UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Warning signals for India from NATO’s Ankara summit

Question 1

Consider the following statements regarding the 12 States that signed the Washington Treaty and founded NATO in 1949:
1. Portugal was among the original founding members.
2. Norway was among the original founding members.
3. Türkiye was among the original founding members.
4. Luxembourg was among the original founding members.
Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

Accepted Answer

3 only

Answer

1 and 2

Answer

2 and 4

Answer

1, 3 and 4

Question 2

Which one of the following was the first and, to date, the only occasion on which NATO's Article 5 collective-defence clause has been invoked?

Accepted Answer

The September 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States

Answer

The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine

Answer

The 2014 Russian annexation of Crimea

Answer

The 1999 NATO intervention in Kosovo

Question 3

Consider the following statements about the outcomes of the 2026 NATO Ankara Summit:
1. The summit reaffirmed the Article 5 collective-defence commitment.
2. Members pledged €70 billion in military equipment, assistance and training to Ukraine for 2026.
3. New industrial procurement deals exceeding €50 billion were announced at the Defence Industry Forum.
4. The summit lowered the alliance-wide defence-spending target from 5% to 3.5% of GDP.
Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

Accepted Answer

4 only

Answer

1 only

Answer

2 and 3

Answer

1, 2 and 4

Question 4

Consider the following statements comparing NATO's 2025 Hague Summit with its 2026 Ankara Summit:
1. The Hague Summit was hosted by the Netherlands, whereas the Ankara Summit was hosted by Türkiye.
2. The 5%-of-GDP defence-spending target was first endorsed at the Hague Summit and subsequently reaffirmed at Ankara.
3. At the Hague Summit all 32 members, including Spain, agreed to the 5% target, a decision that was reversed at Ankara.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

1 and 2 only

Answer

2 and 3 only

Answer

1 only

Answer

1, 2 and 3

Question 5

Through how many rounds of enlargement did NATO grow from its founding membership to its present strength of 32 members?

Accepted Answer

10

Answer

8

Answer

9

Answer

11

Question 6

Consider the following statements comparing the two most recent accessions to NATO:
1. Finland acceded in April 2023, becoming the 31st member.
2. Sweden acceded in March 2024, becoming the 32nd member.
3. Sweden joined ahead of Finland, becoming the 31st member of the alliance.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

1 and 2 only

Answer

1 only

Answer

2 and 3 only

Answer

1, 2 and 3

Question 7

The Positive Indigenisation Lists, which bar the import of notified defence items beyond specified timelines, are issued by which one of the following bodies?

Accepted Answer

Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence

Answer

Department of Military Affairs, Ministry of Defence

Answer

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)

Answer

Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry

Question 8

Consider the following statements about India's defence indigenisation:
1. India's defence exports reached a record ₹38,424 crore in FY 2025-26.
2. Two Defence Industrial Corridors have been set up, in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
3. The entire value of India's defence exports in FY 2025-26 came exclusively from Defence Public Sector Undertakings.
4. The government has set a defence production target of ₹3 lakh crore by 2029.
Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

Accepted Answer

3 only

Answer

1 and 4

Answer

2 and 3

Answer

1, 2 and 4

Question 9

Consider the following statements about the origins of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM):
1. Jawaharlal Nehru of India was among its principal founders.
2. The first NAM summit was held in Belgrade in 1961.
3. Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt was among its principal founders.
4. Mao Zedong of China was among its principal founders.
Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

Accepted Answer

4 only

Answer

1 and 2

Answer

3 and 4

Answer

2, 3 and 4

Question 10

With reference to the principal founders of the Non-Aligned Movement and the countries they represented, consider the following pairings:
1. Josip Broz Tito — Yugoslavia
2. Kwame Nkrumah — Ghana
3. Sukarno — Indonesia
4. Zhou Enlai — China
Which of the above is/are correctly identified as a founding leader–country pairing of NAM?

Accepted Answer

1, 2 and 3 only

Answer

1 and 2 only

Answer

2, 3 and 4 only

Answer

1, 2, 3 and 4

Question 11

The National Critical Mineral Mission (2025) is aimed primarily at reducing India's overwhelming import dependence, for rare earth elements, on which one of the following countries?

Accepted Answer

China

Answer

Russia

Answer

Australia

Answer

Chile

Question 12

Consider the following statements based on SIPRI data for India's arms imports during 2021-25:
1. India was the world's second-largest arms importer during this period.
2. Russia's share of India's arms imports fell to about 40%, down from about 70% in 2011-15.
3. France and Israel increased their share of India's arms imports over this period.
4. India's S-400 air-defence system was procured from France.
Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

Accepted Answer

4 only

Answer

1, 2 and 3

Answer

3 and 4

Answer

1 and 4

UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Warning signals for India from NATO’s Ankara summit

Q2. Which one of the following was the first and, to date, the only occasion on which NATO's Article 5 collective-defence clause has been invoked?

Q5. Through how many rounds of enlargement did NATO grow from its founding membership to its present strength of 32 members?

Q7. The Positive Indigenisation Lists, which bar the import of notified defence items beyond specified timelines, are issued by which one of the following bodies?

Q11. The National Critical Mineral Mission (2025) is aimed primarily at reducing India's overwhelming import dependence, for rare earth elements, on which one of the following countries?