UPSC CSE Prelims
India and Major Powers Previous Year Questions (PYQs)
Showing solved Previous Year Questions for Chapter: India and Major Powers
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The Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany visited India in January, 2026. Which of the following is/are not correct in terms of outcomes of this visit ?
- Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the All India Institute of Ayurveda and the University of Hamburg
- Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Youth Hockey Development between Hockey India and the German Hockey Federation
- Establishment of a bilateral dialogue mechanism on the Indo-Pacific
- Opening of an Honorary Consul of Germany in Lucknow
Select the answer using the code given below :
Detailed Explanation:
Statement 1 — NOT Correct ✗ No MoU was signed between the All India Institute of Ayurveda and the University of Hamburg. During the visit, cooperation in traditional medicine was agreed upon between Gujarat Ayurveda University and German institutions. A prior MoU (late 2025) had been signed between AIIA and Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin — not Hamburg.
Statement 2 — Correct ✓ An MoU on Youth Hockey Development was officially signed between Hockey India and the German Hockey Federation — this outcome did take place.
Statement 3 — Correct ✓ The two nations announced the establishment of a new bilateral dialogue mechanism on the Indo-Pacific, alongside a Track 1.5 Foreign Policy and Security Dialogue.
Statement 4 — NOT Correct ✗ Following the Chancellor's focus on Gujarat, Germany announced the appointment of an Honorary Consul in Ahmedabad — NOT Lucknow.
Quick Summary:
| Statement | Correct? | Key Error |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ❌ | Hamburg → should be Charité Berlin / Gujarat Ayurveda Univ. |
| 2 | ✅ | Hockey MoU — correctly stated |
| 3 | ✅ | Indo-Pacific dialogue — correctly stated |
| 4 | ❌ | Lucknow → should be Ahmedabad |
Recently, India signed a deal known as ‘Action Plan for Prioritization and Implementation of Cooperation Areas in the Nuclear Field’ with which of the following countries?
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 2 — Russia
India signed the 'Action Plan for Prioritization and Implementation of Cooperation Areas in the Nuclear Field' with Russia to strengthen bilateral cooperation in civil nuclear energy. Russia has been a key strategic partner in India's nuclear energy sector, particularly through Rosatom's involvement in constructing the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) in Tamil Nadu. This agreement aims to enhance collaboration in nuclear fuel cycle management, construction of nuclear power projects, and advanced research in nuclear science and technology.
📝 Short Notes: India-Russia Nuclear Cooperation
- Strategic Partnership: India and Russia share a long-standing strategic partnership in civil nuclear cooperation since the Soviet era.
- Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP): Located in Tamil Nadu, built with Russian assistance through Rosatom; Units 1 and 2 are operational, and additional units are under construction.
- Nuclear Fuel Supply: Russia provides assured nuclear fuel supply to India's reactors, including those under IAEA safeguards.
- Technology Transfer: Cooperation includes technology transfer for fast breeder reactors and nuclear fuel cycle management.
- Other Nuclear Partners: India has civil nuclear agreements with the USA (123 Agreement, 2008), France, Japan, Canada, and the UK, but Russia remains the most active operational partner.
Broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA)’ is sometimes seen in the news in the context of negotiations held between India and
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 1 — European Union
The Broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA) is a comprehensive free trade agreement being negotiated between India and the European Union since June 2007. The agreement aims to liberalize bilateral trade by eliminating tariffs on approximately 90% of goods, facilitating trade in services, and promoting investment flows between the two regions. Negotiations have faced challenges over sensitive issues including market access for automobiles and agricultural products, intellectual property rights, and the movement of professionals under Mode 4 of services trade.
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