Geopolitics & International Conflicts

* 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.

The correct answer is Yemen and South Sudan. Yemen and South Sudan are two countries in which lakhs of people suffered from acute famine/malnutrition and died due to starvation caused by war or conflicts. These countries are facing a humanitarian crisis due to famine and civil war.

Catalonia - It is located in Spain. - It is bordered by France and Andorra in the north, the Mediterranean Sea to the east, the autonomous community of Valencia to the south, and the autonomous community of Aragon to the west. The Republic of Crimea - Officially part of Ukraine, lies on a peninsula stretching from the south of Ukraine between the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. - It is separated from Russia by the narrow Kerch Strait. Mindanao - It is an island located in the Philippines. - It is surrounded by the Bohol, Philippine, Celebes, and Sulu seas. Oromia - It is a regional state of Ethiopia. - Ethiopia is a landlocked country located in Eastern Africa.

India signed the Additional Protocol to the IAEA safeguards agreement on May 15, 2009. An additional protocol to the Safeguards Agreement between the Government of India and the IAEA for the Application of Safeguards to Civilian Nuclear Facilities entered into force on 25 July 2014. Hence option 1 is correct.

Aleppo is a city in Syria , serving as the capital of the Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. Kirkuk is a city in Iraq , serving as the capital of the Kirkuk Governorate, located 238 kilometres north of Baghdad. Mosul is a major city in northern Iraq situated on the west bank of the Tigris, opposite the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh on the east bank. Mazar-e Sharif, the city is in Afghanistan , 35 miles south of the border with Uzbekistan. Hence, B is the correct option.

The Two-State Solution is used in the context of the Israel-Palestine issue. It envisages an independent State of Palestine alongside the State of Israel west of the Jordan River.

ASEAN has five free trade agreements (FTAs) with six Dialogue Partners, namely China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, India, and Australia and New Zealand. All Parties have ratified the FTA Agreements. USA is not a dialogue partner of ASEAN. So, they don't share a free trade agreement.

Statement 1 (access to latest nuclear technology) is correct. This is a consequence of NSG membership. NSG members can trade nuclear materials, equipment, and technology for peaceful purposes. This access can be crucial for a country's nuclear energy program or medical isotope production. Statement 2 (automatic NPT membership) is incorrect. Becoming an NSG member doesn't automatically qualify a country for NPT membership. NPT is a separate treaty focusing on nuclear non-proliferation, and membership has different requirements. The correct answer is 1 only.

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.

Statement 1 is incorrect. The inaugural IONS was held in February 2008 in New Delhi, India. The Indian Navy served as the Chair for the first two years (2008-2010). Statement 2 is correct. IONS is indeed a voluntary initiative that aims to promote maritime cooperation among the navies of countries bordering the Indian Ocean. It provides a platform for discussions on regional maritime security issues and fosters friendly relationships between participating nations.