UPSC CSE Prelims
International & Regional Organizations Previous Year Questions (PYQs)
Showing solved Previous Year Questions for Chapter: International & Regional Organizations
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With reference to ‘Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)’ consider the following statements:
- It is an organization of European Union in working relation with NATO and WHO
- It monitors the chemical industry to prevent new weapons from emerging
- It provides assistance and protection to States (Parties) against chemical weapons threats.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 2 — 2 and 3 only
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: OPCW is an independent, autonomous international organization based in The Hague, Netherlands, not an organization of the European Union. It implements the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and has 193 member states globally. While it cooperates with NATO, WHO and other organizations, it is not under their purview or limited to Europe.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: OPCW monitors chemical industries worldwide through routine inspections of declared chemical production facilities to ensure that toxic chemicals are not diverted for weapons purposes. This verification regime prevents the emergence of new chemical weapons.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: Under Article X of the Chemical Weapons Convention, OPCW provides assistance and protection to member states facing chemical weapons threats. This includes offering training, protective equipment, detection technology, and emergency response support to enhance national chemical security capabilities.
The term ‘Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership’ often appears in the news in the context of the affairs of a group of countries known as
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 2 — ASEAN
The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is a mega free trade agreement signed in November 2020 involving ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and its five major trading partners — China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand. ASEAN is at the core of this partnership, making it the largest regional trading bloc covering approximately 30% of global GDP and population. India was initially part of the negotiations but withdrew in 2019 citing concerns over trade deficits and impact on domestic industries. The agreement came into force in January 2022 and aims to reduce tariffs, streamline trade rules, and enhance economic integration across the Asia-Pacific region.
‘Belt and Road Initiative’ is sometimes mentioned in the news in the context of the affairs of -
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 4 — China
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), also known as One Belt One Road (OBOR), is a massive global infrastructure development strategy launched by China in 2013. It aims to enhance connectivity and cooperation between Asia, Europe, Africa, and beyond through two main components: the Silk Road Economic Belt (overland routes) and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road (sea routes). China invests in ports, railways, highways, and energy projects across participating countries to strengthen trade linkages and expand its economic influence globally.
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‘European Stability Mechanism’, sometimes seen in the news, is an
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 2 — agency of EU that provides financial assistance to eurozone countries
The European Stability Mechanism (ESM) is an intergovernmental organization established in September 2012 as a permanent financial assistance mechanism for eurozone member states facing financial difficulties. With a maximum lending capacity of €500 billion, it serves as a financial firewall to safeguard the stability of the eurozone by providing emergency loans and financial support to countries experiencing severe economic distress, subject to strict conditions and policy reforms.
Which of the following is not a member of ‘Gulf Cooperation Council’?
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 1 — Iran
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is a regional political and economic union established on 25 May 1981. It consists of six Arab states of the Persian Gulf: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Iran, despite being a Gulf nation, is not a member of the GCC due to political, sectarian, and ideological differences with the Arab member states.
Consider the following statements:
- New Development Bank has been set up by APEC.
- The headquarters of the New Development Bank is in Shanghai.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 2 — 2 only
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: The New Development Bank (NDB) was established by BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa), not by APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation). It was conceptualized at the fourth BRICS Summit in New Delhi (2012) and formally established at the sixth BRICS Summit in Fortaleza, Brazil (2014).
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: The headquarters of the New Development Bank is located in Shanghai, China. The bank became operational in 2015 with the mandate to mobilize resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in BRICS and other emerging economies.
‘Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action’ often seen in the news, is
Detailed Explanation:
Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action is a comprehensive agenda for women's empowerment adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing, China in 1995.
It was convened by the United Nations and identified 12 critical areas of concern including women and poverty, violence against women, women in power and decision-making, and education and training of women.
India is a member of which of the following?
- Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.
- Association of South-East Asian Nations.
- East Asia Summit
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Detailed Explanation:
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: India is not a member of APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation); it has sought membership but faces opposition from some existing members.
❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: India is not a member of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), though it is a Sectoral Dialogue Partner (1992) and Full Dialogue Partner (1995).
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: India is a founding member of the East Asia Summit (EAS) since its inception in 2005, a key platform for regional strategic dialogue.
With reference to ‘Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC)’, Consider the following statements:
- It was established very recently in response to incidents of piracy and accidents of oil spills
- It is an alliance meant for maritime security only
Which of the following statements given above is/are correct?
Detailed Explanation:
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: IOR-ARC (Indian Ocean Rim Association) was established in March 1997 in Mauritius, not recently, to promote economic and technical cooperation among Indian Ocean rim countries, not in response to piracy or oil spills.
❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: IOR-ARC is a multi-sectoral regional cooperation platform covering trade, investment, tourism, fisheries, and cultural cooperation, not limited to maritime security only.
In the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation, an initiative of six countries, which of the following is/are not participant/ participants?
- Bangladesh
- Cambodia
- China
- Myanmar
- Thailand
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: Cambodia is a founding member of the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC) launched in 2000.
✅ Statement 4 – Correct: Myanmar is one of the five ASEAN countries participating in MGC alongside India.
✅ Statement 5 – Correct: Thailand is a member country of MGC representing the Mekong basin region.
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: Bangladesh is NOT a member of MGC; the initiative includes only India and five ASEAN nations (Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam).
❌ Statement 3 – Incorrect: China is NOT a participant in MGC, despite the Mekong River originating in the Tibetan Plateau.
Amnesty International is -
Detailed Explanation:
Amnesty International is a global human rights movement and non-governmental organization (NGO) founded in 1961 with over 7 million members worldwide.
It campaigns for the protection of human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, focusing on issues like freedom of expression, abolition of death penalty, refugee rights, and prevention of torture—it is not a UN agency nor specifically focused on poverty alleviation or medical emergencies.
The ‘Fortaleza Declaration’ recently in the news, is related to the affairs of:
Detailed Explanation:
The Fortaleza Declaration was adopted at the 6th BRICS Summit held in Fortaleza, Brazil in July 2014.
Key outcomes included the establishment of the New Development Bank (NDB) and the Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA), making it a landmark declaration for BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) cooperation in financial and economic matters.
Consider the following countries:
- Denmark
- Japan
- Russian Federation
- United Kingdom
- United States of America
Which of the above are the members of the ‘Arctic Council ‘?
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Denmark (1) – Correct: Member state of the Arctic Council representing the Kingdom of Denmark, which includes Greenland and the Faroe Islands.
❌ Japan (2) – Incorrect: Holds observer status in the Arctic Council, not a member state.
✅ Russian Federation (3) – Correct: Member state as one of the eight nations with sovereignty over lands within the Arctic Circle.
❌ United Kingdom (4) – Incorrect: Holds observer status, not a member state of the Arctic Council.
✅ United States (5) – Correct: Member state due to its Alaskan territory within the Arctic region.
The Arctic Council has eight member states: Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russian Federation, Sweden, and United States.
With reference to a grouping of countries known as BRICS, consider the following statements:
- The First Summit of BRICS was held in Rio de Janeiro in 2009.
- South Africa was the last to join the BRICS grouping.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Detailed Explanation:
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: The First BRIC Summit was held in Yekaterinburg, Russia in June 2009, not in Rio de Janeiro. Brazil hosted the Third BRICS Summit in 2011 after South Africa joined.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: South Africa joined the group in December 2010 (formally participated in 2011 Summit), becoming the fifth and last member, transforming BRIC into BRICS. The original members were Brazil, Russia, India, and China.