UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Finalising India-U.S. trade deal not far-off, but some gaps remain: U.S. official

Q1. On the United States side, who is the lead/chief negotiator holding the trade-negotiating authority for the India–U.S. Bilateral Trade Agreement (Phase 1 interim deal)?

  • A. The U.S. Trade Representative (Ambassador Jamieson Greer)
  • B. The U.S. Secretary of Commerce
  • C. The U.S. Secretary of the Treasury
  • D. The U.S. Secretary of State

Q2. Under the framework of the first phase of the India–U.S. Bilateral Trade Agreement, India proposed to eliminate or reduce tariffs on several U.S. agricultural products. Consider the following four items: 1. Soybean oil 2. Wine and spirits 3. Tree nuts 4. Pulses Which of the above is/are correctly identified as products on India's tariff-concession list under the framework?

  1. Soybean oil
  2. Wine and spirits
  3. Tree nuts
  4. Pulses
  • A. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • B. 1 and 4 only
  • C. 2, 3 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q3. With reference to the U.S. tariffs on Indian imports in 2026, consider the following statements: 1. The IEEPA-based 'reciprocal' tariff on India was first set at 50% before being lowered to 18%, whereas the replacement tariff imposed under Section 122 was set at 10%. 2. Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 caps the temporary import surcharge at 15% and limits its duration to 150 days, a ceiling that did not apply to the IEEPA-based tariffs. 3. It was the Section 122 tariffs, and not the IEEPA reciprocal tariffs, that the U.S. Supreme Court struck down in February 2026. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The IEEPA-based 'reciprocal' tariff on India was first set at 50% before being lowered to 18%, whereas the replacement tariff under Section 122 was set at 10%.
  2. Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 caps the temporary import surcharge at 15% and limits its duration to 150 days, a ceiling that did not apply to the IEEPA-based tariffs.
  3. It was the Section 122 tariffs, and not the IEEPA reciprocal tariffs, that the U.S. Supreme Court struck down in February 2026.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q4. The interim 10% U.S. import tariff applied to Indian goods effective 24 February 2026, after the earlier reciprocal tariffs were invalidated, was imposed under which legal authority?

  • A. Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974
  • B. Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974
  • C. The International Emergency Economic Powers Act, 1977
  • D. Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962
  • 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