International Current Affairs MCQs

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The government of India launched Operation Brahma to assist earthquake victims in Myanmar. A 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit Myanmar on 28th March 2025, killing at least 1,000 people, with over 10,000 feared dead, as per the United States Geological Survey. Under the Neighbourhood First policy and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief framework, India sent two Indian Air Force C-130J aircraft from Hindon Air Force Station, Uttar Pradesh. The Indian Navy prepared four ships carrying 50 tonnes of relief materials. India is coordinating aid efforts through Myanmar’s government, as many affected areas are controlled by Ethnic Armed Organisations.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin launched Perm, a Project 885M Yasen-class nuclear-powered submarine, from Murmansk. Perm is a fourth-generation nuclear-powered attack submarine of the Yasen-M class (Project 885M). Named after the city of Perm in the Urals, it is the sixth vessel in the Yasen/Yasen-M series. It is the first Russian nuclear submarine officially equipped with the 3M22 Zircon hypersonic cruise missile as a standard feature. Perm is expected to enter service with the Russian Navy in 2026.

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China launched new military drills named “Strait Thunder-2025A” in the middle and southern parts of the Taiwan Strait. A strait is a narrow body of water connecting two larger water bodies. The Taiwan Strait, also called the Black Ditch, was named Formosa (“Beautiful”) by Portuguese navigators in the late 16th century. It lies between China’s Fukien province and Taiwan, connecting the South China Sea and the East China Sea. This strait is a major global shipping route, with 44% of the world’s container fleet passing through. The Median Line, or Davis Line, runs through it but is not recognized by China.

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India urged BRICS nations—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—to support the Baku to Belém Roadmap. It was adopted at Conference of the Parties 29 (COP29) in 2024. The roadmap aims to mobilize USD 1.3 trillion to help developing nations meet their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement. It focuses on defining a New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on climate finance post-2025 and ensuring finance is predictable, adequate, and accessible. As BRICS countries now represent 47% of the world’s population and 36% of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Purchasing Power Parity (PPP), their united climate efforts are crucial for a fair global transition.

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Bangladesh has taken over as the new Chair of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) for the next two years. The Chairmanship was handed over by the Prime Minister of Thailand to Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of the Interim Government of Bangladesh. Muhammad Yunus highlighted the need for an inclusive and action-oriented BIMSTEC. He assured Bangladesh’s strong commitment to boost regional cooperation and development. BIMSTEC is a regional group of seven countries – Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand – located around the Bay of Bengal.

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Mauritius has become the first African country and the fourth globally to sign a Country Partnership Framework (CPF) with the International Solar Alliance (ISA). The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is a global platform that promotes solar energy cooperation among member countries. The CPF offers a structured plan for long- and medium-term collaboration on solar projects aligned with Mauritius’s national goals. This agreement aims to speed up clean energy transition through joint solar initiatives. A Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) will be created to suit Mauritius’s energy needs.

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The Philippines confirmed the deployment of the United States anti-ship missile system NMESIS for this year’s Balikatan military exercises. NMESIS stands for Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System. It is developed for the United States Marine Corps (USMC) to support land-to-sea missile attacks. It uses the Naval Strike Missile (NSM), the latest anti-ship missile of the United States Navy. The missile is mounted on an unmanned version of the Oshkosh Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV). The vehicle platform is called Remotely Operated Ground Unit for Expeditionary (ROGUE) Fires. Oshkosh Defense supplies the ROGUE Fires vehicle. The Naval Strike Missile is jointly made by Raytheon Missiles and Defense from the United States and Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace from Norway.

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Kuwait’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, who chairs the Intergovernmental Negotiations on UNSC reforms, recently stated that India will be a strong contender if the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is expanded. Kuwait and Austria currently co-chair the Intergovernmental Negotiations on United Nations Security Council (UNSC) reform. The UNSC is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations, tasked with maintaining international peace and security. All UN member states must comply with UNSC decisions under the UN Charter. The UNSC determines threats to peace, recommends settlement methods, imposes sanctions, and authorizes military actions. It consists of 15 members: 5 permanent members with veto power and 10 elected non-permanent members. The UNSC is headquartered in New York City.

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Uganda recently declared the end of the Ebola Sudan Virus Disease (SVD) outbreak after completing a 42-day mandatory countdown without new confirmed cases. The declaration came less than three months after the virus was detected in Kampala, the capital. The World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines require 42 days without new cases for a country to be declared Ebola-free. Uganda first declared the SVD outbreak on January 30, following the death of a nurse. There are no approved treatments or vaccines for the Sudan strain of Ebola, as vaccines are still in clinical trials.

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The Iranian government declared a day of national mourning on April 28 following a deadly blast at Shahid Rajaee port. The explosion occurred when a fuel tanker detonated at the port near Bandar Abbas in Hormozgan Province. The blast resulted in 28 deaths and over 1,200 injuries. The oil facilities at the port were not affected by the blast.