UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Inter-Ministerial Briefing on Recent Developments in West Asia

Q1. In the context of the Government of India's crisis communication architecture activated during the 2026 West Asia situation, the term 'Inter-Ministerial Briefing' (IMB) is best described as which one of the following?

• A. A coordinated single-window media outreach convened by the Press Information Bureau in which senior officers of multiple Union Ministries jointly brief the press on a developing situation.
• B. A closed-door Cabinet Committee chaired by the Prime Minister empowered to take binding executive decisions during a declared national emergency.
• C. A standing inter-departmental committee under the Cabinet Secretariat that monitors the utilisation of the National Disaster Response Fund.
• D. A statutory consultative body constituted under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 to advise the National Disaster Management Authority on overseas evacuations.

Q2. With reference to facilities under India's Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) Programme (Phase-I and Phase-II), consider the following pairs of location and State: 1. Vishakhapatnam — Andhra Pradesh 2. Mangaluru — Karnataka 3. Padur — Kerala 4. Chandikhol — Odisha Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

1. Vishakhapatnam — Andhra Pradesh
2. Mangaluru — Karnataka
3. Padur — Kerala
4. Chandikhol — Odisha

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

Q3. In the context of India's energy security, Phase-II of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) Programme — frequently referenced during the 2026 Inter-Governmental Group of Ministers (IGoM) reviews on West Asia — is best described as:

• A. Two additional commercial-cum-strategic crude oil facilities of 6.5 MMT combined capacity at Chandikhol and Padur, approved by the Union Cabinet in 2021 on a Public-Private Partnership mode
• B. Expansion of the existing Vishakhapatnam, Mangaluru and Padur caverns to double their crude storage capacity, approved by the Union Cabinet in 2017
• C. Construction of underground LPG strategic reserves at Paradip and Kandla of 4.5 MMT capacity, approved by the Union Cabinet in 2019
• D. A dedicated natural gas strategic reserve of 60 days' consumption at Dahej and Hazira, approved by the Union Cabinet in 2023

Q4. Operation Sankalp, the Indian Navy's maritime security operation aimed at ensuring safe passage of Indian-flagged merchant vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, was launched in which year?

• A. 2017
• B. 2019
• C. 2021
• D. 2023

Q5. Among the following Indian government-led evacuation operations, which one evacuated the largest number of Indian nationals?

• A. Operation Kaveri (Sudan, 2023)
• B. Operation Ajay (Israel, 2023)
• C. Operation Ganga (Ukraine, 2022)
• D. Operation Raahat (Yemen, 2015)

Q6. Which one of the following maritime chokepoints carries the largest share of the world's seaborne crude oil and is, therefore, regarded as the most important oil-transit chokepoint?

• A. Strait of Malacca
• B. Bab-el-Mandeb
• C. Strait of Hormuz
• D. Turkish Straits (Bosporus)

Q7. With reference to India's foreign policy, which one of the following best describes the 'I2U2' grouping?

• A. A quadrilateral of India, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and the United States cooperating on water, energy, transportation, space, health and food security
• B. A trilateral maritime security arrangement of India, Iran and the United Arab Emirates for the Strait of Hormuz
• C. A grouping of India, Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates and the United States for the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework
• D. A grouping of India, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates and the United States focused exclusively on hydrocarbon trade

Q8. With reference to the I2U2 grouping, consider the following countries: 1. India 2. Iran 3. United Arab Emirates 4. United States Which of the above is/are correctly identified as member countries of the I2U2 grouping?

1. India
2. Iran
3. United Arab Emirates
4. United States

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

Q9. The Secretariat-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is headquartered in which one of the following cities?

• A. Abu Dhabi
• B. Doha
• C. Manama
• D. Riyadh

Q10. With reference to the maritime chokepoints of West Asia, consider the following statements: 1. The Strait of Hormuz lies between Iran and Saudi Arabia. 2. The Bab-el-Mandeb strait lies between Yemen and Djibouti. 3. The Suez Canal connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea. 4. The Strait of Tiran lies between Egypt and Jordan. Which of the statements given above are correctly identified?

1. The Strait of Hormuz lies between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
2. The Bab-el-Mandeb strait lies between Yemen and Djibouti.
3. The Suez Canal connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea.
4. The Strait of Tiran lies between Egypt and Jordan.

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

Q11. With reference to India's LPG imports, consider the following countries that, prior to the 2025 India–US LPG term deal, were traditional sources of India's LPG imports from West Asia: 1. Saudi Arabia 2. Qatar 3. United States 4. United Arab Emirates Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

1. Saudi Arabia
2. Qatar
3. United States
4. United Arab Emirates

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

Q12. Which one of the following is the nodal agency that owns and maintains India's Strategic Petroleum Reserves, the buffer used to cushion any disruption in India's crude oil imports?

• A. Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC)
• B. Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited (ISPRL)
• C. Oil Industry Development Board (OIDB)
• D. Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL)

Q13. The principal Indian statute under which the Directorate General of Shipping currently exercises its statutory powers relating to seafarer welfare, certification and ship safety was enacted in 2025. It replaced which one of the following earlier enactments?

• A. Indian Merchant Shipping Act, 1923
• B. Merchant Shipping Act, 1958
• C. Coasting Vessels Act, 1838
• D. Inland Vessels Act, 1917