UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — INDIAN NAVAL SHIP TARKASH TO PARTICIPATE IN IBSAMAR IX 2026, REAFFIRMING INDIA’S COMMITMENT TO MARITIME COOPERATION

Q1. With reference to the powers to act against piracy under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A State may seize a pirate ship on the high seas even if the ship, its crew and its victims have no connection with that State.
  2. A merchant ship that has been attacked by pirates is itself entitled under UNCLOS to seize the pirate ship on account of piracy.
  3. The penalties to be imposed on persons arrested for piracy may be decided by the courts of the State that carried out the seizure.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1 and 3 only

Q2. Consider the following statements: Which of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. Under UNCLOS, the provisions that allow any State to seize a pirate ship apply within the exclusive economic zone of a coastal State as well, and not merely on the high seas.
  2. Under UNCLOS, a coastal State exercises full sovereignty over its exclusive economic zone in the same manner as over its territorial sea.
  • A. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
  • B. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
  • C. Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect
  • D. Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct

Q3. Consider the following data reported for January–February 2024 compared with the same period a year earlier: trade volume through the Suez Canal fell by about 50 per cent; transits around the Cape of Good Hope rose by about 74 per cent; and average delivery times on diverted routes rose by 10 days or more. Which of the following inferences can be drawn from the above data?

  1. Total world seaborne trade fell by roughly half during this period.
  2. A substantial part of the fall in Suez Canal traffic reflects ships being rerouted rather than cargo simply ceasing to move.
  3. For at least some voyages between Asia and Europe, the route around the Cape takes longer than the route through the Suez Canal.
  • A. 1 and 3 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1 and 2 only

Q4. With reference to the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Dialogue Forum and BRICS, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Every member of IBSA is also a member of BRICS, but BRICS includes members that are not part of IBSA.
  2. Unlike BRICS, IBSA includes no permanent member of the UN Security Council among its members.
  3. The IBSA Fund finances development projects in other developing countries rather than within the three member States.
  • A. 2 and 3 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3
  • C. 1 and 2 only
  • D. 1 and 3 only

Q5. Consider the following assertion: 'India, Brazil and South Africa share a common stake in the reform of the UN Security Council, which gives the IBSA Dialogue Forum a distinct political agenda.' Which of the following statements support/supports the above assertion?

  1. None of the three countries is a permanent member of the UN Security Council.
  2. The three are large developing democracies from different continents that seek a greater voice for developing countries in global governance.
  3. The IBSAMAR naval exercise is conducted under the IBSA framework.
  4. The Brasilia Declaration, which formalised IBSA in 2003, included UN Security Council reform among its subjects.
  • A. 1, 2 and 4 only
  • B. 2, 3 and 4 only
  • C. 1 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4