International Current Affairs MCQs

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The United States has officially designated Saudi Arabia as a Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) after the meeting between Donald Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) is a special strategic status that gives defence partners military, financial and technological benefits but does not provide NATO-style security guarantees. The MNNA category was created under U.S. law in the 1980s to expand America’s alliance network beyond NATO countries. The main aim of MNNA status is to boost defence cooperation, access to advanced weapons, joint military training and security coordination. The move strengthens U.S. strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia, especially given the region’s geopolitical importance.

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Nepal has extended the survey license deadline for the West Seti Hydropower Project and allowed a direct agreement for another project by Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) to support Indian power companies in developing hydropower in the Himalayan region. West Seti Hydropower Project is planned as a 750 Megawatt hydroelectric storage project on the Seti River, a tributary of the Karnali River in Nepal. It is a storage-based project, not a run-of-river project, allowing water to be stored during monsoon and electricity to be generated year-round. The project is being developed by National Hydro Power Corporation Limited (NHPC) of India under a Public-Private Partnership model.

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Seychelles has become the sixth member of the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC). The decision was made at the 7th National Security Adviser-level meeting in New Delhi. India’s National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval hosted the meeting. Seychelles previously participated as an observer state; Malaysia attended as a guest. The move strengthens CSC’s role in ensuring Indian Ocean Region stability. Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) is a regional security grouping. Current members are India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Mauritius, and Seychelles

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Oman is making history with the launch of its first-ever communications satellite OmanSat-1, marking a major leap in national digital sovereignty and space capability. The Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology (MTCIT) signed an agreement with Airbus Defence and Space to design, manufacture and launch the satellite. OmanSat-1 is built on Airbus’ OneSat platform with full digital flexibility to reconfigure while in orbit and will operate in the high-capacity Ka frequency band covering Oman, Middle East, East Africa and Asia. The mission aims for a fully Omani-operated satellite ecosystem to deliver secure high-speed communications and boost technological expertise and the national space economy.

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Cyclone Fina recently hit Australia’s Northern Territory as a Category 3 cyclone, bringing wind speeds up to 205 km per hour and severely impacting Darwin. Around 19,000 residents lost electricity, with damaged property and flooded roads, though no injuries were reported. The storm reminded residents of Cyclone Tracy (1974), though Fina was less severe but strong enough to uproot trees and disrupt essential services. Fina adds to the region’s pattern of tropical storms, reinforcing the need for stronger disaster resilience and emergency infrastructure in northern Australia.

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Tata Power Company Ltd signed agreements with Druk Green Power Corporation Ltd (DGPC) for the 1,125 Megawatt (MW) Dorjilung Hydroelectric Power Project in Bhutan. It is a run-of-river project located in Lhuentse and Mongar districts of Bhutan on the Kurichhu River, a tributary of the Drangmechhu flowing into India. It will be Bhutan’s 2nd-largest hydropower project and the largest Public–Private Partnership (PPP) hydro project in the country. The World Bank is financing the project, and it will be developed jointly under a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV).

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India, Australia and Canada launched a new trilateral technology and innovation framework called the Australia-Canada-India Technology and Innovation (ACITI) Partnership. The agreement was made on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg. The partnership focuses on enhancing cooperation on critical and emerging technologies, complementing existing bilateral initiatives. It emphasises green energy innovation and resilient supply chains, especially in critical minerals. ACITI aims to support net-zero emission goals, secure and diversify global supply chains, and build a sustainable and resilient tech ecosystem. The three countries will explore fast development and mass adoption of artificial intelligence for public benefit.

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SoLAR Phase II launched on 28 November 2025 by International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) to expand climate-resilient solar irrigation systems in South Asia and East Africa. SoLAR stands for Solar Irrigation for Agricultural Resilience in South Asia. Phase II expands climate-resilient, socially inclusive solar irrigation across India, Bangladesh, Kenya, and Ethiopia. It builds on SoLAR Phase I (2019–2024), which tested grid-connected and off-grid solar irrigation pumps (SIP), showing technical, economic, and environmental benefits. Phase II strengthens policy, financing, institutional capacity, and launched SolaReady, a spatial decision-support platform for solar irrigation planning.

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Andrej Babis, a populist billionaire and former Prime Minister (2017–2021), was sworn in again as the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic on December 9, 2025, after his party ANO (YES movement) won big in the October 3–4 parliamentary elections. He was sworn in by President Petr Pavel, who invited him to form a new government after ANO formed a majority coalition with two smaller parties: the Freedom and Direct Democracy (anti-migrant) party and the Motorists for Themselves party. The coalition will form a 16-member Cabinet, with ANO holding eight posts, the Motorists holding four, and the Freedom Party three.

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The Government of India recently showcased the country’s pioneering achievements in rural transformation and development leadership at the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) – India Day event held in Rome, Italy. The event highlighted India’s successful policies, programmes, and innovations aimed at eradicating rural poverty, strengthening livelihoods, and transforming rural economies. International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is an international financial institution and a specialised agency of the United Nations. Its primary objective is to eradicate poverty and hunger in rural areas of developing countries by empowering rural communities.