Major Treaties & Agreements — Set 6
International Relations · प्रमुख संधियां और समझौते · Questions 51–60 of 120
Which SAARC country joined last, becoming its 8th member?
Correct Answer: C. Afghanistan
Afghanistan became the 8th and most recent member of SAARC when it was admitted at the 13th SAARC Summit held in Dhaka in November 2005. This expansion reflected the post-2001 changed geopolitics of the region following the fall of the Taliban government. Afghanistan's SAARC membership has been somewhat nominal given ongoing security challenges and its geographic position.
The SAARC Secretariat is located in which city?
Correct Answer: C. Kathmandu
The SAARC Secretariat is located in Kathmandu, Nepal, and was established on January 16, 1987. The Secretariat is headed by a Secretary-General who is appointed from member states in alphabetical order for a three-year term. India has contributed the largest share of SAARC's administrative budget.
COP21, where the Paris Agreement was adopted, was held in which city?
Correct Answer: B. Paris
COP21 (21st Conference of Parties to the UNFCCC) was held in Le Bourget, Paris, France, from November 30 to December 12, 2015. The conference resulted in the historic Paris Agreement adopted by consensus of 196 parties. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius gavelled the adoption, and the scenes of celebration marked a defining moment in global climate diplomacy.
Under UNCLOS, the deep seabed beyond national jurisdiction (called 'the Area') and its resources are considered:
Correct Answer: C. Common heritage of mankind
UNCLOS declares the seabed, ocean floor, and subsoil beyond the limits of national jurisdiction (called 'the Area') and its resources to be the 'common heritage of mankind.' The International Seabed Authority (ISA), headquartered in Kingston, Jamaica, administers mineral resources in the Area. India has been allocated a mining site in the Central Indian Ocean Basin for polymetallic nodules.
India's updated NDC under the Paris Agreement commits to reducing emissions intensity of GDP by what percentage by 2030 compared to 2005 levels?
Correct Answer: C. 45%
India's updated NDC submitted in 2022 commits to reducing the emissions intensity of its GDP by 45% by 2030 compared to 2005 levels. This was an upgrade from the earlier target of 33-35% intensity reduction. India also committed to achieving about 50% cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030.
The Kyoto Protocol's first commitment period was from:
Correct Answer: C. 2008-2012
The Kyoto Protocol's first commitment period ran from 2008 to 2012, during which Annex-I (developed) countries were required to reduce their collective greenhouse gas emissions by at least 5% compared to 1990 levels. The second commitment period ran from 2013 to 2020 under the Doha Amendment. The Kyoto Protocol was effectively superseded by the Paris Agreement for the post-2020 period.
The Chemical Weapons Convention was opened for signature in which year?
Correct Answer: C. 1993
The Chemical Weapons Convention was opened for signature on January 13, 1993, in Paris, and entered into force on April 29, 1997. It was negotiated in the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva and is one of the most comprehensive disarmament agreements ever concluded. As of 2024, it has 193 states parties, making it near-universal in membership.
The Rome Statute was adopted at a conference in which city in 1998?
Correct Answer: C. Rome
The Rome Statute was adopted at the United Nations Diplomatic Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court held in Rome, Italy, on July 17, 1998. The conference was attended by 160 nations and the statute was adopted by a vote of 120 in favor, 7 against (including the USA, China, and Israel), and 21 abstentions. The statute entered into force on July 1, 2002.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is headquartered in which city?
Correct Answer: C. The Hague
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands. It was established under the Rome Statute to prosecute individuals for the most serious international crimes: genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression. The ICC is distinct from the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which settles disputes between states.
India's Model BIT 2016 significantly curtailed which mechanism that had resulted in adverse awards against India?
Correct Answer: B. Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS)
India's 2016 Model BIT significantly curtailed or eliminated the Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanism following India losing several international arbitration cases. Notable cases included White Industries (Australia) winning $4.1 million and Vodafone (UK) winning against India's retrospective tax claim. The new model requires investors to exhaust domestic judicial remedies for five years before accessing international arbitration.