Raksha Mantri to lead Indian delegation at SCO Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) is a multimodal transport network aimed at boosting trade between India, Central Asia, Russia, and Europe, using a combination of sea, rail, and road routes via Iran. The corridor connects Mumbai → Bandar Abbas (Iran) → Azerbaijan → Russia → Europe, with access to Central Asia.

India signed a deal to develop the Chabahar port with Iran. Apart from the bilateral agreement between India and Iran, a trilateral transit and trade corridor deal was also signed by India, Iran and Afghanistan which would ensure easy movement of goods between the three countries, bypassing Pakistan. The Chabahar port is situated in South Eastern part of Iran and on the northern coast of Gulf of Oman It is surrounded by Afghanistan in the North, Pakistan in the North-East and India in the East. The location of the Chabahar port is of strategic importance to India in linking trade routes from the Indian Ocean to Afghanistan, Central Asia and also to Europe; thereby avoiding a land route through Pakistan.

All 6 participants of the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation are member countries bordering the basins of the Mekong and Ganga rivers, aiming to collaborate on various initiatives. These countries are: - India - Cambodia - Laos - Myanmar - Thailand - Vietnam Hence, China & Bangladesh are not part of the Mekong-Ganga Corporation.

APMCHUD is an intergovernmental mechanism for collaboration and cooperation in the field of housing and development among Asia Pacific countries. Statement 1 is incorrect. The 1st APMCHUD was held in New Delhi, India from 13th-16th December 2006 on the theme of A Vision for Sustainable Urbanization in the Asia-Pacific by 2020. Statement 2 is also incorrect. The Conference of APMCHUD is a biennial event . This event is hosted by one of the member countries whose offer is consented to by the members in the previous conference of the APMCHUD.

At COP28, India chose not to sign the “Declaration on Climate and Health,” and this decision can be understood by analyzing the nature of the declaration and India’s concerns. ✅ Statement I: Correct. India did not sign the COP28 Declaration on Climate and Health, unlike over 120 other countries. ❌ Statement II: Incorrect. The declaration is not legally binding; it is a voluntary political commitment. Signing it does not legally mandate countries to decarbonize their health sectors immediately. ✅Statement III: Correct. India’s concern is that rapid decarbonization of its health sector could compromise the resilience and accessibility of healthcare services, given current developmental challenges and resource constraints. Therefore, only Statement III correctly explains Statement I, while Statement II is factually wrong about the binding nature of the declaration.

* India signed the ‘Action Plan for Prioritization and Implementation of Cooperation Areas in the Nuclear Field’ with Russia. * India and Russia have a long-standing strategic partnership in the field of civil nuclear cooperation. * The agreement aims to enhance collaboration in areas such as nuclear fuel cycle management, nuclear power projects, and research in nuclear science and technology. * Russia has been a key partner in India's nuclear energy sector, particularly through Rosatom, which has been involved in building Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) in Tamil Nadu. * Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States have also engaged in nuclear cooperation with India but were not part of this specific agreement.

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC): India is not a member of APEC. Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN): India is not a member of ASEAN, but it is a part of ASEAN6. East Asia Summit: India is a member of the East Asia Summit. Therefore, out of the given options, India is only a member of the East Asia Summit.

* Subrahmanyam Jaishankar is an Indian diplomat and politician serving as the Minister of External Affairs of India since 2019. He has authored two prominent books: * 'The India Way: Strategies for an Uncertain World' (2020) which provides insights into India's foreign policy approach. * 'Why Bharat Matters' is a compilation of his articles and speeches that delve into India's global significance.

China-Led Initiative BRI is a global development strategy spearheaded by the Chinese government. It aims to create a network of trade routes connecting China with other countries in Asia, Europe, and Africa through investments in infrastructure development. Hence, option D is the correct answer.

The Organization of Turkic States, formerly called the Turkic Council or the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States, is an international organization comprising prominent independent Turkic countries - Azerbaijan
- Kazakhstan
- Kyrgyzstan - Turkey
- Uzbekistan