UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — India-ROK Comprehensive Framework for Partnership in Shipbuilding, Shipping and Maritime Logistics

Q1. Under the India-ROK 'VOYAGES' framework, which one of the following is officially described as one of the earliest implementation outcomes of the bilateral maritime cooperation?

• A. The Mega Greenfield Shipyard at Thoothukudi
• B. The expansion of Cochin Shipyard's dry dock
• C. The Vadhavan deep-draft port at Dahanu
• D. The modernisation of Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders

Q2. On the Indian side, which ministry is the nodal ministry for operationalising the India-ROK VOYAGES framework on shipbuilding, shipping and maritime logistics?

• A. Ministry of External Affairs
• B. Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways
• C. Ministry of Commerce and Industry
• D. Ministry of Defence

Q3. On the Republic of Korea's side, the sole lead ministry designated for the VOYAGES maritime framework is which of the following?

• A. Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy
• B. Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport
• C. Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries
• D. Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Q4. The Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, which the VOYAGES framework seeks to operationalise, was launched by which authority?

• A. The Prime Minister of India
• B. NITI Aayog
• C. The President of India
• D. The Sagarmala Development Company Board

Q5. The Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 sets a target of positioning India among which group of shipbuilding nations by 2047?

• A. Top three shipbuilding nations
• B. Top five shipbuilding nations
• C. Top ten shipbuilding nations
• D. Top fifteen shipbuilding nations

Q6. With reference to the upgrading of India-ROK ties in 2015, consider the following statements. Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?

1. The bilateral relationship was elevated to a 'Special Strategic Partnership' in 2015.
2. India and ROK had first established a 'Strategic Partnership' in 2010.
3. A 2+2 diplomatic and security dialogue was launched, making ROK the second country with which India had such a format.
4. The 2015 upgrade took place during the ROK President's State Visit to New Delhi.

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

Q7. In which year did India and the Republic of Korea elevate their relationship to a 'Special Strategic Partnership'?

• A. 2004
• B. 2010
• C. 2015
• D. 2018

Q8. Among the outcomes of the April 2026 State Visit of the ROK President to India, 'KIND-X' refers to which one of the following?

• A. A Korea-India Defence Accelerator innovation platform
• B. A joint ISRO-KASA space working group
• C. An industrial cooperation committee for steel supply chains
• D. A maritime heritage cooperation MoU

Q9. With reference to the Sagarmala programme and its later phase Sagarmala 2.0, consider the following statements. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. Sagarmala was launched in 2015 as the flagship port-led-development programme of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
2. Sagarmala 2.0, unlike the original programme, extends dedicated support to shipbuilding and ship repair.
3. Both Sagarmala and Sagarmala 2.0 are implemented by NITI Aayog.

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

Q10. In the context of India Maritime Week 2025, the figure of '400-plus vessels worth about Rs 2.2 lakh crore' that created the commercial logic for ROK tie-ups refers to which one of the following?

• A. The planned acquisition of vessels by Indian public agencies over the foreseeable future
• B. The total foreign direct investment committed by Korean shipbuilders in India
• C. The corpus of the Maritime Development Fund
• D. The projected annual output of the Thoothukudi Greenfield Shipyard

Q11. With reference to the Republic of Korea's shipbuilding industry, which of the following are correctly identified as among its 'big three' shipbuilders?

1. HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE)
2. Samsung Heavy Industries
3. Hanwha Ocean
4. China State Shipbuilding Corporation

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