UPSC Essentials daily subject quiz : International Relations MCQs (Week 170) — Check out answers with explanations

UPSC Essentials brings to you its initiative of subject-wise quizzes. These quizzes are designed to help you revise some of the most important topics from the static part of the syllabus. Attempt today’s subject quiz on  International Relations to check your progress.

🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for June 2026. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at [email protected]🚨

Consider the following statement about the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC):

1. It is an intergovernmental body within the United Nations.

2. It meets at the United Nations Office in New York.

3. UNHCR India works in cooperation only with the Government of India and does not work with the private sector.

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

(a) There are two correct statements, that include statement 2.

(b) There are two correct statements, that are statements 1 and 3.

(c) There is only one correct statement.

(d) All three statements are correct.

Story continues below this ad

Relevance: International organizations and their mandates, headquarters, composition, and functions are recurring areas in UPSC Prelims. Questions on India’s engagement with UN institutions and their activities are relevant under International Relations and current affairs.

Explanation

— In a report released, 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.

About UNHRC

— The Human Rights Council is an intergovernmental body inside the United Nations system composed of 47 member states that is in charge of promoting and protecting all human rights around the world. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— It can address all thematic human rights topics and circumstances that arise during the year. It meets at the United Nations Office in Geneva. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

Story continues below this ad

— UNHCR India collaborates with the Government of India, civil society, the private sector, and partner organisations to provide help and support to refugees in India. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: http://www.ohchr.org)

QUESTION 2

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

1. Khorramabad Valley – Syria

2. Saint Hilarion Monastery – Israel

3. Great Omari Mosque – Gaza

How many of the pairs given above are correctly marked?

(a) Only one pair

(b) Only two pairs

(c) All three pairs

(d) None of the above pairs

Relevance: UPSC can ask match-the-following questions on places in the news, especially those linked to conflicts, heritage sites, and UNESCO-related developments. Mapping-based questions involving archaeological sites, monuments, and religious landmarks have been a recurring trend in recent Prelims.

Explanation

Story continues below this ad

— Iran’s cultural heritage ministry stated that 149 historical sites across 20 provinces were damaged during the conflict, with Tehran accounting for the highest level of destruction.

— Buildings near the Khorramabad Valley, an area containing prehistoric caves with evidence of human occupation dating back roughly 63,000 years, were also damaged in the March campaign.

— UNESCO’s preliminary damage assessment verified damage to 164 sites in the Gaza Strip as of late March 2026. This includes 14 religious sites, 128 buildings of historical or artistic interest, 9 monuments, 8 archaeological sites, 3 depositories of movable cultural property, and 2 museums.

— Among the sites UNESCO has documented are Gaza’s oldest mosque, the Great Omari Mosque, which was heavily damaged in December 2023, and its oldest church, the Church of Saint Porphyrius, which was struck in October 2023 and sustained damage during the ongoing war.

Story continues below this ad

— UNESCO added the Saint Hilarion Monastery, one of the oldest monastery complexes in the Middle East, to its List of World Heritage in Danger. Israel has said its operations are directed at militant infrastructure and not at cultural property.

Khorramabad Valley – Iran

Saint Hilarion Monastery – Gaza

Great Omari Mosque – Gaza

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 3

Which of the following countries has recently returned the three antiquities (sacred Nandi, a metal trident with the image of Bhadrakali and a six-headed Karthikeya statue in stone) to Tamil Nadu, dating back to the 11th and 12th centuries?

(a) New Zealand

(b) France

(c) Netherlands

(d) Australia

Relevance: Repatriation of antiquities and cultural artefacts is an emerging UPSC theme, linking culture with international relations and heritage conservation. UPSC can ask about important temples, sculptures, deities, and archaeological artefacts that appear in current affairs.

Explanation

— Three antiquities from Tamil Nadu, dating back to the 11th and 12th centuries and housed at a museum in Australia, are all set to make their way back to India.

Story continues below this ad

— The repatriation of the antiquities is among the outcomes of the India-Australia summit during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ongoing visit to the island nation. For its part, India has committed to the repatriation of the relics of an Australian First Nations ancestor presently held at the Government Museum of Chennai.

— The antiquities that will return to India in due course, as per the commitment between the two sides, include a stone sculpture of sacred Nandi – the vehicle of Lord Shiva (11th to 12th century); a metal trident with the image of Bhadrakali (11th century); and a six-headed Karthikeya statue in stone (12th century), as per the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 4

Consider the following statements:

1. This country is among India’s largest investors, backing major infrastructure projects including a high-speed rail corridor between Mumbai ‌and Ahmedabad.

2. The country is also a member of the Quad.

3. It is the only country with which India has a dedicated institutional mechanism for the development of the North-East.

The above-mentioned statements refer to:

(a) China

(b) Australia

(c) United States

(d) Japan

Story continues below this ad

Relevance: Bilateral relations, strategic partnerships, and major infrastructure collaborations are frequently tested in UPSC Prelims. UPSC can ask questions by combining economic cooperation, connectivity projects, and India’s regional development initiatives to test conceptual clarity.

Explanation

— Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi arrives in India on her maiden visit, in what is being described as a reflection of the shared commitment of both countries to strengthen their special bond. During her three-day visit, Takaichi will participate in the 16th edition of the India-Japan Annual Summit, a mechanism established in 2006 under which the prime ministers of the two countries meet annually, each alternating as host.

— The summit follows PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Tokyo in August 2025 for the 15th edition, during which the two countries reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation across strategic, economic, technological and security domains.

— According to government statistics, around 1,400 Japanese companies operate in India, with nearly half of them in the manufacturing sector. Meanwhile, bilateral trade reached $27.5 billion in 2025-26, with Japanese investment in India ‌going up to $3.2 billion between April and December 2025.

Story continues below this ad

— Japan is among India’s largest investors, backing major infrastructure projects including a high-speed rail corridor between Mumbai ‌and Ahmedabad. Japanese firms have also increased investments in Indian companies, including a recent $1.6 billion deal for a 20% stake in Yes Bank.

— India-Japan relations provide a strategic and economic counterweight to China’s growing dominance in the region. The leaders will also discuss security cooperation and efforts to advance a free and open ‌Indo-Pacific. India and Japan are members of the Quad grouping alongside the United States and Australia, and have steadily expanded defence and strategic collaboration in recent years.

— The India-Japan ties are based on cooperation across eight key pillars — economy, economic security, mobility, environment, technology and innovation, healthcare, people-to-people exchanges, and state-prefecture engagement.

— Japan is the only country with which India has a dedicated institutional mechanism for the development of the North-East – the India-Japan Act East Forum. India and Japan are partnering on connectivity and development in Northeast India, including projects in infrastructure, urban renewal, energy, agriculture, tourism and skills.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 5

‘Phu Quoc Island’ was recently in the news. The Island is located in:

(a) Vietnam

(b) Thailand

(c) Philippines

(d) China

Relevance: Places in the news, especially islands, straits, seas, and border regions in the Indo-Pacific, are frequently asked in UPSC Prelims. UPSC can test the location of countries, islands, and water bodies associated with recent international developments.

Explanation

— The Embassy of India in Vietnam confirmed that all 15 people, including two women and 13 men, killed in the boat capsize near Phu Quoc Island earlier were Indian nationals. Search and rescue operations are on, and the Indian mission has set up control rooms in the area, the Indian Embassy in Hanoi said.

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 170)

Daily subject-wise quiz —  Science and Technology (Week 170)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 170)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment and Geography (Week 170)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 169)

Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter and stay updated with the news cues from the past week.

Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X.