41. Which of the following statements relating to India-Palestine relations is / are correct?

1. The Prime Minister of India visited Palestine in February 2018

2. During this visit India and Palestine signed six Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) for cooperation in the field of infrastructural development in Palestine

3. This was the first ever visit to Palestine by an Indian Prime Minister in 30 years

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1, 2 and 3

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1 only

Answer: (a)

42. Which of the following statements regarding the visit of the Minister of State of External Affairs of India to North Korea in May 2018 is / are correct?

1. This is the first Ministerial visit from India to North Korea after a gap of 45 years

2. India and North Korea established formal diplomatic contact in December 1973

3. The two sides decided to explore cooperation in the field of vocational education,

agriculture, promotion of Yoga and traditional medicine

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1, 2 and 3

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 1 only

(d) 2 and 3 only

Answer: (d)

43. Which of the following statements regarding the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is / are correct?

1. The SCO is an international Organization consisting of India, Pakistan, Russia, China , Japan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan

2. The Headquarters of SCO is located at Beijing, China

3. Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) exercises are conducted as part of the SCO’s Peace Missions

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1, 2 and 3

(b) 1 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 2 only

Answer: (c)

44. Which of the following statements regarding the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is / are correct?

1. BIMSTEC is a group of seven countries in South Asia and South East Asia lying in the littoral and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal constituting a contiguous regional unity

2. BIMSTEC was established in June 1997 through the Bangkok Declaration

3. It is sector-driven organization dealing with only six sectors including trade, technology, energy, transport, tourism and fisheries

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (a)

45. Which of the following statements regarding India- Myanmar border relations is / are correct?

1. There are free movement rights for people ordinarily residing in the border areas of both countries

2. The Union Cabinet recently approved an agreement between India and Myanmar on land border crossing which the government said would enhance economic interaction between people of the two countries

3. The agreement will safeguard the traditional rights of the largely tribal communities residing along the border which are accustomed to free movement across the land border

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1, 2 and 3

(d) 1 only

Answer: (c)

46. Which of the following statements regarding India - U.S trade relations is / are correct?

1. The U.S claims that India’s export promotion programmes have harmed American workers and Washington has escalated the issue at the World Trade Organization

2. The US has formally launched a case against India on India’s export subsidies

3. The US had in March challenged practically almost all of India’s export programmes saying that thousands of Indian companies are receiving benefits totaling over $7 billion annually through those schemes

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1, 2 and 3

(d) 1 only

Answer: (c)

47. In March 2018, India invited trade and commerce ministers of 52 countries including the U.S and China for an informal meeting in Delhi. Which of the following statements with regard to the above meeting is / are correct?

1. The meeting comes against the backdrop of imposition of import duties on steel and aluminium by the US administration, and Washington dragging India to the WTO against export incentive programmes

2. India appealed to the WTO members to identify common ground for strengthening the multi-lateral trade body amid challenges being faced by it following the deadlock at the Buenos Aires Ministerial Conference in December 2017

3. Although India has invited Pakistan for the meeting, it has decided to skip the conference

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1, 2 and 3

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 1 only

(d) 2 and 3 only

Answer: (a)

48. Which of the following statements about import of sugar by India is / are correct?

1. India imports about 20% of its total imports of sugar from Pakistan

2. Upper limit to impose import duty on sugar under WTO guidelines is 150%

3. Sugar is mostly imported from Brazil

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1, 2 and 3

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 1 only

(d) 2 and 3 only

Answer: (d)

49. Iraq had conducted elections for its parliament recently. Which of the following statements with regard to the above is / are correct?

1. These elections were the first since Iraq declared victory over the Islamic State (IS) group in December 2017

2. An alliance headed by former Shia militia chief Moqtada al-Sadr has won the parliamentary elections in Iraq

3. Mr. Sadr’s party and its allies campaigned on a platform of fighting corruption and investing in public services

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1, 2 and 3

(d) 1 only

Answer: (c)

50. The USA has pulled out of the 2015 international deal with Iran to curb its nuclear programme in return for easing sanctions. Which of the following statements with regard to this is / are NOT correct?

1. Since the U.S. withdrawal, the remaining parties have all pledged to stick to the deal if Tehran respects its terms

2. Beijing and Moscow have also stepped up efforts to support the US to scrap the deal

3. The European Commission called for doing more to help Iran’s energy sector and small and medium-sized companies, as part of confidence-building measures

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1, 2 and 3

(d) 2 only

Answer: (d)