UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — India’s opportunity to put BRICS back together

Q1. The acronym 'BRIC' originated in a 2001 paper by a Goldman Sachs economist. By which year did that paper project that the four BRIC economies could come to dominate the global economy?

  • A. By the year 2030, when their combined output was projected to overtake the G-7
  • B. By the year 2040, when their combined output was projected to overtake the G-7
  • C. By the year 2050, if their rates of growth were maintained
  • D. By the year 2075, if their rates of growth were maintained

Q2. As stated in Government of India releases issued during its Chairship year, how many countries constitute the full membership of BRICS taking part in the 18th BRICS Summit at Bharat Mandapam?

  • A. Four countries, the original economies named in the acronym
  • B. Five countries, unchanged since South Africa's admission
  • C. Nine countries, following the first round of expansion
  • D. Eleven countries, following the expansion of the grouping

Q3. The 18th BRICS Summit at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi (12–13 September 2026) and its preparatory ministerial meetings are being held under which theme adopted for India's Chairship?

  • A. Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability
  • B. BRICS Partnership for Global Stability, Security and Prosperity
  • C. Strengthening Global South Cooperation for More Inclusive Governance
  • D. BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Accelerated Growth and Development

Q4. Which one of the following is the nodal body of the Government of India that steers the country's BRICS Chairship and launched its official logo, theme and website?

  • A. The Ministry of External Affairs, through its multilateral economic relations wing
  • B. The Department of Economic Affairs in the Ministry of Finance
  • C. The Department of Commerce in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry
  • D. NITI Aayog, through its vertical dealing with international cooperation

Q5. Counting the Chairship assumed on 1 January 2026, how many times in all has India chaired and hosted a BRICS leaders' summit?

  • A. Twice, counting the summits of 2012 and 2026
  • B. Thrice, counting the summits of 2012, 2016 and 2026
  • C. Four times, counting the summits of 2012, 2016, 2021 and 2026
  • D. Five times, counting the summits of 2012, 2013, 2016, 2021 and 2026

Q6. Which one of the following statements about Indonesia's association with BRICS is correct?

  • A. It is the first Southeast Asian country to be admitted as a full member of the grouping, joining in January 2025
  • B. It was admitted as a full member with effect from 1 January 2024, in the same cohort as Iran and the United Arab Emirates
  • C. It was welcomed as a BRICS partner country in January 2025, in the same list as Belarus, Malaysia and Thailand
  • D. It has been a full member since the 2023 Johannesburg Summit at which the first round of expansion was announced

Q7. Which one of the following best describes the mandate of the New Development Bank as approved by the Union Cabinet at the time of India's accession to its founding agreement?

  • A. To mobilise resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in BRICS and other emerging and developing economies
  • B. To provide short-term liquidity support to member countries through currency swaps to mitigate balance-of-payments pressures
  • C. To act as a clearing house settling intra-BRICS trade in national currencies through rupee-denominated correspondent accounts
  • D. To pool the foreign exchange reserves of member countries in order to issue a common BRICS reserve currency

Q8. At which BRICS Summit did the leaders first take up the proposal to set up a new BRICS-led development bank and direct their finance ministers to examine its feasibility?

  • A. The Fourth BRICS Summit held at New Delhi in March 2012
  • B. The Sixth BRICS Summit held at Fortaleza, Brazil in July 2014
  • C. The Eighth BRICS Summit held at Goa in October 2016
  • D. The Thirteenth BRICS Summit chaired by India in the year 2021

Q9. In the context of settling cross-border trade in Indian rupees, a 'Special Rupee Vostro Account' is best described as which one of the following?

  • A. A rupee account of a correspondent bank of the partner trading country, opened with an authorised dealer bank in India with prior approval of the Reserve Bank
  • B. An account of an Indian bank maintained abroad in the currency of the partner country, used to receive and hold export proceeds in that foreign currency
  • C. An escrow account of an Indian exporter held directly with the Reserve Bank, in which receipts from sanctions-affected partner countries are parked pending clearance
  • D. A foreign currency account of a resident Indian exporter with an authorised dealer bank, maintained to hedge rupee exposure arising on trade with BRICS partners