Questions for UPSC Prelims (2026) PRACTICE ON ASEAN Summit 2025
1. Consider the following statements about the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN):
East Timor (Timor-Leste) was formally admitted as its 11th member at the 2025 Summit in Kuala Lumpur.
The last member to join ASEAN before East Timor was Cambodia in 1999.
The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is a trade bloc that includes all ASEAN members.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
a) Only one
b) Only two
c) All three
d) None
Answer: (b) Only two
Explanation:
Statement 1 is correct: The article explicitly states that the summit will "formally welcome East Timor as the bloc's 11th member."
Statement 2 is correct: It is mentioned that "the last member to join ASEAN was Cambodia in 1999," making East Timor the first new member in 26 years.
Statement 3 is incorrect: RCEP comprises ASEAN and five of its FTA partners (China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand). It does not include all ASEAN members plus others; it is ASEAN plus the five mentioned. The statement is misleadingly worded. All ASEAN members are part of RCEP, but it is not "all ASEAN members" alone.
2. The term 'ASEAN Centrality' recently in the news, refers to:
a) The geographical location of ASEAN at the center of the Indo-Pacific.
b) The idea that ASEAN should be the primary driving force in the regional architecture of the Asia-Pacific.
c) The central role of Indonesia as the largest economy in the bloc.
d) A central secretariat that makes all decisions for the member states.
Answer: (b) The idea that ASEAN should be the primary driving force in the regional architecture of the Asia-Pacific.
Explanation: This is a standard definition in international relations. The article reinforces this concept by quoting the Malaysian FM's concern that the "space for neutrality and centrality is narrowing" due to major power contestation.
3. With reference to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which of the following statements is/are correct?
It is the world's largest trade bloc.
India is a founding member of this partnership.
It encompasses all the member states of ASEAN.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
a) 1 only
b) 1 and 3 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (a) 1 only
Explanation:
Statement 1 is correct: The article describes RCEP as "the world's largest trade bloc."
Statement 2 is incorrect: India withdrew from RCEP negotiations in 2019 and is not a member.
Statement 3 is incorrect: RCEP includes all ASEAN members, but it is not limited to them. It is ASEAN plus five other countries. The word "encompasses" implies it is only ASEAN, which is false.
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