International Current Affairs MCQs

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India has been elected Vice President of the International Organization of Aids to Marine Navigation (IALA) in Singapore. T.K. Ramachandran, Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, led the Indian delegation. The 1st General Assembly of IALA marks its transition from an NGO to an inter-governmental organization (IGO). IALA, founded in 1957, sets global maritime navigation standards. India will host the IALA Council meeting in December 2025 and the IALA Conference & General Assembly in September 2027 in Mumbai. This highlights India’s leadership in maritime safety and international cooperation.

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Brazil recently joined OPEC+, the alliance of major oil-exporting nations. OPEC+ consists of 22 oil-exporting countries that regulate global crude oil supply. The group meets regularly to decide how much oil to sell in the market. The alliance works together to adjust crude oil production and ensure market stability.

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India has sent 26 tons of humanitarian aid to Honduras after Tropical Storm SARA. The assistance includes medical supplies like surgical items, glucometers, oximeters, gloves, syringes, and IV fluids. It also contains disaster relief materials such as blankets, sleeping mats, and hygiene kits. The aid aims to help the country recover from the impact of the storm.

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Indonesia launched a new sovereign wealth fund, Daya Anagata Nusantara (Danantara), to manage state assets worth over USD 900 billion. Danantara is set to become the largest sovereign wealth fund in Southeast Asia. A sovereign wealth fund (SWF) is a state-owned investment fund used to manage national savings. SWFs are funded by surplus revenues from natural resources, state-owned enterprises, or other public wealth sources. These funds invest in stocks, bonds, infrastructure, and real estate to grow national wealth. This marks a significant step in Indonesia’s economic strategy.

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Yamandú Orsi was sworn in as Uruguay’s President on March 1, 2025. His victory marks the return of the leftist Broad Front coalition after five years of conservative rule. Uruguay is South America’s second-smallest country after Suriname. It shares borders with Brazil (north) and Argentina (west) and has a maritime boundary with the Atlantic Ocean (east).

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The United States plans to build a Golden Dome missile defense system. Golden Dome is a missile defense program of the USA. It aims to protect against ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missiles and other advanced aerial threats. The system is inspired by Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system. Iron Dome is a multi-layered system designed to intercept short-range threats effectively.

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The Prime Minister welcomed New Zealand’s participation in the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI), emphasizing shared interests in regional peace and stability. India launched Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) in November 2019 at the East Asia Summit (EAS) in Bangkok. It builds on the Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) initiative of 2015. The initiative promotes a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific for regional safety and development. IPOI is a non-treaty-based voluntary arrangement relying on EAS mechanisms and includes seven pillars of cooperation led by different countries.

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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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On 3rd April 2025, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced that Hungary is withdrawing from the International Criminal Court (ICC), becoming the first European country to do so. The International Criminal Court was established in 2002 to prosecute individuals responsible for serious global crimes. It is the only permanent international criminal tribunal. The ICC was created by the Rome Statute, an international agreement adopted on 17 July 1998. The Rome Statute defines the Court’s powers, structure, and responsibilities and came into force on 1 July 2002. The ICC investigates and prosecutes genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the crime of aggression.

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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.