UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — At summit, EU asked India to put ‘pressure’ on Russia to end war, says Kaja Kallas

Q1. With reference to the 16th India–EU Summit held in New Delhi (January 2026), consider the following deliverables: 1. Conclusion of negotiations on the India–EU Free Trade Agreement. 2. Launch of an India–EU Security and Defence Partnership. 3. Memorandum of Understanding between the Bharat 6G Alliance and the EU's 6G-IA. 4. India's accession as a full participating country of the EU's SAFE (Security Action for Europe) defence fund. Which of the above are correctly identified as outcomes of the 16th India–EU Summit?

1. Conclusion of negotiations on the India–EU Free Trade Agreement.
2. Launch of an India–EU Security and Defence Partnership.
3. Memorandum of Understanding between the Bharat 6G Alliance and the EU's 6G-IA.
4. India's accession as a full participating country of the EU's SAFE (Security Action for Europe) defence fund.

• A. 1 and 2 only
• B. 1, 2 and 3 only
• C. 2, 3 and 4 only
• D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q2. Who, as the European Union's principal foreign-policy figure, publicly stated during the 16th India–EU Summit (January 2026) that the EU had asked India to put 'pressure' on Russia to end the war in Ukraine?

• A. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission
• B. António Costa, President of the European Council
• C. Kaja Kallas, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the European Commission
• D. Josep Borrell, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

Q3. With reference to the institutional evolution of India–EU relations as contrasted with the outcomes of the 16th India–EU Summit (2026), consider the following statements: 1. India–EU relations were elevated to a Strategic Partnership in 2004, well before the recently announced Security and Defence Partnership. 2. India–EU Free Trade Agreement negotiations, originally launched in 2007 and suspended in 2013, were relaunched in 2022. 3. The new India–EU Security and Defence Partnership announced at the 2026 Summit is the EU's first such partnership with any Indo-Pacific country, going beyond what the EU has concluded with Japan or South Korea. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. India–EU relations were elevated to a Strategic Partnership in 2004, well before the recently announced Security and Defence Partnership.
2. India–EU Free Trade Agreement negotiations, originally launched in 2007 and suspended in 2013, were relaunched in 2022.
3. The new India–EU Security and Defence Partnership announced at the 2026 Summit is the EU's first such partnership with any Indo-Pacific country, going beyond what the EU has concluded with Japan or South Korea.

• A. 1 only
• B. 1 and 2 only
• C. 2 and 3 only
• D. 1, 2 and 3

Q4. The India–EU Free Trade Agreement, whose negotiations were concluded at the 16th India–EU Summit (January 2026), is described as creating a free trade zone that covers approximately what share of global GDP?

• A. About 10%
• B. About 25%
• C. About 40%
• D. About 55%

Q5. With reference to the 16th India–EU Summit (January 2026, New Delhi), consider the following statements: 1. It was co-chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa. 2. It adopted a Joint Comprehensive Strategic Agenda titled 'Towards 2030'. 3. The India–EU Free Trade Agreement concluded at the summit cuts tariffs on roughly 99% of Indian exports to the EU and 97% of EU exports to India. 4. The summit made India a full participating country of the EU's SAFE (Security Action for Europe) defence procurement programme. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

1. It was co-chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa.
2. It adopted a Joint Comprehensive Strategic Agenda titled 'Towards 2030'.
3. The India–EU Free Trade Agreement concluded at the summit cuts tariffs on roughly 99% of Indian exports to the EU and 97% of EU exports to India.
4. The summit made India a full participating country of the EU's SAFE (Security Action for Europe) defence procurement programme.

• A. 4 only
• B. 1 and 4
• C. 3 and 4
• D. 2 only