UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Prime Minister’s visit to Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand
Q1. The New Zealand leg of the 2026 tour was designated a 'state visit'. In diplomatic protocol, a state visit is most precisely defined as which one of the following?
- A. A visit at the highest level of formality, undertaken by a Head of State/Government on the invitation of the host Head of State, with full ceremonial honours
- B. A short, agenda-driven visit for signing a specific agreement, without ceremonial honours
- C. A visit undertaken by a minister to attend a multilateral summit hosted in the country
- D. An unannounced visit made purely for reviewing bilateral trade, with protocol waived
Q2. In 2018, India and Indonesia elevated their bilateral ties to the highest tier of their partnership framework. This top-most tier is designated as which one of the following?
- A. Comprehensive Strategic Partnership
- B. Strategic Partnership
- C. Special Strategic Partnership
- D. Comprehensive Global Partnership
Q3. In the context of India-Australia trade relations, the abbreviation 'ECTA' stands for which one of the following?
- A. Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement
- B. Enhanced Commerce and Tariff Accord
- C. Economic Comprehensive Trade Arrangement
- D. Export Cooperation and Tariff Agreement
Q4. On which date did the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) enter into force?
- A. 29 December 2022
- B. 2 April 2022
- C. 21 November 2022
- D. 1 January 2023
Q5. India and New Zealand announced that they had 'concluded' FTA negotiations in December 2025. In trade-agreement parlance, 'conclusion of negotiations' most precisely means which one of the following?
- A. The two sides have reached agreement on the substance/text, which still awaits legal scrubbing, signing and ratification before taking effect
- B. The agreement has been signed by both trade ministers and is legally binding
- C. The agreement has entered into force and tariff cuts have begun
- D. Both parliaments have ratified the agreement
Q6. Which department/ministry of the Government of India leads and operationalises the negotiation of the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement?
- A. Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry
- B. Ministry of External Affairs
- C. Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance
- D. NITI Aayog
Q7. Which ministry of the Government of India is the principal nodal agency for formulating and coordinating India's Act East Policy?
- A. Ministry of External Affairs
- B. Ministry of Commerce and Industry
- C. Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER)
- D. Ministry of Defence
Q8. India's Act East Policy, reaffirmed in 2014, is best described as which one of the following?
- A. An action-oriented successor to the Look East Policy, extending engagement from ASEAN to the wider East Asia and Oceania/Indo-Pacific
- B. A policy confined exclusively to economic ties with the ten ASEAN member states
- C. A purely security and defence pact aimed at maritime patrolling in the South China Sea
- D. A connectivity programme limited to India's North-Eastern states
Q9. Within the Government of India, the ceremonial and logistical arrangements (protocol) for incoming and outgoing state and official visits are handled primarily by which one of the following?
- A. The Chief of Protocol under the Ministry of External Affairs
- B. The Ministry of Home Affairs alone
- C. The Prime Minister's Office, which solely manages all visit protocol
- D. The Cabinet Secretariat
Q10. The India-Australia CEOs Forum institutionalises business-to-business engagement. On the Indian side, it is anchored by which apex industry body, which signed a partnership arrangement with the Business Council of Australia?
- A. Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)
- B. Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)
- C. Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM)
- D. PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI)