UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Bengaluru gets first tariff-free Scottish salmon via U.K.FTA

Q1. With reference to the India–United Kingdom Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), consider the following: 1. Negotiations were concluded on 6 May 2025 after fourteen rounds of talks. 2. The agreement was signed in New Delhi on 24 July 2025 by the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry and the UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade. 3. The agreement entered into force on 15 July 2026. 4. India extended tariff concessions on about 99 per cent of its own tariff lines, covering nearly 100 per cent of UK exports to India. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. Negotiations were concluded on 6 May 2025 after fourteen rounds of talks.
  2. The agreement was signed in New Delhi on 24 July 2025 by the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry and the UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade.
  3. The agreement entered into force on 15 July 2026.
  4. India extended tariff concessions on about 99 per cent of its own tariff lines, covering nearly 100 per cent of UK exports to India.
  • A. 1 and 3
  • B. 2 and 4
  • C. 1, 3 and 4
  • D. 2, 3 and 4

Q2. Consider the following statements comparing the two sides' commitments under the India–UK CETA: 1. The UK grants duty-free access on nearly 99 per cent of India's export tariff lines covering almost the entire trade value, whereas India's reciprocal offer covers 89.5 per cent of its tariff lines. 2. The services package under the agreement spans 12 major service sectors and 137 sub-sectors. 3. India kept dairy products, cereals, millets and edible oils out of its tariff concessions to the UK, but granted duty-free access on apples. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The UK grants duty-free access on nearly 99 per cent of India's export tariff lines covering almost the entire trade value, whereas India's reciprocal offer covers 89.5 per cent of its tariff lines.
  2. The services package under the agreement spans 12 major service sectors and 137 sub-sectors.
  3. India kept dairy products, cereals, millets and edible oils out of its tariff concessions to the UK, but granted duty-free access on apples.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q3. The flag-off of India's first marine-product export consignments to the United Kingdom under the CETA was organised by which one of the following bodies?

  • A. The Marine Products Export Development Authority under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry
  • B. The National Fisheries Development Board under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying
  • C. The Export Inspection Council of India under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry
  • D. The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry

Q4. Under the India–UK CETA, India shielded a defined set of sensitive products by withholding tariff concessions on them. Which of the following is/are NOT part of that protected set? 1. Millets 2. Apples 3. Marine products 4. Vegetables Which of the above is/are NOT correctly identified as protected by India?

  1. Millets
  2. Apples
  3. Marine products
  4. Vegetables
  • A. 1 and 2
  • B. 3 only
  • C. 2 and 4
  • D. 1, 3 and 4

Q5. Certificates of Coverage, which operationalise India's social security agreements for workers deputed abroad, are issued by which one of the following?

  • A. The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation under the Ministry of Labour and Employment
  • B. The Employees' State Insurance Corporation under the Ministry of Labour and Employment
  • C. The Protector General of Emigrants under the Ministry of External Affairs
  • D. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry

Q6. With reference to the India–UK Agreement on Social Security Contributions, consider the following: 1. It extends the exemption period from dual social security contributions from three years to five years. 2. It was signed on 10 February 2026 and takes effect alongside CETA on 15 July 2026. 3. Over 75,000 Indian professionals and more than 900 companies are expected to benefit from it. 4. On the Indian side it is administered by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, which also issues Certificates of Coverage to deputed workers. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. It extends the exemption period from dual social security contributions from three years to five years.
  2. It was signed on 10 February 2026 and takes effect alongside CETA on 15 July 2026.
  3. Over 75,000 Indian professionals and more than 900 companies are expected to benefit from it.
  4. On the Indian side it is administered by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, which also issues Certificates of Coverage to deputed workers.
  • A. 1 and 4
  • B. 2, 3 and 4
  • C. 1, 2 and 3
  • D. 1 and 3 only

Q7. Regarding the export flag-off events held on 15 July 2026, the day the India–UK CETA entered into force, consider the following: 1. The first commercial consignments flagged off from Chennai were valued at USD 4,46,046. 2. The Bengaluru flag-off was held at the Inland Container Depot, Whitefield, and was organised by the Office of the Additional Director General of Foreign Trade, Bengaluru. 3. In the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, consignments were flagged off at three locations, including the Bharat Diamond Bourse, Nhava Sheva and SEEPZ-SEZ. 4. Every consignment flagged off across the country that day consisted exclusively of marine products. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. The first commercial consignments flagged off from Chennai were valued at USD 4,46,046.
  2. The Bengaluru flag-off was held at the Inland Container Depot, Whitefield, and was organised by the Office of the Additional Director General of Foreign Trade, Bengaluru.
  3. In the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, consignments were flagged off at three locations, including the Bharat Diamond Bourse, Nhava Sheva and SEEPZ-SEZ.
  4. Every consignment flagged off across the country that day consisted exclusively of marine products.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 2 and 4
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q8. Consider the following statements comparing the CETA entry-into-force consignments flagged off at different Indian locations: 1. The Chennai consignments comprised gold jewellery, automotive components and leather footwear, whereas the Surat consignments included studded gold jewellery, cotton embroidered fabrics and a 50-metric-tonne consignment of agricultural and processed food products. 2. India's first seafood consignments to the United Kingdom were flagged off at Thiruvananthapuram by the Marine Products Export Development Authority, a day ahead of the agreement's entry into force. 3. The Surat event was organised by the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council along with DGFT Vadodara and EEPC India, while the Bengaluru event was organised by the office of the Additional Director General of Foreign Trade. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The Chennai consignments comprised gold jewellery, automotive components and leather footwear, whereas the Surat consignments included studded gold jewellery, cotton embroidered fabrics and a 50-metric-tonne consignment of agricultural and processed food products.
  2. India's first seafood consignments to the United Kingdom were flagged off at Thiruvananthapuram by the Marine Products Export Development Authority, a day ahead of the agreement's entry into force.
  3. The Surat event was organised by the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council along with DGFT Vadodara and EEPC India, while the Bengaluru event was organised by the office of the Additional Director General of Foreign Trade.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q9. Consider the following statements about India's trade agreements other than the CETA: 1. India's Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement with the EFTA bloc, signed in 2024, covers Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein and is backed by an investment commitment of USD 100 billion. 2. The agreement concluded with Oman in December 2025 is styled a Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, while the agreement announced with New Zealand in the same month is a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. 3. India's agreement with Australia concluded in 2022 is an Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement, whereas its agreement with the UAE of the same year is a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. India's Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement with the EFTA bloc, signed in 2024, covers Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein and is backed by an investment commitment of USD 100 billion.
  2. The agreement concluded with Oman in December 2025 is styled a Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, while the agreement announced with New Zealand in the same month is a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.
  3. India's agreement with Australia concluded in 2022 is an Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement, whereas its agreement with the UAE of the same year is a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q10. Which one of India's trade agreements carries the largest headline investment commitment from its partner side, pegged at USD 100 billion?

  • A. The Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Free Trade Association
  • B. The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with the United Arab Emirates
  • C. The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement with the United Kingdom
  • D. The Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement with Australia

Q11. With reference to India–UK economic ties, consider the following: 1. Bilateral trade is of the order of USD 56–60 billion and both sides aim to double it by 2030. 2. The UK is India's fourth largest export market, with India's exports to it growing about 25 per cent in 2024-25 over the previous year. 3. The UK is India's sixth largest market for engineering exports, which grew about 11.7 per cent in 2024-25. 4. Under CETA the UK removes tariffs on all Indian exports without exception, covering the entire UK tariff schedule. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. Bilateral trade is of the order of USD 56–60 billion and both sides aim to double it by 2030.
  2. The UK is India's fourth largest export market, with India's exports to it growing about 25 per cent in 2024-25 over the previous year.
  3. The UK is India's sixth largest market for engineering exports, which grew about 11.7 per cent in 2024-25.
  4. Under CETA the UK removes tariffs on all Indian exports without exception, covering the entire UK tariff schedule.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3
  • C. 2, 3 and 4
  • D. 1 and 4 only

Q12. Consider the following pairings relating to salmon aquaculture and the first tariff-free Scottish salmon consignment to India: 1. Bakkafrost Scotland — producer of the freshly farmed salmon in the consignment received at Bengaluru 2. Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland — locations of Scotland's marine salmon farms, along with the west coast of the mainland 3. Salmon — Scotland's largest food export, with overseas sales of about GBP 528 million in the first half of 2025 4. Norway — the world's third largest producer of farmed salmon, ranking just ahead of Scotland Which of the above is/are NOT correctly matched?

  1. Bakkafrost Scotland — producer of the freshly farmed salmon in the consignment received at Bengaluru
  2. Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland — locations of Scotland's marine salmon farms, along with the west coast of the mainland
  3. Salmon — Scotland's largest food export, with overseas sales of about GBP 528 million in the first half of 2025
  4. Norway — the world's third largest producer of farmed salmon, ranking just ahead of Scotland
  • A. 1 and 3
  • B. 2 only
  • C. 4 only
  • D. 3 and 4