UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — PM reviews impact of West Asia conflict in CCS meet

Q1. Which one of the following statements correctly describes the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS)?

  • A. A statutory body created under the National Security Council Secretariat, comprising the Prime Minister, the National Security Adviser and the three Service Chiefs
  • B. A standing committee of the Union Cabinet chaired by the Minister of Home Affairs, comprising the Ministers of Defence, Finance and External Affairs and the Cabinet Secretary
  • C. A Cabinet Committee constituted under the Government of India (Transaction of Business) Rules, comprising the Prime Minister and the Ministers of Home Affairs, Defence, Finance and External Affairs
  • D. A permanent inter-ministerial council notified by the Ministry of Defence, comprising the Prime Minister, the Ministers of Defence and Home Affairs and the Chief of Defence Staff

Q2. At the special meetings of the Cabinet Committee on Security convened in 2026 on the West Asia conflict, the detailed presentation on the evolving global situation and on the mitigating measures taken by various ministries and departments was made by which one of the following?

  • A. The National Security Adviser, as head of the National Security Council Secretariat
  • B. The Cabinet Secretary, as the senior-most civil servant heading the Cabinet Secretariat
  • C. The Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, as head of the Prime Minister's Office
  • D. The Foreign Secretary, as the administrative head of the Ministry of External Affairs

Q3. As per the Government's reconstitution of Cabinet Committees, which one of the following Cabinet Committees has only two members?

  • A. The Cabinet Committee on Security, which deals with defence and national security matters
  • B. The Cabinet Committee on Investment and Growth, which deals with major investment proposals
  • C. The Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, which deals with the conduct of government business
  • D. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, which deals with senior-level appointments

Q4. Which one of the following correctly describes the composition of the Cabinet Committee on Investment and Growth?

  • A. The Prime Minister, with the Ministers of Defence, Home Affairs, Road Transport & Highways, Finance & Corporate Affairs, and Commerce & Industry
  • B. The Minister of Finance & Corporate Affairs as chair, with the Ministers of Commerce & Industry, Corporate Affairs, and Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises
  • C. The Prime Minister, with the Ministers of Finance & Corporate Affairs and Commerce & Industry, and the Vice-Chairman of NITI Aayog as a member
  • D. The Prime Minister, with the Ministers of Home Affairs, Defence, Finance & Corporate Affairs, and External Affairs

Q5. With reference to the Group of Ministers (IGoM) set up in 2026 to monitor the West Asia situation and its impact on India, which one of the following is correct?

  • A. It is a Cabinet Committee chaired by the Prime Minister, with the Cabinet Secretary as member-convenor and the Ministers of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Power as permanent invitees
  • B. It is an informal group of ministers chaired by the Raksha Mantri, which monitors the sectoral impact of the conflict with support from seven Empowered Groups of Secretaries
  • C. It is an inter-ministerial group chaired by the Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas, which reports its recommendations to the National Security Council Secretariat
  • D. It is a standing committee of the Union Cabinet chaired by the Minister of External Affairs, with the Chief of Defence Staff as its principal adviser on maritime security

Q6. As assessed at the 5th meeting of the Raksha Mantri-led IGoM on West Asia, India's LPG rolling stock was stated to be sufficient for approximately how many days?

  • A. 30 days
  • B. 40 days
  • C. 45 days
  • D. 60 days

Q7. The establishment of two additional commercial-cum-strategic petroleum reserve facilities with a combined storage capacity of 6.5 MMT was approved by the Government in which year, and on which mode of implementation?

  • A. 2015, on public-private partnership mode
  • B. 2018, on engineering-procurement-construction mode
  • C. 2023, on build-own-operate-transfer mode
  • D. 2021, on public-private partnership mode

Q8. Consider the following statements regarding the Strait of Hormuz: 1. Its northern shore is formed by the United Arab Emirates. 2. It is the sea channel linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman. 3. Its southern side is formed by the Musandam exclave of Oman. 4. Qeshm and Larak are islands of Iran situated in and near the strait. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. Its northern shore is formed by the United Arab Emirates.
  2. It is the sea channel linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman.
  3. Its southern side is formed by the Musandam exclave of Oman.
  4. Qeshm and Larak are islands of Iran situated in and near the strait.
  • A. 1 and 2
  • B. 1, 3 and 4
  • C. 2, 3 and 4
  • D. 3 and 4 only

Q9. The inbound and outbound tanker traffic separation lanes of the Strait of Hormuz lie primarily within the territorial waters of which one of the following countries?

  • A. Oman, though the lanes are governed by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea
  • B. Iran, though the lanes are governed by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea
  • C. The United Arab Emirates, under a navigation regime agreed with its neighbours
  • D. Qatar, under a navigation regime agreed with its neighbours

Q10. Consider the following statements comparing India's evacuation operations from conflict zones: 1. Operation Sindhu was launched to evacuate Indian nationals from Iran, whereas Operation Ajay had been mounted earlier for Indian nationals in Israel. 2. Unlike Operation Ajay, in which evacuees were flown out directly by special flights, Operation Sindhu moved evacuees out largely over land routes through neighbouring countries before they were flown home. 3. Unlike Operation Ajay, which brought back nationals of other countries as well, Operation Kaveri from Sudan evacuated only Indian citizens. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Operation Sindhu was launched to evacuate Indian nationals from Iran, whereas Operation Ajay had been mounted earlier for Indian nationals in Israel.
  2. Unlike Operation Ajay, in which evacuees were flown out directly by special flights, Operation Sindhu moved evacuees out largely over land routes through neighbouring countries before they were flown home.
  3. Unlike Operation Ajay, which brought back nationals of other countries as well, Operation Kaveri from Sudan evacuated only Indian citizens.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q11. At the first special meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security convened in March 2026 on the West Asia conflict, the principal institutional direction issued by the Prime Minister was which one of the following?

  • A. An immediate and complete halt to all crude oil cargoes routed through the Strait of Hormuz until hostilities ended
  • B. Transfer of the entire strategic petroleum reserve stock to oil marketing companies for unrestricted commercial sale
  • C. Creation of a dedicated group of ministers and secretaries to work in a whole-of-government approach on the conflict's fallout
  • D. Constitution of a permanent statutory authority vested with exclusive control over all energy imports into India