UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Modi’s bilateral meets put defence, security cooperation in focus

Q1. The 18th BRICS Summit held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi in September 2026 was significant for which one of the following reasons?

  • A. It was held during India's fourth term as BRICS Chair, the Chairship having been assumed on 1 January 2026
  • B. It was the first BRICS Summit ever hosted by India, every earlier summit having been held outside India
  • C. It was the first BRICS Summit at which all BRICS partner countries were simultaneously admitted as full members
  • D. It was the only BRICS Summit convened under a theme adopted jointly by all the past and present BRICS Chairs

Q2. The 18th BRICS Summit of September 2026 was convened under which one of the following Chairship themes?

  • A. Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability
  • B. Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam: One Earth, One Family, One Future
  • C. Strengthening Multilateralism for Just Global Development and Security
  • D. BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Accelerated Growth and Inclusive Multilateralism

Q3. In the context of the India-Philippines relationship upgraded in August 2025, the 'Plan of Action (2025-2029)' is best described as which one of the following?

  • A. A five-year roadmap of agreed sectoral activities for operationalising the upgraded bilateral relationship
  • B. A mutual defence treaty committing each side to come to the other's military assistance in the event of armed attack
  • C. A preferential trade arrangement phasing out tariffs on goods traded between the two countries by the year 2029
  • D. A treaty framework on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters and on the transfer of sentenced persons

Q4. The entity that executed the Shore-Based Anti-Ship Missile System contract with the Philippines is an India-Russia joint venture whose majority Indian stake is held by which one of the following?

  • A. The Defence Research and Development Organisation, holding a majority shareholding of 50.5 per cent
  • B. Bharat Dynamics Limited, a defence public sector undertaking under the Department of Defence Production
  • C. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, a defence public sector undertaking under the Department of Defence Production
  • D. The Department of Defence Production itself, acting directly through the Ministry of Defence's acquisition wing

Q5. With reference to India's defence export regime, the Open General Export Licence (OGEL) is best described as which one of the following?

  • A. A one-time licence permitting export of specified items to specified destinations without separate authorisation during its validity
  • B. A permission allowing any Indian firm to export all Munitions List items to all countries without any authorisation or restriction
  • C. A licence issued to foreign original equipment manufacturers permitting them to supply defence items to India without any import clearance
  • D. A standing clearance exempting every defence export below a prescribed value from all end-use and end-user conditions whatsoever

Q6. The Defence Production and Export Promotion Policy, and the end-to-end online portal for processing defence export authorisations, are administered by which one of the following?

  • A. The Department of Defence Production, one of the departments of the Ministry of Defence
  • B. The Department of Military Affairs, which alone clears every defence export made by Indian firms
  • C. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade, which issues all authorisations for every military export
  • D. The Department of Defence Research and Development, the sole approving authority for all such exports

Q7. As of the 18th BRICS Summit of September 2026, how many African countries were full members of BRICS?

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

Q8. In the institutional architecture of BRICS, the New Development Bank is best described as which one of the following?

  • A. A multilateral development bank that began operating in July 2014, its founding members pooling USD 100 billion as authorised capital
  • B. A pooled currency reserve of USD 100 billion on which members may draw to meet short-term balance of payments pressures
  • C. A joint credit-rating and statistical body that assesses the sovereign creditworthiness of member and partner economies
  • D. A cross-border payments messaging platform through which members settle bilateral trade in their own national currencies