International Relations: UPSC Previous Year Questions (International Relations and Current Affairs)

Explanation

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), 1982, defines maritime zones and rights of coastal and landlocked states.

Statement 1 is correct: According to Article 3 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), every coastal state has the right to establish its territorial sea up to a maximum breadth of 12 nautical miles from baselines determined under the convention. The state exercises full sovereignty over this zone, including its airspace and seabed.

Statement 2 is correct: Article 17 of UNCLOS provides that all states, including landlocked ones, have the right of "innocent passage" through the territorial sea of a coastal state. Innocent passage means passing through the sea without harming the security, peace, or environment of the coastal state.

Statement 3 is correct: Article 57 of UNCLOS specifies that an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) extends up to 200 nautical miles from the baseline used to measure the territorial sea. In this zone, the coastal state has special rights over marine re-sources (fishing, oil exploration, etc.) but it cannot prohibit navigation or overflight by foreign states.

Explanation

Organization of Turkic States (OTS) formerly known as the Turkic Council was established in 2009 under the Nakh-chivan Agreement. Its primary objective is to promote comprehensive cooperation among Turkic-speaking countries, fostering collaboration based on shared history, culture, and language. Full Members include Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Türkiye and Uzbekistan and Observer States are Hungary, Turkmenistan, and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). The OTS Secretariat is headquartered in Istanbul, Türkiye. Options (c) is correct:

Azerbaijan is a full member of OTS. It has strong ethnic, linguistic, and cultural ties with Turkey and other Turkic nations. Uzbekistan is a full member of OTS, joining officially in 2019. It is a Turkic-speaking Central Asian country with historical connections to the Turkic world. Armenia is not a Turkic country and is not a member of OTS. It has historical conflicts with Azerbaijan, especially over Nagorno-Karabakh. Croatia is not a Turkic-speaking country and not a member of OTS. It is part of the European Union (EU) and NATO. Romania is not a Turkic-speaking country and not a member of OTS. It has cultural ties with Hungary and the Balkans but not with the Turkic world.

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect: Bidibidi is not in Kenya. It is one of the largest refugee settlements in the world located in north-western Uganda, near the border with South Sudan.

Statement 2 is correct: Bidibidi was established in 2016 to accommodate refugees fleeing the civil war in South Sudan. Bidibidi refugee settlement in Uganda shelters people displaced by the South Sudan civil war (2013-2018). Uganda hosts over 1 million South Sudanese refugees with Bidibidi being the largest settlement.

Statement 3 is correct: The Dadaab refugee complex, located in north-eastern Kenya, has been a major shelter for Somali refugees since the outbreak of civil war in Somalia in 1991. It remains one of the largest and longest-standing refugee camps globally.

Explanation

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN). It is responsible for granting observer status to non-member entities including states and intergovernmental organizations (IGOs).

Statement 1 is correct: The UNGA can grant observer status to non-member states. Having observer status allows them to participate in its sessions and work without voting rights. For example, the Holy See (Vatican City) and Palestine have Permanent Observer status in the UN.

Statement 2 is correct: Inter-governmental organizations (IGOs) can apply for observer status in the UNGA. Examples:

European Union (EU), African Union (AU) and International Organization for Migration (IOM) have observer status at the UN.

Statement 3 is correct: Permanent Observers at the UNGA can establish diplomatic missions at the UN Headquarters in New York. Example: The Holy See and Palestine maintain Permanent Observer Missions at the UN.

Explanation

The United Nations Credentials Committee is a subsidiary committee of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) and not the UN Security Council. It is responsible for reviewing the credentials of representatives of UN member states and reporting its findings to the General Assembly.

Statement 1 is incorrect: The Credentials Committee is established by the UN General Assembly (UNGA), not the UN Security Council (UNSC). It operates independently of the UNSC and reports directly to the General Assembly.

Statement 2 is incorrect: There is no fixed schedule for the Credentials Committee. It usually meets before the annual General Assembly session in September and whenever necessary. The statement that it meets three times a year (March, June, and September) is not correct.

Statement 3 is correct: The committee reviews and validates the credentials of representatives of all UN member states. It then submits a report to the General Assembly which then votes on whether to accept or reject the credentials. This process ensures that only legitimate representatives of member states participate in UN meetings and decisions.

Explanation

Option 1 is correct: Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is a multilateral development bank headquartered in Beijing, China. It focuses on infrastructure financing in the Asia-Pacific region. India is a founding member (member since 2016) and the second-largest shareholder after China.

Option 2 is correct: Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) is an informal political agreement among 35 member countries to prevent the proliferation of missile technology capable of carrying WMDs (weapons of mass destruction). India became a full member in 2016, helping strengthen its missile development programs.

Option 3 is correct: Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a Eurasian political, economic, and security alliance originally led by China and Russia. India joined as a full member in 2017 alongside Pakistan.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: Vietnam has been one of the fastest-growing economies in recent years, with GDP growth averaging 6-7% annually. Strong manufacturing, exports, and foreign direct investment (FDI) have driven growth.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Vietnam is a one-party communist state led by the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV). There is no multi-party system in the country.

Statement 3 is correct: Vietnam’s economic growth is highly linked to its role in global supply chains, particularly in electronics, textiles, and manufacturing. It is a key exporter to the US, China, and the EU.

Statement 4 is correct: Vietnam has long attracted global manufacturers due to low labour costs, a skilled workforce, and currency stability. Major companies like Samsung, Apple (via suppliers), and Nike have expanded production in Vietnam.

Statement 5 is incorrect: While Vietnam has a growing digital economy, it does not have the most productive e-service sector in the Indo-Pacific. Countries like India and Singapore lead in e-services and digital innovation in the region.

Explanation

The Levant refers to the eastern Mediterranean region covering Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, Palestine and parts of Turkey and Egypt (Sinai Peninsula). It is derived from the French word lever (to rise) and signifies the eastward direction of the rising sun. This region has been historically significant for trade, ancient civilizations, and conflicts. The term is also associated with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), a designated terrorist organization.

Option (b) is incorrect: Region along North African shores stretching from Egypt to Morocco is generally referred to as the Maghreb, not the Levant. The Maghreb includes Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Mauritania with Egypt sometimes included in broader definitions.

Option (c) is incorrect: Region along Persian Gulf and Horn of Africa includes countries such as Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, Yemen (Persian Gulf), and Somalia, Djibouti, Eritrea (Horn of Africa).

Option (d) is incorrect: The Mediterranean coastline includes regions from Southern Europe, North Africa, and the Levant but the term "Levant" does not cover the entire Mediterranean.

Explanation

The G20 Common Framework for Debt Treatments beyond the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI) was introduced in November 2020 to help low-income countries (LICs) manage unsustainable debt burdens caused by economic shocks like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Statement 1 is correct: The G20 Common Framework was jointly developed by the G20 and the Paris Club, a group of major creditor nations that coordinate debt relief efforts. It aims to provide debt restructuring, relief, and sustainability measures for eligible countries.

Statement 2 is correct: The Common Framework focuses on low-income countries (LICs) with high debt burdens, particularly those eligible for the International Development Association (IDA) assistance. It allows for case-by-case debt restructuring, ensuring that LICs can stabilize their economies and recover from financial crises.

Explanation

Pair 1 is correctly matched: Anatolia is a historical and geographical region covering most of modern-day Turkiye. It is often in the news due to geopolitical issues, earthquakes, and archaeological discoveries.

Pair 2 is correctly matched: Amhara is a region in Ethiopia that has been in the news due to conflicts involving the Ethiopian government and Tigray forces. It is one of the major ethnic regions in Ethiopia.

Pair 3 is incorrectly matched: Cabo Delgado is in Mozambique, not Spain. It has been in the news due to Islamist insurgencies and attacks by terrorist groups in northern Mozambique.

Pair 4 is incorrectly matched: Catalonia is in Spain, not Italy. It is a region in northeastern Spain that has been in the news due to independence movements and political conflicts with the Spanish government.