Day 13

• 01 Aug 2020

Welcome to the Prelims Refresher Programme 2020 - Article Page. On this page, we will provide you with 3 things:

• A list of topics for revision.
• A brief discussion of the topics if needed.
• Links to various sources for preparing these topics.

In the comments, you can ask us to clear your doubts regarding any of the topics listed on the page. We will do our best to explain and clarify your doubts. Further, we may also share links to other web based learning sources like websites or videos, or may refer to you, books, documents etc. Please be cordial to your fellow aspirants and use these doubt-clearing conversations strictly to its stated purpose.

International and Bilateral Agreements

Following issues regarding International and Bilateral Agreements have been in the news headlines, and UPSC most of the times asks important agreements to test awareness of aspirants. Some of these topics are important for this year's prelims. According to the trend observed, the agreements, the facts, the provisions, basic background information can be asked by the UPSC from these topics.

International And Regional Bodies

• UNESCO
• Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)
• UNICEF
• International Labour Organization (ILO)
• G-7
• Arctic Council
• South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)
• TRAFFIC
• CITES
• National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
• World Health Organization (WHO)
• Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)
• World Trade Organisation (WTO)
• United Nations (UN)
• UNFCCC
• International Criminal Court (ICC)
• International Court of Justice (ICJ)
• European Union (EU)
• International Monetary Fund (IMF)
• World Bank Group
• BRICS
• G20
• East Asia Summit (EAS)
• ASEAN
• Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)
• BIMSTEC
• World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO)

Previous Year Questions on International And Regional Bodies

Q. Consider the following countries: (2018)

1. Australia
2. Canada
3. China
4. India
5. Japan
6. USA

Which of the above are among the ‘free-trade partners’ of ASEAN?

(a) 1, 2, 4 and 5

(b) 3, 4, 5 and 6

(c) 1, 3, 4 and 5

(d) 2, 3, 4 and 6

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Q. Consider the following statements: (2016)

1. New Development Bank has been set up by APEC.
2. The headquarters of New Development Bank is in Shanghai.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

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Q. In the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation, an initiative of six countries, which of the following is/are not a participant/participants? (2015)

1. Bangladesh
2. Cambodia
3. China
4. Myanmar
5. Thailand

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 2, 3 and 4

(c) 1 and 3

(d) 1, 2 and 5

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Q. With reference to a grouping of countries known as BRICS, consider the following statements: (2014)

1. The First Summit of BRICS was held in Rio de Janeiro in 2009.
2. South Africa was the last to join the BRICS grouping.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

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Q. The Security Council of UN consists of 5 permanent members, and the remaining 10 members are elected by the General Assembly for a term of (2009)

(a) 1 year

(b) 2 years

(c) 3 years

(d) 5 years

India and Great Powers

India-US relations

• India-US Relations
• India-US Relationship
• India-US Agreements
• USA President's Visit to India
• India-US Trade
• India-US '2+2' Talks

India-Russia relations

• Recalibration of India-Russia Ties
• India - Russia
• India-Russia Bilateral Relations: Longstanding, Time-tested Partners
• India and Russia: Ties in Transition
• Russia: An all-weather defence partner

India-European Union Relations

• India-EU Virtual Summit
• European Union (EU)
• Trade and Economic Relation between India and European and Oceania Countries. Trade and Economic Relation between India and European and Oceania Countries.
• Significance of 15^th India-European Union Summit
• Agreement on Scientific Cooperation Between India and EU
• Impact of Brexit

India-Japan relation

• India-Japan
• India-Japan: Beginning of a “New Era”
• The Big Picture: India - Japan 2+2
• India-Japan Summit
• Dynamism Must Drive Indo-Japan Ties
• Japan's Cooperation to India

Q. Recently, the USA has decided to support India’s membership in multilateral export control regimes called the “Australia Group” and the “Wassenaar Arrangement”. What is the difference between them? (2011)

1. The Australia Group is an informal arrangement which aims to allow exporting countries to minimize the risk of assisting chemical and biological weapons proliferation, whereas the Wassenaar Arrangement is a formal group under the OECD holding identical objectives. Science & Technology Drishti Publications 383
2. The Australia Group comprises predominantly of Asian, African and North American countries whereas the member countries of Wassenaar Arrangement are predominantly from the European Union and American Continents.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

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Q. 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?

(a) Japan

(b) Russia

(c) The United Kingdom

(d) The United States of America

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Q. A present group of nations known as G-8 started first as G-7. Which one among the following was not one of them? (2009)

(a) Canada

(b) Italy

(c) Japan

(d) Russia

---

Q. What is “Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)”, sometimes seen in the news? (2018)

(a) An Israeli radar system

(b) India’s indigenous anti-missile programme

(c) An American anti-missile system

(d) A defence collaboration between Japan and South Korea.

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Q. Which of the following adopted a law on data protection and privacy for its citizens known as ‘General Data Protection Regulation’ in April 2016 and started implementation of it from 25^th May, 2018?

(a) Australia

(b) Canada

(c) The European Union

(d) The United States of America

Indian Foriegn Policy

• Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)
• Revival of Non-Alignment Movement
• 18^th Non-Aligned Summit
• Virtual NAM Summit
• SAGAR Vision
• Mission Sagar
• Act East Policy

Q. With reference to “Look East Policy” of India, consider the following statements: (2011)

1. India wants to establish itself as an important regional player in East Asian affairs.
2. India wants to plug the vacuum created by the termination of the Cold War.
3. India wants to restore the historical and cultural ties with its neighbours in Southeast and East Asia.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

International Treaties

• International Seed Treaty
• United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements
• Extradition Treaty between India and Belgium
• 50 Years of Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)
• China to Join UN Arms Trade Treaty
• Open Skies Treaty
• Model Bilateral Investment Treaty
• Convention on Global Cybercrime
• New START Treaty
• China to Join UN Arms Trade Treaty

Q. With reference to the ‘Trans-Pacific Partnership’, consider the following statements: (2016)

1. It is an agreement among all the Pacific Rim countries except China and Russia.
2. It is a strategic alliance for the purpose of maritime security only.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

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Q. Consider the following countries: (2015)

1. China
2. France
3. India
4. Israel
5. Pakistan

Which among the above are Nuclear Weapons States as recognized by the Treaty on the NonProliferation of Nuclear Weapons, commonly known as Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1, 3, 4 and 5 only

(c) 2, 4 and 5 only

(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

Indian Diaspora

• India's Diaspora
• Indian Diaspora
• Indian Diaspora Largest in the World: UN Report

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