UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — U.S. and India call for ‘unimpeded’ sea trade
Q1. India's maritime vision 'SAGAR' (Security and Growth for All in the Region) was first enunciated by the Prime Minister of India in 2015 during a visit to which one of the following countries?
- A. Mauritius
- B. Seychelles
- C. Sri Lanka
- D. Maldives
Q2. In 2025, India expanded and rebranded its 2015 SAGAR vision by unveiling which one of the following as its new, overarching global maritime doctrine?
- A. MAHASAGAR
- B. Sagarmala
- C. Project Mausam
- D. Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative
Q3. With reference to the Strait of Hormuz, consider the following statements:
1. It connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman.
2. It is the world's most important oil transit chokepoint.
3. It is bordered to the north by Iran.
4. It is the only maritime export route for every Persian Gulf oil producer, none of which possesses any bypass pipeline.
Which of the statements given above is/are correctly identified?
- It connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman.
- It is the world's most important oil transit chokepoint.
- It is bordered to the north by Iran.
- It is the only maritime export route for every Persian Gulf oil producer, none of which possesses any bypass pipeline.
- A. 1, 2 and 3
- B. 2 and 4
- C. 1 and 4
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q4. The southern shore of the Strait of Hormuz, including the strategically vital Musandam Peninsula that overlooks its narrowest shipping lanes, forms part of the territory of which one of the following countries?
- A. Oman
- B. United Arab Emirates
- C. Iran
- D. Qatar
Q5. Which one of the following best describes the 'Free and Open Indo-Pacific' (FOIP) construct as invoked in India-U.S. and Quad diplomacy?
- A. A rules-based vision promoting freedom of navigation, respect for international law and unimpeded commerce from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific
- B. A collective military alliance whose members are bound by a mutual-defence treaty
- C. A customs union that eliminates tariffs among all Indo-Pacific littoral states
- D. A United Nations-mandated maritime peacekeeping mission deployed in the South China Sea
Q6. The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), the principal grouping associated with advancing the Free and Open Indo-Pacific vision, comprises how many member countries?
- A. Three
- B. Four
- C. Five
- D. Six
Q7. With reference to the outcomes of the May 2026 Jaishankar-Rubio engagements in New Delhi, consider the following statements:
1. India and the U.S. signed a bilateral framework on securing the supply, mining and processing of critical minerals and rare earths.
2. The Quad foreign ministers unveiled a Critical Minerals Initiative Framework intending to mobilise up to $20 billion.
3. Both sides jointly called for 'safe and unimpeded maritime commerce'.
4. India and the U.S. signed a mutual-defence treaty committing Indian troops to enforce a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?
- India and the U.S. signed a bilateral framework on securing the supply, mining and processing of critical minerals and rare earths.
- The Quad foreign ministers unveiled a Critical Minerals Initiative Framework intending to mobilise up to $20 billion.
- Both sides jointly called for 'safe and unimpeded maritime commerce'.
- India and the U.S. signed a mutual-defence treaty committing Indian troops to enforce a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
- A. 1 and 2
- B. 4 only
- C. 3 and 4
- D. 2 only
Q8. With reference to the Quad, whose foreign ministers met alongside the May 2026 India-U.S. engagements, consider the following statements:
1. Its members are Australia, India, Japan and the United States.
2. At their 2026 meeting the Quad foreign ministers announced a Critical Minerals Initiative Framework.
3. It is a treaty-based military alliance binding all members to collective defence.
4. Every member of the grouping is a littoral state of the Arctic Ocean.
Which of the statements given above is/are correctly identified?
- Its members are Australia, India, Japan and the United States.
- At their 2026 meeting the Quad foreign ministers announced a Critical Minerals Initiative Framework.
- It is a treaty-based military alliance binding all members to collective defence.
- Every member of the grouping is a littoral state of the Arctic Ocean.
- A. 1 and 2
- B. 1, 2 and 3
- C. 3 and 4
- D. 2 and 4
Q9. In India, the National Critical Mineral Mission - the domestic programme that underpins the 2026 India-U.S. critical minerals framework - is implemented under which one of the following Union ministries?
- A. Ministry of Mines
- B. Ministry of Coal
- C. Ministry of Earth Sciences
- D. Ministry of Steel
Q10. A committee constituted by India's Ministry of Mines identified how many minerals as 'critical minerals' for the country?
Q11. With reference to the 2026 conflict involving the U.S., Israel and Iran and its effect on shipping, consider the following statements:
1. The disruption to Gulf shipping intensified after the U.S. and Israel launched joint attacks on Iran in February 2026.
2. A fragile ceasefire has been in place since April 2026.
3. Attacks on Indian-crewed vessels off the Oman coast led to the death of three Indian seafarers.
4. Iran formally closed the Suez Canal to all international shipping during the conflict.
Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?
- The disruption to Gulf shipping intensified after the U.S. and Israel launched joint attacks on Iran in February 2026.
- A fragile ceasefire has been in place since April 2026.
- Attacks on Indian-crewed vessels off the Oman coast led to the death of three Indian seafarers.
- Iran formally closed the Suez Canal to all international shipping during the conflict.
- A. 4 only
- B. 1 and 2
- C. 3 and 4
- D. 2 only
Q12. Disputes concerning the interpretation and application of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), including questions of freedom of navigation, may be adjudicated by which one of the following bodies established under the Convention?
- A. International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea
- B. International Maritime Organization
- C. International Seabed Authority
- D. United Nations Environment Programme