Daily Prelims MCQs — International Relations — 27th June 2025

TPP
Jun 27
4 min read

Welcome to today’s handpicked set of Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs) from the International Relations — crafted specially for the UPSC Prelims! These questions aren’t just a quiz — they’re a smart way to see how current affairs connect with core concepts, just like UPSC asks in the exam.

Each question is based on recent news and backed by clear explanations to help you build strong links between dynamic events and static knowledge.

Today’s topics include: Strait of Hormuz, PM Modi’s visited Croatia, Baja Peninsula, Operation Sindhu, SIPRI yearbook and more…

Click Here to read the Monthly Current Affairs Pointers (CAP).

QUESTION 1

The Strait of Hormuz connects the:

(a) Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman

(b) Red Sea and Gulf of Aden

(c) Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea

(d) Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea

Answer (a)

Explanation:

Approximately 20% of the world’s oil and gas passes through the Strait of Hormuz.
The Strait of Hormuz, located between Oman and Iran, connects the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, and the Arabian Sea.

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QUESTION 2

Consider the following statements:

1. This country is strategically located on the Adriatic Sea coastline.

2. It acts as a significant gateway to Europe and offers India a crucial opportunity to engage with the continent.

3. This country has various ports like Rijeka, Split and Ploče.

The above-mentioned statements refer to:

(a) Hungary

(b) Serbia

(c) Slovenia

(d) Croatia

Answer (d)

Explanation:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid his final visit to Croatia as part of a three-nation tour that also included Cyprus and Canada. This is the Prime Minister’s first international tour since Operation Sindoor, and the first time an Indian Prime Minister has visited Croatia.

About Croatia

Croatia, which is strategically placed on the Adriatic Sea coastline and serves as a vital gateway to Europe, provides India with an important opportunity to engage with the continent.
Croatia’s ports at Rijeka, Split, and Ploče are strategically located along vital European transportation corridors, including the projected Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T).
Croatia’s geographic location makes it a possible node in the ambitious India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), which intends to boost Indian trade with Europe via the Mediterranean. The extension of IMEC to the Adriatic will connect India with Central and Eastern European states that are also members of the Three Sea Initiative (3SI), a north-south trade and energy cooperation axis of 12 countries (including Croatia).

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QUESTION 3

The ‘Baja Peninsula’ was in the news. It is part of:

(a) United States

(b) Canada

(c) Mexico

(d) Russia

Answer (c)

Explanation:

This month, towns around the United States have seen enormous anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) protests in response to the Trump administration’s sweeping crackdown on illegal immigration, which critics claim targets Hispanics in particular.
These protests began on June 6 in Los Angeles, following military-style ICE raids that resulted in the incarceration of 44 persons, the majority of whom are of Mexican descent. California, specifically the city of Los Angeles, has been the epicentre of these protests.
The Spanish colonisation of the New World began in the late 15th century and lasted until the end of the nineteenth century. At its apex, Spanish territory in the Americas reached as far north as Alaska and south as Tierra del Fuego in South America.
The southern point of the Baja peninsula (now the Mexican states of Baja California and Baja California Sur) was discovered by Conquistadors in the 16th century.
The geography of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula is dominated by rugged mountains that drop off to the south. The mountains are an extension of California’s Coast Range. The dried-up remains of the Colorado River Delta sit west of the Altar Desert, along the border of Baja and mainland Mexico.

QUESTION 4

The Indian Government evacuated 110 students to Armenia from Tehran due to Israel-Iran conflict under:

(a) Operation Ganga

(b) Operation Devi Shakti

(c) Operation All Out

(d) Operation Sindhu

Answer (d)

Explanation:

In a big relief to Indian students, the first flight transporting 110 students evacuated to Armenia from Tehran owing to the Israel-Iran crisis landed in Delhi.
Due to the increased tensions between Israel and Iran, Indian students were relocated from Tehran, and 110 of them crossed the border into Armenia through preparations made by the Indian embassy under ‘Operation Sindhu’.

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QUESTION 5

What is the correct chronological order of the following countries in terms of the number of nuclear warheads, as per the latest Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) yearbook?

1. China

2. India

3. Pakistan

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 2—1—3

(b) 1—2—3

(c) 1—3—2

(d) 3—1—2

Answer (b)

Explanation:

According to the most recent Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) yearbook, India has more nuclear weapons than Pakistan, despite the fact that China has more than three times as many.
According to the SIPRI yearbook 2025, India has 180 nuclear storage weapons as of January 2025, with Pakistan having an estimated 170. As of January 2025, China has 600 nuclear warheads, 24 of which were deployed, either on missiles or on bases with operational forces.
According to the SIPRI research, Russia and the United States have the greatest military stockpiles among the nine nuclear forces, with 5,459 and 5,177, respectively, including retired warheads.