Daily Current Affairs Quiz for UPSC Prelims 2027 — 15 June 2026

The region of Nagorno-Karabakh, a focal point of a long-standing ethno-territorial conflict that has seen recent major military developments, is primarily contested between which two countries?

Why this answer

The correct answer is Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Nagorno-Karabakh region, internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, was controlled for three decades by its ethnic Armenian majority as the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh. The conflict has its roots in the Soviet era and escalated into wars after its dissolution. Recent military operations in 2020 and 2023 resulted in Azerbaijan regaining full control. The other options represent different geopolitical conflicts: Russia-Georgia (Abkhazia, South Ossetia), Turkey-Syria (Kurdish issue, border security), and Iran-Iraq (historical Shatt al-Arab dispute).

The static concept

Geopolitical Conflicts and Territorial Disputes: Post-Soviet 'frozen conflicts' and their recent escalation.

In the context of recent attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden by non-state actors, which of the following statements most accurately describes the legal definition of 'piracy' under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)?

Which of the following statements most accurately describes the legal definition of 'piracy' under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)?

Why this answer

Piracy under Article 101 of UNCLOS specifically requires an illegal act of violence or detention committed for private ends by the crew or passengers of a private ship or aircraft, directed on the high seas against another ship or aircraft. A politically motivated act of violence against a commercial vessel intended to disrupt international trade, regardless of location, does not constitute piracy because such acts lack the 'private ends' element, as exemplified by the Houthi attacks. Armed robbery against a ship occurring within a coastal state's territorial waters or archipelagic waters is a separate International Maritime Organization (IMO) category distinct from piracy on the high seas. Acts of terrorism at sea conducted by state-sponsored actors fall outside UNCLOS piracy, which requires private actors and is legally distinct from maritime terrorism.

The static concept

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) — specifically Article 101 defining Piracy, and its distinction from armed robbery at sea and maritime terrorism.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) periodically transfers its surplus profits to the Government of India, a topic often in the news. Which of the following constitutes the largest component of the RBI's income that enables these transfers?

Why this answer

The RBI's largest income component is earnings from its holdings of foreign currency assets, which constitute a substantial portion of its balance sheet and generate returns through interest income and foreign exchange gains. While the RBI also earns interest on government securities held under monetary policy operations, receives management commissions for handling public debt, and benefits from seigniorage income as the exclusive issuer of currency notes, these income streams are significantly smaller. The vast size of the foreign exchange reserves ensures that returns from these holdings far exceed other sources, enabling the RBI's periodic surplus profit transfers to the government.

The static concept

Reserve Bank of India's functions, balance sheet, and its relationship with the Central Government, particularly surplus transfers.

Which of the following options most accurately identifies the long-standing key impediments that have historically stalled the negotiations for the India-EU Broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA)?

Why this answer

The primary long-standing impediments to India-EU BTIA negotiations are disagreements over tariffs on automobiles and wines/spirits, and the EU's insistence on 'TRIPS-plus' intellectual property standards. The negotiations, which began in 2007 and were stalled from 2013 until their resumption in 2022, have been primarily deadlocked over these core economic issues. The EU has consistently demanded significant tariff reductions from India on key exports like automobiles, wines, and spirits while simultaneously pushing for 'TRIPS-plus' provisions stricter than WTO's TRIPS agreement—a position India resists to protect its generic pharmaceutical industry. The option about environmental standards and the 'Green Deal' is incorrect as a primary impediment since the Green Deal is recent; the Schengen Area claim is an exaggeration—India seeks easier visa terms for Mode 4 professionals but never faced this demand; and while data localisation and counter-terrorism are discussed, they have not been the central decade-long impediments.

The static concept

India-EU bilateral relations, specifically the dynamics of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations, including market access, non-tariff barriers, and intellectual property rights (TRIPS-plus provisions).