UPPSC PYQ 1 (2020) — Geography
Which of the following ocean currents is associated with Indian Ocean?
- Florida current
- Canary current
- Agulhas current
- Kurile current
Answer: C. Agulhas current
Get the weekly digest
Top current affairs + exam tips, every Monday morning.
📝 AI-generated analysis for exam preparation. This is original educational content curated for competitive exam aspirants.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar formally launched India's campaign for election as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the 2028-29 term at a special event at UN Headquarters in New York on 14 July 2026. The campaign is built around a six-point vision called SHANTI — Securing Holistic Advancement through Norms, Trust and Integrity — and identifies countering terror financing, strengthening maritime security, and promoting responsible governance of Artificial Intelligence as India's key priorities for the term.
If elected, this would be India's ninth term on the UNSC as a non-permanent member, following terms in 1950-51, 1967-68, 1972-73, 1977-78, 1984-85, 1991-92, 2011-12 and 2021-22. Elections for the 2028-29 term will be held in the UN General Assembly in June 2027, where India will contest against Tajikistan for the sole seat available that cycle from the Asia-Pacific Group.
For aspirants preparing for UPSC, UPPSC, MPSC, and other state PSC exams, this topic is directly relevant for GS Paper 2 (International Relations, International Institutions) and frequently appears as a source-based question on UN reform and India's multilateral diplomacy.
The UN Security Council comprises 15 members — five permanent members (P5: US, UK, France, Russia and China) with veto power, and 10 non-permanent members elected by the UN General Assembly for staggered two-year terms, five seats renewed each year. Non-permanent seats are allocated by regional grouping — Africa, Asia-Pacific, Eastern Europe, Latin America & the Caribbean, and Western Europe & Others — with the Asia-Pacific Group currently holding two of the ten non-permanent seats at any time.
India has long campaigned for permanent UNSC membership as part of the G4 grouping (India, Japan, Germany, Brazil), arguing that a Security Council designed in 1945 no longer reflects contemporary geopolitical and demographic realities. This 2028-29 campaign, however, is distinct — it targets a non-permanent, two-year seat under the existing Charter framework rather than the long-stalled permanent-seat reform process, giving India a more immediate platform to shape Council deliberations even as the reform debate continues separately.
Who, When, Where
Term Sought and History
UNSC Structure
India's Stated Priorities
Distinct from Permanent-Seat Reform
Political and Constitutional Dimensions Conduct of foreign affairs and India's engagement with international bodies like the UN fall under Entry 10 (Foreign Affairs) and Entry 13 (Participation in International Conferences, Associations and Other Bodies) of the Union List, exercised by the Union Executive under Article 73. Article 51(c) of the Directive Principles further commits the Indian state to 'foster respect for international law and treaty obligations' and Article 51(d) to encourage settlement of international disputes by arbitration — the normative constitutional basis for India's UN engagement.
Economic and Financial Dimensions A UNSC seat carries no direct financial cost beyond diplomatic campaign expenditure, but Council membership shapes India's influence over sanctions regimes, peacekeeping mandates and international financial-crime frameworks (including terror-financing standards that UNSC counter-terrorism committees interact with) — all of which have downstream economic and trade implications.
Social Dimensions India's UNSC priorities — counter-terrorism, maritime security and AI governance — reflect issues with direct social stakes: terror financing fuels violence affecting civilian populations, and AI governance debates increasingly touch on labour displacement, misinformation and digital rights that matter to India's own citizens.
Governance and Administrative Dimensions Running a UNSC campaign involves sustained coordination across the Ministry of External Affairs, India's Permanent Mission to the UN, and bilateral missions worldwide to secure the two-thirds General Assembly majority needed — a logistically intensive, year-long diplomatic exercise distinct from routine bilateral diplomacy.
International Perspective India's contested race against Tajikistan (rather than a clean, uncontested regional endorsement) signals that Asia-Pacific Group consensus-building remains incomplete, and the outcome will be read globally as a barometer of India's diplomatic standing amid its broader, still-unsuccessful push for permanent UNSC membership and Security Council reform.
Test yourself · no signup needed
Try 3 real UPPSC PYQs, see the answer instantly, then unlock the full set free.
Which of the following ocean currents is associated with Indian Ocean?
Answer: C. Agulhas current
Without green house effect, the average temperature of earth surface would be
Answer: B. –18°C
1. In Ease of Doing Business Report 2020, India's rank is 63. 2. India ranking for Ease of Doing Business in the year 2019 was 77.
With reference to the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business Report, which of the following statement(s) is/are correct?
Answer: B. 2 only
Free sample · Question 1 of 3
Geography · 2020Which of the following ocean currents is associated with Indian Ocean?
This week's CA quiz · 20 questions
Cross-topic questions from recent current affairs
President Murmu's Historic Romania Visit Boosts India-Romania Trade and Strategic Ties
27 JulPresident Murmu's Romania Visit: India-Romania Business Forum 2026 Explained
25 JulUS Rolls Out Permanent Tariffs Under Section 301, India Retains Lower 10% Rate
24 JulAndhra Pradesh UAE Food Cluster: APEDB's ₹100-Crore Chittoor Processing Push
23 Jul