UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — How is U.S.-India trade deal being tweaked?

Q1. Who among the following is the lead Indian negotiator for the India–U.S. Interim Trade Agreement announced through the Joint Statement of February 7, 2026?

  • A. S. Jaishankar
  • B. Nirmala Sitharaman
  • C. Piyush Goyal
  • D. Ashwini Vaishnaw

Q2. In the context of the India–U.S. Interim Trade Agreement (February 2026), the term 'Dried Distillers' Grains (DDGs)', for which India opened limited market access, refers to which one of the following?

  • A. A protein-rich co-product of ethanol distillation from grains, used mainly as livestock and poultry feed
  • B. A category of dried pulses processed and packaged for direct human consumption
  • C. A variety of fortified rice exported by the United States under food-aid programmes
  • D. Distilled grain spirits aged in oak barrels and classified as agricultural exports

Q3. The 18% reciprocal tariff that the United States will apply on Indian-origin goods under the Interim Trade Agreement announced in February 2026 is being levied under the authority of which one of the following?

  • A. Section 301 of the U.S. Trade Act, 1974
  • B. U.S. Executive Order 14257 of April 2, 2025
  • C. The Smoot–Hawley Tariff Act, 1930
  • D. Section 232 of the U.S. Trade Expansion Act, 1962

Q4. Under the India–U.S. Interim Trade Agreement (February 2026), what is the value of Indian exports to the United States on which the tariff has been reduced from 50% to ZERO (as distinct from those reduced to 18%)?

  • A. USD 10.03 billion
  • B. USD 18.00 billion
  • C. USD 30.94 billion
  • D. USD 40.97 billion

Q5. With reference to changes brought about by the India–U.S. Interim Trade Agreement (February 2026) as compared to the pre-deal tariff regime, consider the following statements: 1. Before the deal, the effective U.S. tariff on most Indian goods stood at 50%, comprising a 25% reciprocal tariff and a 25% additional penal duty linked to India's purchases of Russian oil. 2. The 25% penal duty linked to Russian-oil purchases was removed through a U.S. Presidential Executive Order signed on February 6, 2026, a day before the bilateral Joint Statement. 3. In its revised fact sheet on the deal, the White House replaced the wording that India had 'committed to buy' USD 500 billion of U.S. goods with the wording that India 'intends to buy' the same amount. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Before the deal, the effective U.S. tariff on most Indian goods stood at 50%, comprising a 25% reciprocal tariff and a 25% additional penal duty linked to India's purchases of Russian oil.
  2. The 25% penal duty linked to Russian-oil purchases was removed through a U.S. Presidential Executive Order signed on February 6, 2026, a day before the bilateral Joint Statement.
  3. In its revised fact sheet on the deal, the White House replaced the wording that India had 'committed to buy' USD 500 billion of U.S. goods with the wording that India 'intends to buy' the same amount.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3
  • NRAA-Funded Wild Rice Conservation Project Secures Major Milestone in Assam
    NRAA-Funded Wild Rice Conservation Project Secures Major Milestone in Assam

    The notification of Borjuli site in Sonitpur, Assam as a Biodiversity Heritage Site under an NRAA-funded wild rice conservation project is a named, verifiable fact. Biodiversity Heritage Sites and wild crop genetic resource conservation are tested Prelims topics.

  • India Advances Global Green Hydrogen Leadership under National Green Hydrogen Mission

    Under the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM), a landmark commercial deal for green ammonia and methanol export to Japan (IHI Corporation named) is a concrete outcome. India's green hydrogen ambitions and NGHM are recurring Prelims themes; this adds a factual export-deal hook.

  • NITI Aayog launches report on "Strategic Roadmap for Making Ayurveda Global"
    NITI Aayog launches report on "Strategic Roadmap for Making Ayurveda Global"

    A named NITI Aayog report on Ayurveda's global expansion is testable as a policy document. NITI Aayog reports, AYUSH sector initiatives, and traditional medicine diplomacy are recurring Prelims themes; the report's launch date and authoring body are clean factual hooks.

  • INDIAN NAVAL SHIP TRIKAND RESPONDS TO PIRACY ATTEMPT ON MV GOLDEN ARSENAL IN THE GULF OF ADEN

    A named Indian Navy anti-piracy operation with specific ship (INS Trikand — identified as a stealth frigate), vessel flag state (St. Vincent and the Grenadines), and location (Gulf of Aden) offers testable facts. India's maritime security operations are plausible Prelims hooks but appear occasionally, not frequently.

  • Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan launches nationwide ‘Viksit Bharat – G-Ram G Act’ from Andhra Pradesh with Chief Minister Shri Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Shri Pawan Kalyan

    A newly named nationwide scheme launched by the Rural Development ministry that explicitly positions itself as moving 'beyond MGNREGA' is potentially testable. However, the excerpt lacks concrete numbers or statutory grounding, keeping it at 3 rather than 4.

  • MANAS: A Digital Shield Against Drugs

    MANAS is a named government digital initiative (national narcotics helpline) with a specific mandate under Nasha Mukt Bharat. Named government portals/helplines with specific functions are tested in Prelims, though this release is a backgrounder without new launch data.

  • VB-G RAM G Act comes into force across the country from today; “A historic day for rural India”: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

    The VB-G RAM G Act (likely a renamed/revised MGNREGA or rural employment guarantee framework) came into force across India from July 1, 2026. Key facts: national launch in Tirupati on July 2; revised wage rates notified with no daily wage below ₹300; national average wage increased by over 10%. A new central Act coming into force with specific wage figures is high-priority Prelims material.

  • India Achieves Major Milestone with Approval of Country’s First PinS Instrument Approach Procedure for Helicopter Operations

    DGCA approved India's first Private Point-in-Space (PinS) Instrument Approach Procedure for helicopter operations, implemented at Undavalli Heliport (developed by AAI). This is a named first in Indian aviation with a specific location and implementing body — classic Prelims material for science/tech and aviation sections.

  • 11 Years of Digital India: Better Healthcare & Digital Markets Making Lives Easier

    This release contains high-quality testable data: Greece is named as the 10th country to adopt UPI; every second real-time digital transaction globally is processed via India's UPI; 13 lakh Anganwadi workers connected via Poshan Tracker covering 9 crore beneficiaries. Multiple concrete facts that are prime Prelims material.

  • India, EU Advance Cooperation on Sustainable Ship Recycling; Three Indian Yards Ready for EU Recognition

    India has a 35.4% global market share in sustainable ship recycling. Three Indian ship-recycling yards are ready for EU recognition. India committed $8 billion to strengthen shipbuilding and recycling, with a target of recycling 16,000 ships. These are specific, verifiable figures in a sector where India leads globally — strong Prelims material on maritime/shipping sector.

  • GAGAN: Navigating India’s Skies with Precision

    Detailed backgrounder on GAGAN (GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation), India's Satellite-Based Augmentation System developed jointly by ISRO and Airports Authority of India (AAI). It enhances GPS accuracy for aviation, is certified to international standards, and supports satellite-based landing approaches. GAGAN is a recurring Prelims topic and this backgrounder consolidates key testable facts about its developers, purpose, and certification status.

    • The Hindu

    Latest PIB

    Latest from The Hindu

    Explore