International Current Affairs MCQs

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Russia has officially declared that it is no longer bound by the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. The INF Treaty was signed in 1987 between the United States and the Russia (formerly Soviet Union). Its objective was to destroy two categories of lethal missile systems to slow down the nuclear arms race. The treaty targeted ground-launched missiles with a range of 500 to 5,500 kilometres. It emerged after a massive missile build-up in Europe by both powers that threatened continental security. It was signed during the leadership of US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. The treaty enabled mutual verification, leading to the dismantling of 2,619 missiles in three years.

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The European Union (EU) has offered concessions to United States manufacturers on climate-related trade rules, including the carbon tax and deforestation regulations. Ahead of the next India-EU trade talks in Brussels, Indian negotiators plan to seek similar relief for Indian exporters. A senior government official highlighted that Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and other climate-related rules remain the most challenging issues in the India-EU trade deal. CBAM is an European Union (EU) tariff on carbon-intensive imports to prevent carbon leakage. It aims to put a fair price on carbon emissions from imported goods and promote cleaner production globally.

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The Lithuanian Parliament approved Social Democrat Inga Ruginiene as Lithuania’s new Prime Minister. Ruginiene is the current Minister of Social Security and Labour. Ruginiene was first elected to Parliament in 2024. Before politics, she served as Chair of the Lithuanian Trade Union Confederation. This marks a significant political development in Lithuania with a new leadership under a Social Democrat Prime Minister.

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India announced 1,000 e-scholarships for Afghan nationals for the academic year 2025-26. The initiative is part of the Special Scholarship Scheme for Afghan Nationals (SSSAN) through the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). Students can pursue online undergraduate and postgraduate courses through the e-VidyaBharati (e-VB) i-learn portal. The scheme continues India’s commitment to Afghan students after similar grants in 2023-24 and 2024-25. Afghan nationals aged 18 to 35 years are eligible to apply.

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Australia developed the MQ-28A Ghost Bat, a 38-foot-long unmanned military drone, as a “robot wingman” for fighter jets. It operates autonomously alongside manned fighter jets to enhance capabilities and reduce pilot risks. Australia has invested about $650 million in partnership with Boeing to develop and produce the drones domestically, the first aircraft designed in Australia in over 50 years. About 70% of components are made in Australia; production includes new factories in Toowoomba, Queensland State. The program aims to strengthen sovereign defense capabilities and reduce reliance on the U.S. for military equipment.

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Sebastien Lecornu has been appointed as France’s fifth Prime Minister in less than two years. French President Emmanuel Macron announced his appointment after the government collapsed following a no-confidence vote. Lecornu is 39 years old and has served as France’s Armed Forces Minister for the past three years. He played a key role in responding to the Russia-Ukraine war and is the only minister retained since Macron’s 2017 election. Lecornu pledged to defend France’s independence, unity, and political stability.

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The Philippines strongly objected to China’s announcement of creating a nature reserve at Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. Scarborough Shoal is a disputed atoll located 220 km west of the Philippines’ Luzon Island and is the largest atoll in the South China Sea. It remains mostly submerged at high tide, with only a few rocks above sea level. China calls it Huangyan Island and claims historical ownership tracing back to the Yuan Dynasty of the 1200s. The Philippines claims it lies within its 200-nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The shoal is commercially significant due to rich fishing grounds, valuable shellfish, and sea cucumbers.

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India hosted the 89th General Meeting (GM) of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) from 15–19 September 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a nonprofit organization established in 1906, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. It prepares and publishes international standards for electrical, electronic, and related technologies. Its mission is to promote global cooperation in electrotechnical standardization. This is the fourth time India is hosting the General Meeting (GM) of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), after 1960, 1997, and 2013.

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Recently, the governments of the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US) announced a series of nuclear power deals. Leading US-based companies will build nuclear projects overseas. The initiative aims to accelerate advanced reactor deployment and reduce dependence on Russian nuclear fuel. It is named the Atlantic Partnership for Advanced Nuclear Energy. The partnership includes faster safety approvals, regulatory cooperation, and billions in private sector investment. The initiative strengthens transatlantic cooperation in nuclear energy and strategic energy security.

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Recently, the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying signed a Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) agreement with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to strengthen Blue Port infrastructure in India. The Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) was created to make FAO’s technical expertise available to member countries on request. Its purpose is to improve food security and reduce poverty with lasting impact. Its goal is to solve technical problems in crop production, livestock, fisheries, aquaculture, forestry, nutrition, food safety, and rural development under the Country Programming Framework (CPF). Two pilot fishing ports, Vanakbara (Diu) and Jakhau (Gujarat), will receive strategic and operational tools to design and implement investment projects.