by which one of the following?

  • A. The U.S. Department of Energy (through its National Nuclear Security Administration)
  • B. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
  • C. The U.S. Department of Commerce (Bureau of Industry and Security)
  • D. The U.S. Department of the Treasury (Office of Foreign Assets Control)

Q5. Consider the following statements about IAEA safeguards instruments: 1. Under a Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement, a non-nuclear-weapon state accepts IAEA safeguards on all nuclear material in all its peaceful nuclear activities. 2. A Small Quantities Protocol holds in abeyance most safeguards procedures for states with little or no nuclear material. 3. The Additional Protocol extends the IAEA's access to information and locations across a state's entire nuclear fuel cycle. 4. A Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement by itself, without an Additional Protocol, constitutes the current verification standard under the NPT. Which of the statements given above is/are correctly identified?

  1. Under a Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement, a non-nuclear-weapon state accepts IAEA safeguards on all nuclear material in all its peaceful nuclear activities.
  2. A Small Quantities Protocol holds in abeyance most safeguards procedures for states with little or no nuclear material.
  3. The Additional Protocol extends the IAEA's access to information and locations across a state's entire nuclear fuel cycle.
  4. A Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement by itself, without an Additional Protocol, constitutes the current verification standard under the NPT.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • B. 1 and 4 only
  • C. 2, 3 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q6. The system of safeguards and inspections that verifies whether states comply with their nuclear non-proliferation undertakings under the NPT is administered by which one of the following bodies?

  • A. The International Atomic Energy Agency
  • B. The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization
  • C. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
  • D. The Conference on Disarmament

Q7. Consider the following statements about Saudi Arabia's non-proliferation and safeguards record: 1. Saudi Arabia acceded to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in 1988. 2. Saudi Arabia has had a Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement with the IAEA in force since 2009. 3. Saudi Arabia rescinded its Small Quantities Protocol at the end of 2024, enabling fuller IAEA monitoring. 4. Saudi Arabia has ratified the IAEA Additional Protocol, granting inspectors access to undeclared locations. Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?

  1. Saudi Arabia acceded to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in 1988.
  2. Saudi Arabia has had a Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement with the IAEA in force since 2009.
  3. Saudi Arabia rescinded its Small Quantities Protocol at the end of 2024, enabling fuller IAEA monitoring.
  4. Saudi Arabia has ratified the IAEA Additional Protocol, granting inspectors access to undeclared locations.
  • A. 4 only
  • B. 3 and 4 only
  • C. 1 and 4 only
  • D. 2 only

Q8. Consider the following statements regarding Saudi Arabia and its Small Quantities Protocol (SQP) with the IAEA: 1. Saudi Arabia submitted its request to rescind the Small Quantities Protocol in July 2024. 2. Rescinding the Small Quantities Protocol triggers implementation of the full Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement. 3. While the Small Quantities Protocol was in effect, Saudi Arabia was not required to submit an initial report on its nuclear material to the IAEA. 4. Under the NPT, Saudi Arabia is recognised as a nuclear-weapon state. Which of the statements given above is/are correctly identified?

  1. Saudi Arabia submitted its request to rescind the Small Quantities Protocol in July 2024.
  2. Rescinding the Small Quantities Protocol triggers implementation of the full Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement.
  3. While the Small Quantities Protocol was in effect, Saudi Arabia was not required to submit an initial report on its nuclear material to the IAEA.
  4. Under the NPT, Saudi Arabia is recognised as a nuclear-weapon state.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • B. 2 and 4 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q9. Consider the following statements comparing the India-U.S. civil nuclear ('123') arrangement with other U.S. nuclear cooperation deals: 1. Unlike the U.S.-UAE agreement, the India-U.S. deal did not require India to renounce enrichment and reprocessing. 2. The arrangement made India the only nuclear-armed state that is not a party to the NPT yet permitted to conduct nuclear commerce. 3. Under the arrangement, India agreed to place all of its nuclear facilities, both civil and military, permanently under IAEA safeguards. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Unlike the U.S.-UAE agreement, the India-U.S. deal did not require India to renounce enrichment and reprocessing.
  2. The arrangement made India the only nuclear-armed state that is not a party to the NPT yet permitted to conduct nuclear commerce.
  3. Under the arrangement, India agreed to place all of its nuclear facilities, both civil and military, permanently under IAEA safeguards.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q10. Under its civil-military separation plan accompanying the India-U.S. civil nuclear deal, how many of India's 22 power reactors did India agree to place under IAEA safeguards?

  • A. 14
  • B. 8
  • C. 22
  • D. 35

Q11. Consider the following statements about the 'Gold Standard' in U.S. civil nuclear cooperation agreements: 1. Under the 2009 U.S.-UAE agreement, the UAE renounced enrichment and reprocessing on its territory and ratified the IAEA Additional Protocol. 2. The 2026 U.S.-Saudi agreement departs from this 'Gold Standard' by not requiring Saudi Arabia to forgo enrichment. 3. Every U.S. 123 Agreement necessarily incorporates the 'Gold Standard' as a legally mandatory condition. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Under the 2009 U.S.-UAE agreement, the UAE renounced enrichment and reprocessing on its territory and ratified the IAEA Additional Protocol.
  2. The 2026 U.S.-Saudi agreement departs from this 'Gold Standard' by not requiring Saudi Arabia to forgo enrichment.
  3. Every U.S. 123 Agreement necessarily incorporates the 'Gold Standard' as a legally mandatory condition.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q12. In discussions of the proposed Saudi enrichment plant, a 'black-box' enrichment facility refers to which one of the following?

  • A. A plant operated so that the sensitive centrifuge technology is not disclosed to, or replicable by, the host country.
  • B. An enrichment facility whose day-to-day operations are entirely concealed from IAEA inspectors.
  • C. A hardened, underground site engineered to survive aerial or missile strikes.
  • D. A plant whose entire enriched-uranium output is sealed and exported abroad for reprocessing.