UPSC Essentials subject wise Quiz: International Relations (Week 168)

3. The vice-president of the FATF is elected by the FATF Plenary from among its members.

4. Membership in the FATF is open only to sovereign states and excludes regional organizations.

Which one of the following conclusions based on the above statements is correct?

(a) There are four correct statements.

(b) There are two correct statements, that include statement 1.

(c) There is only one correct statement, that is statement 2.

(d) There is no correct statement.

Relevance: FATF is frequently in the news due to its grey list and black list mechanisms and their geopolitical implications. UPSC can ask about the structure, functions, and membership of international organisations.

Explanation

— India has been chosen for the incoming vice presidency of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the global money laundering and terror financing watchdog. Vivek Aggarwal, a 1994-batch officer of the Indian Administrative Service (Madhya Pradesh cadre) and presently Secretary, Ministry of Culture, has been elected and appointed as the vice president of FATF from July 2026 to June 2027.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 2

With reference to the Air Suvidha 2.0, consider the following statements:

1. It applies to all passengers flying outside the Indian territory.

2. It is the contactless digital platform related to the health self-declaration form online before boarding.

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

Relevance: Air Suvidha 2.0 reflects India’s evolving public health surveillance and border health security mechanisms, a recurring theme in UPSC Prelims. It is linked to digital governance, pandemic preparedness, and the implementation of the International Health Regulations (IHR), 2005.

Explanation

— As health authorities track the ongoing Ebola outbreak in Africa, India has launched AIR SUVIDHA 2.0 to strengthen airport surveillance. Announced by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the contactless digital platform requires all international arrivals to fill out a health self-declaration form online before boarding. The move follows the WHO’s decision to classify the outbreak in central Africa as a global health emergency. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— The portal, called Air Suvidha 2.0, was launched on June 25 and applies to all passengers flying into India from any country, including the large number of Indians travelling from the UAE, where direct flights to Indian cities operate daily. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— The self-declaration form, available at airsuvidha.civilaviation.gov.in, can be filled within 24 hours of the start of the journey. Passengers are advised to complete it during web check-in to speed up the arrival process. The form covers three things: a 21-day travel history, any known exposure to Ebola-affected areas, and the presence of symptoms such as fever, body aches or bleeding.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 3

With reference to the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel, consider the following statements:

1. The commission was established in May 2021 through a UNHRC resolution as an independent body to follow up on the conditions in the occupied Palestinian territory.

2. The commission is currently chaired by S Muralidhar of India.

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

Relevance: UPSC can ask questions on UN bodies, commissions of inquiry, and human rights mechanisms. The Israel–Palestine conflict remains a major international issue, making related institutions and mandates important for Prelims.

Explanation

— In a report released Tuesday (June 23), a United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) commission of inquiry said that Israel has deliberately targeted Palestinian children in Gaza, documenting a pattern of acts to establish genocidal intent.

— The commission called children “not just part of a population” but whose survival was “central to the existence and continuity of the Palestinian group”. It said: “The sheer number of cases investigated and documented by the commission showing a clear pattern that children were directly targeted by the Israeli security forces constitutes a key element in the Israeli authorities’ genocidal intent to destroy the Palestinian group in Gaza.”

— The report has been released by the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel. The commission was established in May 2021 through a UNHRC resolution as an independent body to follow up on the conditions in the occupied Palestinian territory. It is mandated to submit annual reports. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— The commission is currently chaired by S Muralidhar of India, who retired in 2023 as the Chief Justice of the Odisha High Court. Apart from Muralidhar, the commission has Florence Mumba of Zambia and Chris Sidoti of Australia as members. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— The commission cited instances to describe what it called “the intentional killing of Palestinian children through airstrikes in populated areas”. As part of the inquiry process, it interviewed medical practitioners who reported a consistent pattern of children with single gunshot wounds inflicted by quadcopters or snipers, and reviewed photos, videos, CT scans and X-rays provided by them.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 4

The “Flamingo Revolution” was recently in the news. It is associated with:

(a) Albania

(b) Greece

(c) Montenegro

(d) North Macedonia

Relevance: The “Flamingo Revolution” combines themes of environmental conservation, sustainable development, and political protest, all recurring UPSC themes. The movement also draws attention to the Western Balkans region, which is increasingly important in European geopolitics and EU expansion debates.

Explanation

— For almost a month now, thousands of Albanians have flooded the streets of the capital, Tirana, demanding the cancellation of a $1.6-billion luxury project planned for the Adriatic coast. The protests, being called the “Flamingo Revolution”, began over environmental concerns but now have turned into anti-corruption rallies asking for the resignation of Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama.

— One of the major reasons for this anger is that the project includes constructions on Sazan island and Vjosa-Narta, a wetland home for flamingos, seals and nesting sites for sea turtles, creating concern over the government’s negligence towards environmental degradation.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 5

With reference to the places in news, consider the following pairs:

1. Ras Laffan Industrial City – Saudi Arabia

2. La Guairá – Mexico

3. Qeshm Island – Iran

How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

(a) Only one pair

(b) Only two pairs

(c) All three pairs

(d) None of the above pairs

Relevance: UPSC frequently asks place-in-news questions involving ports, islands, straits, and strategic locations. Ras Laffan, La Guairá, and Qeshm Island have appeared in the context of energy security, maritime trade, and geopolitical developments.

Explanation

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 159)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 168)

Daily subject-wise quiz —  Science and Technology (Week 168)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 168)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment and Geography (Week 168)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 167)

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