UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Putin likely to participate in BRICS summit in Delhi, says Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister

Q1. The first BRIC summit was held at Yekaterinburg in 2009. With reference to the founding of the grouping, consider the following countries: Which of the above is/are correctly identified as original/founding members that participated in that 2009 summit?

  1. Brazil
  2. South Africa
  3. China
  4. India
  • A. 1, 3 and 4
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q2. Consider the following statements about the evolution of BRIC into BRICS. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The term 'BRIC' was coined by economist Jim O'Neill in 2001.
  2. The first formal BRIC summit was held in 2009 at Yekaterinburg.
  3. South Africa joined the grouping in 2011, transforming BRIC into BRICS.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q3. Which one of the following is the nodal Union ministry that coordinates India's overall engagement with BRICS, including outreach to the members admitted after the 2023–24 expansion?

  • A. Ministry of External Affairs
  • B. Ministry of Commerce and Industry
  • C. Ministry of Finance
  • D. Prime Minister's Office

Q4. At the 2023 Johannesburg Summit, six countries were invited to join BRICS. Which one of the following was the only invited country that subsequently declined full membership?

  • A. Argentina
  • B. Saudi Arabia
  • C. Ethiopia
  • D. Iran

Q5. India's theme for its 2026 BRICS Chairship — 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability' — rests on how many guiding pillars?

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

Q6. Consider the following statements about India's 2026 BRICS Chairship in relation to its predecessor. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. India took over the 2026 BRICS chairship from Brazil.
  2. Brazil, the immediate predecessor chair, hosted the 16th BRICS Summit in 2025.
  3. The summit under India's chairship in 2026 will be the 18th BRICS Summit, scheduled for September 2026.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q7. In India's institutional arrangement for its 2026 BRICS presidency, which one of the following leads the BRICS finance track, including India's engagement with the New Development Bank?

  • A. Ministry of Finance
  • B. Ministry of External Affairs
  • C. NITI Aayog
  • D. Ministry of Commerce and Industry

Q8. Consider the following statements about the BRICS rotating chairship. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The BRICS chairship always rotates strictly in the alphabetical order of member names.
  2. Russia chaired BRICS in 2024 and hosted the Kazan Summit.
  3. Every BRICS member is permitted to host a summit only once before the rotation repeats.
  4. India assumed the BRICS chairship for the year 2026.
  • A. 2 and 4 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 4
  • D. 2, 3 and 4

Q9. With reference to India–Russia energy ties in 2026, consider the following statements: Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. In April 2026, Russia imposed a ban on the export of gasoline to manage domestic price fluctuations.
  2. Russia stated that its existing crude oil contracts with India would continue to be honoured despite the gasoline export ban.
  3. India emerged as one of the largest buyers of Russian crude oil following the 2022 escalation of the Russia–Ukraine conflict.
  4. The April 2026 Russian export ban specifically targeted crude oil shipments to India.
  • A. 1 and 4 only
  • B. 3 and 4 only
  • C. 2 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q10. Consider the following statements regarding the ICC arrest warrant and India's hosting of the 2026 BRICS summit. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against President Putin in March 2023.
  2. India is a State Party to the Rome Statute and is therefore legally obliged to execute ICC arrest warrants.
  3. Because India is not a member of the ICC, hosting Putin for the 2026 Delhi summit creates no obligation to arrest him under the Rome Statute.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q11. With reference to BRICS institutional mechanisms, consider the following statements: Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. The New Development Bank (NDB) is headquartered in Shanghai, China.
  2. The New Development Bank and the Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA) were both established in 2015.
  3. The CRA is a mechanism to provide BRICS members protection against short-term liquidity and balance-of-payments pressures.
  4. The New Development Bank is headquartered in Moscow, Russia.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 1 and 4 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 3 and 4

Q12. With reference to BRICS after its expansion, consider the following statements: Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. BRICS accounts for about 36% of global GDP measured in PPP terms.
  2. BRICS members together make up roughly 47% of the world's population.
  3. BRICS now includes Indonesia, which became a full member in January 2025.
  4. BRICS accounts for only about 10% of the world's population.
  • A. 1 and 4 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3
  • C. 2, 3 and 4
  • D. 1 and 2 only