International Current Affairs MCQs - 2026-04-18

The Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, and Malaysia are ASEAN member states with claims in the South China Sea. Laos is a landlocked country and does not have maritime claims in the region.

The DOC, signed in 2002, aims to promote peace, stability, and mutual trust in the South China Sea through confidence-building measures, without resolving the underlying territorial disputes.

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) provides the legal framework for maritime activities and claims, and is frequently invoked by ASEAN member states in the context of South China Sea disputes.

The India-EU Connectivity Partnership, launched in 2021, focuses on promoting sustainable, comprehensive, and rules-based connectivity in the Indo-Pacific region and Africa, among other areas.

While India and EU cooperate on space technology, 'Space Exploration and Colonization' is not a defined key pillar of their strategic partnership. The partnership focuses on areas like trade, climate, digital, security, and connectivity.

The India-EU Strategic Partnership is regularly reviewed at the highest political level through Summit meetings, which are the apex of engagement.