UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — India - Israel Joint Statement

Q1. The India-Israel 'Special Strategic Partnership' declared in February 2026 is framed around how many thematic pillars named in its official title?

  • A. Two
  • B. Three
  • C. Four
  • D. Five

Q2. In the timeline of India-Israel relations, what did India's action of 29 January 1992 specifically signify?

  • A. India recognised the State of Israel for the first time
  • B. India established full diplomatic relations with Israel, leading to resident embassies
  • C. India elevated ties with Israel to a Strategic Partnership
  • D. India and Israel concluded a bilateral Free Trade Agreement

Q3. Which Union ministry is the nodal ministry that conducts India's diplomatic relationship with Israel and coordinated the February 2026 State Visit?

  • A. Ministry of External Affairs
  • B. Ministry of Commerce and Industry
  • C. Ministry of Defence
  • D. Prime Minister's Office

Q4. Of the Centres of Excellence approved under the Indo-Israel Agriculture Project, how many are currently fully functional?

  • A. 13
  • B. 35
  • C. 43
  • D. 75

Q5. Which is the lead Israeli agency that partners the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in operating the Centres of Excellence under India-Israel agriculture cooperation?

  • A. MASHAV (Israel's Agency for International Development Cooperation)
  • B. MASAV
  • C. Israel Securities Authority
  • D. Israel Innovation Authority

Q6. Under the February 2026 Joint Statement, the first meeting of a newly announced bilateral Joint Working Group, scheduled for early 2026, pertains to which sector?

  • A. Health
  • B. Cyber security
  • C. Water resources
  • D. Agriculture

Q7. The IFSCA, which signed the 2026 MoU with the Israel Securities Authority and regulates India's GIFT-IFSC gateway used in West Asia economic engagement, is a statutory authority functioning under which Union ministry?

  • A. Ministry of Finance
  • B. the Reserve Bank of India, which alone regulates every IFSC entity
  • C. the Ministry of Commerce, which solely administers GIFT City
  • D. the Ministry of External Affairs, which exclusively handles all cross-border MoUs

Q8. Consider the following elements. Which of the above are correctly identified as features of India-Israel defence, cyber and technology cooperation under the February 2026 Joint Statement?

  1. Establishment of an India-Israel Centre of Excellence in Cybersecurity in India
  2. A critical and emerging technologies partnership covering AI, quantum technology and critical minerals
  3. Commitment to joint development, joint production and transfer of technology in defence
  4. Deployment of a joint India-Israel military base in the Negev desert
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 2 and 4 only
  • C. 1, 3 and 4
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4