11. Who has presented India’s Voluntary National Review (VNR) at the United Nations High-level Political Forum (HLPF)?
[A] S Jai Shankar
[B] Shaktikanta Das
[C] Rajiv Kumar
[D] Amitabh Kant
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Rajiv Kumar]
Notes:
Dr Rajiv Kumar, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog presented India’s second Voluntary National Review (VNR) at the United Nations High-level Political Forum (HLPF) 2020.
The HLPF is the international platform for review of progress on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It meets annually in July under the UN’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). The India VNR 2020 report was titled “Decade of Action: Taking SDGs from Global to Local”.
12. Who is the President of the European Commission, who has represented the EU in the India-EU virtual summit?
[A] Ursula von der Leyen
[B] Christine Lagarde
[C] Kristalina Georgieva
[D] Philip R. Lane
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Ursula von der Leyen]
Notes:
The 15th summit between the India and the European Union was held recently through a virtual mode. India was represented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The EU was represented by Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission and Charles Michel, President of the European Council. The leaders adopted the “India-EU Strategic Partnership: A Roadmap to 2025”, a strategic guide for mutual cooperation, over the next five years.
13. India signed a MoU with which country to develop a strategic petroleum reserve?
[A] Malaysia
[B] United States
[C] Afghanistan
[D] Japan
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [United States]
Notes:
India has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the United States, to store strategic reserves of Petroleum in the US.
The countries are also planning to store oil in America’s strategic reserve to increase India’s oil reserves. Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan co-chaired a virtual US-India Strategic Energy Partnership Ministerial with his American counterpart Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette.
14. Which country chaired the 3rd G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) meeting?
[A] Japan
[B] Saudi Arabia
[C] Qatar
[D] United States
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Saudi Arabia]
Notes:
Saudi Arabia holds the Presidency of G-20 of the year 2020. It has chaired the 3rd G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) meeting recently.
Union Finance Minister of India, Nirmala Sitharaman participated in the meeting through Video Conferencing. The global economic outlook during COVID-19 pandemic crisis and G20’s Finance Track priorities for the year 2020 was discussed.
15. The Business Council between India and which country is the host of ‘India Ideas Summit’ 2020?
[A] United Kingdom
[B] United States
[C] Russia
[D] Japan
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [United States]
Notes:
US-India Business Council is set to play host to the ‘India Ideas Summit’ 2020 on July 22. Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will deliver the keynote addresses.
Discussions on the future of the U.S.-India Partnership, trade and investment, and the future of work in the COVID-era etc are to be undertaken in the summit. Various business and government leaders are to address the summit, including the External Affairs minister Dr. S. Jaishankar.
16. Which Union Minister represented India in the G20 Digital Ministers’ Meet?
[A] Prakash Javadekar
[B] Ravi Shankar Prasad
[C] Jitendra Singh
[D] S JaiShankar
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Ravi Shankar Prasad]
Notes:
Union Information and Technology minister Ravi Shankar Prasad represented India in the G20 Digital Ministers’ Meet.
The Ministerial meet is hosted by Saudi Arabia, which holds the current Presidency. The Union Minister called for digital platforms to be accountable and sensitive to the concerns of all countries in terms of safety and privacy.
17. India is set to renew the ‘Agreement on Scientific cooperation’ for the next five years with which global association?
[A] ASEAN
[B] BIMSTEC
[C] European Union
[D] G-20
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [European Union]
Notes:
India and the European Union are set to renew the Agreement on Scientific cooperation for the next five years, 2020-2025.
This was announced at the virtual 15th India-EU Summit, attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen led the EU. The mentioned Agreement was initially signed in 2001 and has been renewed two times in 2007 and 2015.
18. External Affairs Ministry organised the National Coordination Committee, with which country, for the first time?
[A] Uzbekistan
[B] Kazakhstan
[C] Laos
[D] Turkmenistan
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Uzbekistan]
Notes:
The Union External Affairs Ministry has recently organised the first India-Uzbekistan National Coordination Committee.
The virtual meeting was held to monitor the implementation of mutually agreed projects between India and Uzbekistan. They also reviewed implementation of identified projects under India’s LoC, cooperation between the Gujarat state and Andijan region among others.
19. Which institute is to organise an online International conference on climate change and its impact on Himalayan region?
[A] Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences, Nainital
[B] IISc, Bangalore
[C] IIT, Guwahati
[D] Birla Institute of Applied Sciences, Uttarakhand
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences, Nainital]
Notes:
Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES), Nainital is to organise an online international conference on ‘Aerosol Air Quality, Climate Change and Impact on Water Resources and Livelihoods in the Greater Himalayas’.
ARIES, an autonomous research institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST) is organising the conference along with Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University between 14th -16th September 2020.
20. A Defence Policy Dialogue was conducted virtually by India with which country?
[A] South Africa
[B] Russia
[C] Singapore
[D] Japan
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Singapore]
Notes:
The India-Singapore Defence Policy Dialogue (DPD) was conducted virtually where the two parties reviewed their bilateral defence ties in a comprehensive manner.
The two countries resolved to enhance their cooperation in defence and security with special focus on maritime security. The meeting was co-chaired by Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar. During the event, the Implementing Arrangement on “Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief” (HADR) was signed between the two countries.
