India & Neighbours (Nepal, BD, SL) — Set 10
International Relations · भारत और पड़ोसी देश · Questions 91–100 of 140
Which city in Bangladesh is the nearest to India's Tripura state and connected by the recently inaugurated Akhaura-Agartala rail link?
Correct Answer: C. Akhaura (near Brahmanbaria)
Akhaura, a town in Bangladesh's Brahmanbaria district, is the nearest Bangladesh town to India's Agartala in Tripura and is connected via the Akhaura-Agartala cross-border rail link inaugurated in 2023. This rail link significantly reduces travel time between Agartala and Bangladesh and improves connectivity for India's northeast. The project was built with Indian funding as part of the broader strategy to integrate India's northeast with Bangladesh.
Bhutan's Wangchuck dynasty has traditionally maintained very close ties with which Indian dynasty/family?
Correct Answer: A. Nehru-Gandhi family
The Wangchuck royal family of Bhutan has traditionally maintained very close personal ties with India's Nehru-Gandhi political family, reflecting the deep personal dimension of India-Bhutan relations. Bhutan's kings have had multiple meetings with Indian Prime Ministers from this family over decades. These personal relationships have reinforced the institutional and treaty-based ties between the two countries.
India's northeastern states' connectivity with the Indian mainland is critically dependent on Bangladesh's willingness to grant:
Correct Answer: C. Transit and transhipment facilities
India's northeastern states' connectivity with the Indian mainland is critically enhanced by Bangladesh granting transit and transhipment facilities, which allow goods and people to move through Bangladesh rather than through the long circuitous route through the Siliguri Corridor. Bangladesh provides protocol routes on its waterways for India's cargo, and the Akhaura-Agartala rail link further enhances this connectivity. This transit arrangement is central to India's integration of its northeastern states.
In which year did Nepal hold its first Constituent Assembly elections after the peace process?
Correct Answer: B. 2008
Nepal held its first Constituent Assembly (CA) elections on April 10, 2008, following the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2006 that ended the Maoist insurgency. The Maoists won the largest number of seats and joined the mainstream political process. The CA's first meeting on May 28, 2008, declared Nepal a federal democratic republic, formally abolishing the monarchy.
India's official policy on Tibet is that Tibet is an autonomous region of China. This was formally acknowledged in which agreement with China?
Correct Answer: A. Panchsheel Agreement 1954
The Panchsheel Agreement (Agreement on Trade and Intercourse between Tibet Region of China and India) of April 1954 was the first formal Indian acknowledgment of Tibet as a part of China. India agreed to withdraw its extra-territorial rights in Tibet in exchange for China's respect for the five principles of peaceful coexistence (Panchsheel). This agreement, which Nehru subsequently regretted after the 1962 war, set the tone for early India-China relations.
Bangladesh's Grameen Bank, relevant to India-Bangladesh relations through Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus's new role, focuses on:
Correct Answer: B. Microfinance for the rural poor, especially women
Grameen Bank, founded by Muhammad Yunus in Bangladesh, focuses on providing microfinance (very small loans) to the rural poor, particularly women, who lack access to conventional banking. The model has been replicated across the world and Yunus won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for this work. When Yunus became Bangladesh's interim leader in 2024, his international credibility and relationships became relevant to Bangladesh's foreign policy including with India.
The Mahakali River forms the western border between India and Nepal. Which Indian state does it border?
Correct Answer: C. Uttarakhand
The Mahakali River (known as Sharda River in India) forms the western border between Nepal and Uttarakhand, India. The disputed Kalapani area is at the origin of the Mahakali River near the India-Nepal-China trijunction. The river is shared for hydropower and irrigation under the 1996 Mahakali Treaty, with the proposed Pancheshwar project to be built on this river.
India provides how many megawatts of electricity to Nepal, even as it buys large amounts of hydropower from Nepal?
Correct Answer: D. India provides electricity to Nepal during dry season and buys during wet season
The India-Nepal electricity relationship is complementary: during the dry winter season when Nepal's run-of-the-river hydropower plants produce less electricity, India exports power to Nepal to meet its deficit. During the wet monsoon season when Nepal's hydropower generation peaks, Nepal exports surplus power to India. This seasonal complementarity makes the India-Nepal power trade mutually beneficial and reflects the deep integration of their electricity grids.
The Sundarbans mangrove forest is shared between India and Bangladesh and is protected as:
Correct Answer: B. UNESCO World Heritage Site in both countries
The Sundarbans mangrove forest is shared between India (West Bengal) and Bangladesh and is protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in both countries — the Sundarbans National Park in India and the Sundarbans of Bangladesh are both listed separately. It is the world's largest mangrove forest and home to the Bengal tiger, Irrawaddy dolphin, and numerous other species. Both countries cooperate on its conservation though coordination challenges remain.
The 'String of Pearls' theory, relevant to India-Maldives and India-Sri Lanka relations, suggests China is building:
Correct Answer: B. A chain of naval/dual-use facilities around India in the Indian Ocean
The 'String of Pearls' theory suggests that China is strategically developing a network of ports, naval bases, and dual-use commercial facilities around India in the Indian Ocean, including in Pakistan (Gwadar), Sri Lanka (Hambantota), Bangladesh (Chittagong), Myanmar, and Maldives. This perceived encirclement strategy is a key concern driving India's engagement with its maritime neighbours. India has countered with its own SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) policy and Neighbourhood First approach.