Daily Prelims MCQs – International Relations – 21st August 2025

Welcome to this daily set of UPSC Prelims International Relations Current Affairs MCQs (21st August 2025). This quiz features 8 high-quality multiple-choice questions with detailed explanations, focusing on contemporary global developments, international organisations, and India’s external engagements.

This set covers important topics such as:

• European Union membership and non-EU countries relevant for India’s trade diversification.

• Equator Prize 2025 by UNDP and India’s women-led initiative in millet farming.

• Humanitarian crisis and food security collapse in Gaza with FAO–UNOSAT satellite assessment.

• FAO–UK initiative to support Afghanistan’s rural livelihoods under the ReAL project.

• The Scarborough Shoal dispute in the South China Sea between China and the Philippines.

• India’s membership in SCO and QUAD, and its absence from APEC and OECD.

• The US-led Operation Midnight Hammer against Iran’s nuclear facilities.

• Terms like “axis of evil” and “axis of resistance”, their origins and current relevance in West Asian geopolitics.

These questions are highly relevant for UPSC Prelims 2026, as they combine static International Relations knowledge with dynamic current affairs, helping aspirants develop both factual accuracy and analytical skills.

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

QUESTION 1

Which of the following European countries is/are not members of the European Union (EU)?

1. Liechtenstein

2. Germany

3. Switzerland

4. France

5. Norway

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 2 and 4 only

(c) 5 only

(d) 1, 3 and 5

Answer (d)

Explanation:

• The European Union (EU) is a political and economic union of 27 member states in Europe, which functions as a single market with common policies on trade, agriculture, and regional development.

• The current members include Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.

  Hence, both Germany (2) and France (4) are EU members.

• However, several European countries are not part of the EU. These include:

  • Liechtenstein (1) – a microstate in Central Europe, though it participates in the European Economic Area (EEA) and is closely linked to Switzerland.

  • Switzerland (3) – opted out of EU membership through referenda, but maintains bilateral treaties and is part of the Schengen Area (free movement zone).

  • Norway (5) – not an EU member, but like Liechtenstein, it is part of the EEA, giving it access to the EU’s single market.

• Other non-EU European countries include Iceland, Monaco, San Marino, Vatican City, Andorra, and post-Brexit United Kingdom.

QUESTION 2

With reference to the Equator Prize 2025, consider the following statements:

1. It is announced annually by UNICEF.

2. It recognises nature-based solutions led by Indigenous Peoples and local communities that advance sustainable development and ecological resilience.

3. In 2025, there was no winner from India.

 How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Answer (a)

Explanation:

• The Equator Prize is not announced by UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, which primarily focuses on child welfare and education).

• Instead, it is conferred by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under its Equator Initiative, launched in 2002 to recognise outstanding community-led environmental solutions. Hence, Statement 1 is incorrect.

• The award specifically honours nature-based solutions – approaches that use ecosystems and biodiversity to address societal challenges like food security, water management, and climate change.

• It highlights the role of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in advancing sustainable development (meeting present needs without compromising future generations) and ecological resilience (the capacity of ecosystems to recover from shocks). Hence, Statement 2 is correct.

• In 2025, India did have a winner: the Bibifathima Swa Sahaya Sangha (Self Help Group).

• This women-led collective supports more than 5,000 farmers across 30 villages, focusing on millet-based multi-cropping, community seed banks, and solar-powered food processing.

• This demonstrates India’s active presence among the prize winners. Hence, Statement 3 is incorrect.

QUESTION 3

According to a new satellite-based assessment conducted jointly by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations and the United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT), which of the following regions has 98.5% of its cropland either destroyed or inaccessible?

(a) South Sudan

(b) Southern Ukraine

(c) Eretria

(d) Gaza Strip

Answer (d)

Explanation:

• The Gaza Strip, a densely populated Palestinian territory with over 2 million residents, is currently facing an acute food security crisis.

• A joint satellite imagery assessment conducted by the FAO (a UN agency working to combat hunger and ensure food security) and UNOSAT (the UN’s satellite data analysis centre) revealed that 98.5% of Gaza’s cropland is now damaged, inaccessible, or both.

• This leaves only 1.5% of agricultural land, equivalent to 232 hectares, available for cultivation.

• Just a few months earlier, in April 2025, around 4.6% of cropland (688 hectares) was still cultivable, which shows the rapid deterioration of farming conditions.

• Factors contributing to this collapse include:

  • Ongoing conflict, which has destroyed infrastructure and restricted farming activity.

  • Severe limits on humanitarian aid delivery, including food and agricultural supplies.

  • Widespread destruction of irrigation systems, roads, storage facilities, equipment, and local markets.

• The combination of vanishing cropland, destroyed infrastructure, and blocked humanitarian access has created catastrophic famine-like conditions in Gaza.

QUESTION 4

Which of the following countries has recently partnered with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations to launch a new initiative aimed at improving food security, strengthening rural livelihoods, and helping Afghan communities cope with climate and economic shocks?

(a) United Kingdom

(b) United States

(c) Russia

(d) India

Answer (a)

Explanation:

• The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), a specialised UN agency, responsible for international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition, has partnered with the United Kingdom government on a new programme for Afghanistan.

  • FAO HQ → Rome, Italy.

  • Focus Areas → Food security, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and rural development.

• This initiative is designed to enhance food security (ensuring reliable access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food), boost rural livelihoods, and strengthen Afghan communities against climate variability and economic instability.

• The central project under this collaboration is the Resilient Agriculture Livelihoods (ReAL) project, to be implemented over ten months.

• The project will directly benefit 151,000 people, covering around 21,572 households across 15 provinces in eight regions of Afghanistan.

• Priority will be given to small-scale farmers, livestock keepers, and landless labourers.

• Importantly, it will also focus on widows and women-headed households, recognising them as highly vulnerable groups in Afghan society.

• Funding for this initiative comes through the UK’s PREVALE programme (Promoting Resilient and Equitable Recovery of Agriculture and Livelihoods in Afghan Communities).

QUESTION 5

The “Scarborough Shoal”, recently in the news, is a disputed maritime territory primarily between: (a) China and Vietnam

(b) China and the Philippines

(c) Malaysia and Indonesia

(d) Indonesia and Brunei

Answer (b)

Explanation:

• The Scarborough Shoal is a small group of rocks and reefs in the South China Sea, located west of the Philippines’ Luzon island.

• It is a disputed maritime territory primarily claimed by China and the Philippines.

• Recently, China’s military announced that it had “monitored and expelled” a US destroyer sailing close to the shoal.

• The US Navy, however, stated that its operation was consistent with international law and the principle of freedom of navigation (a rule under international maritime law allowing ships to sail freely in international waters).

• This was the first recorded US naval operation in six years in the waters around Scarborough Shoal.

• The action came a day after the Philippines accused Chinese vessels of carrying out dangerous manoeuvres and unlawful interference during a supply mission to the shoal.

• The dispute is significant because the South China Sea is one of the world’s busiest waterways and is also believed to hold large reserves of oil and natural gas.

  NOTE:- Remember, Scarborough Shoal = China vs Philippines, while Spratly Islands involve multiple claimants (China, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Taiwan).

QUESTION 6

Consider the following international organisations/forum:

1. Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)

2. Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD)

3. Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)

4. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

Which of the above groupings include India as a member?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1, 2 and 3 only

(c) 2 and 4 only

(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Answer (a)

Explanation:

Organisation / Forum	Headquarters	Members	Focus Areas
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)	Beijing, China	9 members [incl. China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran (joined in 2023), Belarus (joined in 2024)]	Regional security, counter-terrorism, economic and energy cooperation
Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD)	Informal (no HQ)	4 members (India, US, Japan, Australia)	Indo-Pacific security, maritime cooperation, technology, countering China’s influence
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)	Singapore (Secretariat)	21 Pacific Rim economies (e.g., US, China, Japan, Australia)	Free trade, economic integration, sustainable growth
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)	Paris, France	38 members (mostly high-income economies like US, UK, Japan, EU members)	Economic policy coordination, development, governance

QUESTION 7

Operation ‘Midnight Hammer’ refers to which of the following?

(a) A secret Cold War mission by Russia to tunnel under Alaska.

(b) A joint offensive by Brazil and Argentina during the Falklands War.

(c) An Israeli cyberwarfare campaign carried out during conflict with Iran.

(d) A United States–led precision strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Answer (d)

Explanation:

• Operation ‘Midnight Hammer’ was the codename for a series of precision air strikes conducted by the United States on Iran’s nuclear program.

• The operation marked a major escalation in the Middle East, pushing US–Iran relations to their lowest point since the 1979 Iranian Revolution (when Iran’s monarchy was overthrown and a Shia clerical regime took power).

• The mission involved a large aerial fleet of over 125 aircraft, showcasing the scale of the operation.

• Among these were seven B-2 stealth bombers, advanced US aircraft designed to penetrate enemy defenses while remaining undetected by radar.

• The operation relied heavily on deception tactics (military strategies intended to confuse or mislead the opponent about the true nature of the attack).

• The strikes were targeted at three of Iran’s most sensitive nuclear facilities: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.

  • Fordow: A deeply buried uranium enrichment facility.

  • Natanz: Iran’s primary site for uranium enrichment.

  • sfahan: A site associated with nuclear fuel production.

• These sites are critical because they represent the backbone of Iran’s nuclear development program, which has long been a point of contention in global geopolitics.

QUESTION 8

Consider the following pairs:

1. ‘Axis of Evil’ – refers to Iran, Iraq, and North Korea

2. ‘Axis of Resistance’ – refers to a coalition of Iran-backed groups in West Asia

Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer (c)

Explanation:

Axis of Evil vs Axis of Resistance

Aspect	Axis of Evil	Axis of Resistance
Who coined the term?	US President George W. Bush in his 2002 State of the Union Address	Adopted by analysts and media to describe Iran-led coalition
Constituents	Iran, Iraq, and North Korea	Iran-backed groups like Hezbollah, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), and Houthis
Nature	Sovereign nation-states accused of supporting terrorism and seeking WMDs (Weapons of Mass Destruction)	Non-state actors (armed groups) supported politically, militarily, and financially by Iran
Origin/Context	Post-9/11 US foreign policy framing adversaries as a single bloc of threats	Rooted in the 1979 Iranian Revolution, when Iran’s Shia regime sought to expand influence and counter Israel, US, and Saudi Arabia
Strategic Purpose	US justification for strong action, including military interventions (e.g., Iraq War 2003)	Regional coalition to resist Western and Israeli influence in West Asia
Key Theme	US-defined enemy axis threatening global security	Iran-defined resistance front against perceived occupation, hegemony, and external interference

Previous Daily UPSC Prelims MCQs Set

• 20th Aug 2025 - Polity MCQs

• 19th Aug 2025 - Economy MCQs

• 16th Aug 2025 - History & Culture MCQs

• 13th Aug 2025 - Polity MCQs

• 8th Aug 2025 - International Relations MCQs

  
  

Previous Week Current Affairs MCQs Set

• 18th Aug 2025 - Current Affairs MCQs

• 4th Aug 2025 - Current Affairs MCQs

• 28th July 2025 - Current Affairs MCQs

• 21st July 2025 - Current Affairs MCQs

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