UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — The U.S. ends Russia oil waiver, implications for India

Q1. With reference to the membership of the Price Cap Coalition on Russian seaborne crude oil, consider the following statements: Which of the above statements is/are NOT correct?

  1. Australia is a member of the Price Cap Coalition.
  2. Japan is a member of the Price Cap Coalition.
  3. India is a member of the Price Cap Coalition.
  4. Canada is a member of the Price Cap Coalition.
  • A. 1 and 4
  • B. 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3
  • D. 1, 2 and 4

Q2. With reference to the G7/EU price cap on Russian seaborne crude oil, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The price cap was set at US$60 per barrel.
  2. It came into force on 5 December 2022.
  3. It legally prohibits third-country buyers such as India from importing Russian crude.
  4. It bars Western firms from providing insurance and shipping for Russian crude sold above the cap.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 3 and 4 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 4
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q3. Which one of the following Union Ministries is the nodal ministry concerned with the import of crude oil and petroleum products in India?

  • A. Ministry of Commerce and Industry
  • B. Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
  • C. Ministry of External Affairs
  • D. Ministry of Finance

Q4. With reference to India's crude oil import profile, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. India meets about 88% of its crude oil needs through imports.
  2. India is the world's third-largest oil importer after the United States and China.
  3. In January–October 2025, Russia was India's single largest crude oil supplier.
  4. India imports crude oil exclusively from Russia, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 1 and 4 only
  • C. 2, 3 and 4
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q5. With reference to the additional US tariff imposed on India in August 2025 over its Russian oil purchases, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. It was imposed through an executive order titled 'Further Modifying the Reciprocal Tariff Rates'.
  2. It took effect on 27 August 2025, raising total US tariffs on India to 50%.
  3. It was imposed under Section 231 of CAATSA rather than as a reciprocal-tariff measure.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q6. With reference to the August 2025 US tariff action on India and India's response, consider the following statements: Which of the above statements is/are NOT correct?

  1. India's Ministry of External Affairs termed the additional tariffs 'unfair, unjustified and unreasonable'.
  2. The United States framed the additional tariff as a national-security concern.
  3. The additional tariff took effect 21 days after its announcement.
  4. According to the MEA, India was the only country importing Russian oil.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 4 only
  • C. 2 and 3
  • D. 1 and 4

Q7. Which one of the following statements best describes the Strait of Hormuz?

  • A. The only maritime passage connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and open ocean, carrying roughly a quarter of the world's seaborne oil trade
  • B. The strait linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden past the Bab-el-Mandeb
  • C. The channel between the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra connecting the Indian and Pacific Oceans
  • D. The waterway connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea via the Suez Canal

Q8. With reference to the Strait of Hormuz, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. About 20.3 million barrels of petroleum per day transit the Strait of Hormuz, roughly a quarter of the world's maritime oil trade.
  2. Unlike the Strait of Malacca, the Strait of Hormuz has no readily available alternative maritime route.
  3. The shipping lanes of the Strait of Hormuz lie within Iranian territorial waters.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q9. Which one of the following Indian refiners handling Russian crude imports is a private-sector company?

  • A. Indian Oil Corporation (IOC)
  • B. Bharat Petroleum (BPCL)
  • C. Nayara Energy
  • D. Mangalore Refinery (MRPL)

Q10. The following pairs match Indian refiners of Russian crude with their ownership sector. Consider the pairs: Which of the above statements is/are NOT correct?

  1. Reliance Industries — private sector
  2. Nayara Energy — private sector
  3. Bharat Petroleum (BPCL) — public sector
  4. Mangalore Refinery (MRPL) — private sector
  • A. 1 and 2
  • B. 3 only
  • C. 4 only
  • D. 2 and 4

Q11. With reference to Phase-I of India's Strategic Petroleum Reserves operated by ISPRL, consider the following statements about their locations: Which of the above statements is/are NOT correct?

  1. Visakhapatnam is a Phase-I Strategic Petroleum Reserve location.
  2. Mangaluru is a Phase-I Strategic Petroleum Reserve location.
  3. Padur is a Phase-I Strategic Petroleum Reserve location.
  4. Chandikhol is a Phase-I Strategic Petroleum Reserve location.
  • A. 4 only
  • B. 1 and 2
  • C. 3 only
  • D. 2 and 4

Q12. With reference to CAATSA and the August 2025 US tariff on India, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. CAATSA was enacted in 2017, and its Section 231 mandates secondary sanctions on entities conducting significant transactions with Russia's defence sector.
  2. India faced potential CAATSA sanctions over its purchase of the S-400 missile system.
  3. The August 2025 additional tariff on India was imposed under CAATSA's Section 231.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3