23 August 2026 — Today Current Affairs MCQ
UPSC + State PCS | Prelims Practice Set
UPSC-Level MCQs
Q1. With reference to IRIGC-TEC, consider the following statements:
- It is an institutional mechanism between India and Russia.
- It deals with trade and economic cooperation.
- Scientific, technological and cultural cooperation also fall within its scope.
- Its 27th session is associated with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar's current Russia visit.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1, 2 and 3 only
C. 2, 3 and 4 only
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: D
Explanation: All four are correct. Jaishankar's 23–24 August visit includes co-chairing the 27th IRIGC-TEC session.
Extra Fact: Sergey Lavrov is Russia's Foreign Minister.
Q2. Consider the following pairs:
- IN-SPACe — Promotion and authorisation of non-government space activities
- NSIL — Commercialisation of Indian space capabilities
- NavIC — Regional satellite navigation system
- Gaganyaan — Human-spaceflight programme
How many pairs are correctly matched?
A. Only one
B. Only two
C. Only three
D. All four
Answer: D
Why: All four institutional/programme associations are correct.
Prelims Trap: IN-SPACe, NSIL and ISRO do not perform identical functions.
Q3. Why is 23 August observed as National Space Day in India?
A. Launch of Chandrayaan-2
B. Launch of Chandrayaan-3
C. Chandrayaan-3's successful lunar soft landing
D. Announcement of Gaganyaan
Answer: C
Explanation: Chandrayaan-3's Vikram lander successfully landed on 23 August 2023.
Extra Fact: The landing site is known as Shiv Shakti Point.
Q4. With reference to the BRICS Sports Joint Declaration 2026, consider the following statements:
- It was adopted in Visakhapatnam.
- It was adopted by consensus.
- The meeting took place under India's BRICS Chairship.
- All 11 BRICS member countries were represented.
Which are correct?
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1, 2 and 3 only
C. 2, 3 and 4 only
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: D
Explanation: The Sports Ministers' Meeting concluded in Visakhapatnam on 23 August with consensus adoption of the declaration; representatives of all 11 members participated.
Q5. Consider the following pairs relating to initiatives advanced during India's BRICS Chairship:
- Sports Technology Working Group — Sports science and AI
- Sports Manufacturing Conclave — Udaipur
- Traditional & Indigenous Sports Demonstration Games — Ahmedabad
Which are correctly matched?
A. 1 only
B. 1 and 2 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: D
Explanation: The Working Group focuses on sports science, AI and digital innovation; the Manufacturing Conclave is proposed for Udaipur in November, and indigenous sports games for Ahmedabad in October.
Q6. In Indian foreign policy, strategic autonomy is best understood as:
A. Maintaining neutrality on every international issue
B. Avoiding strategic relations with major powers
C. Retaining independent decision-making while developing partnerships with multiple powers
D. Remaining outside military and economic groupings
Answer: C
Why: Strategic autonomy concerns freedom of foreign-policy choice, not isolation or automatic neutrality.
Current Link: India's simultaneous engagement with Russia, the Quad, BRICS and Western partners illustrates issue-based diplomacy.
Q7. Consider the following:
- Crop monitoring
- Disaster management
- Navigation
- Weather forecasting
- Fisheries advisories
Space technology can contribute to how many of the above?
A. Only two
B. Only three
C. Only four
D. All five
Answer: D
Why: Satellite remote sensing, communication, meteorology and navigation have applications across all five areas.
Q8. With reference to the nationwide Cloud and AI Skilling Initiative announced on 23 August 2026, consider the following:
- NSDC is involved.
- Cultus Education is involved.
- AWS is collaborating.
- The initiative covers all States and Union Territories.
Which statements are correct?
A. 1 and 3 only
B. 1, 2 and 3 only
C. 2, 3 and 4 only
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: D
Explanation: All four are correct. The programme particularly seeks to widen access for underserved communities and youth in Tier-2 and Tier-3 towns.
Q9. Under the same Cloud and AI initiative, which of the following is correctly matched?
A. AI/cloud literacy — 15,000 learners
B. AI/cloud literacy — 1.5 lakh learners
C. AWS re/Start — 1.5 lakh learners
D. AWS re/Start — 1 lakh learners
Answer: B
Explanation: Foundational AI and cloud literacy targets 1.5 lakh learners, while 10,000 participants are targeted for intensive job-ready AWS re/Start training.
Prelims Trap: Do not interchange the 1.5 lakh and 10,000 targets.
Q10. The concept of sports diplomacy is most appropriately associated with:
A. Using sporting exchanges to promote international and people-to-people relations
B. Replacing conventional diplomacy with sporting competitions
C. Restricting international sporting participation
D. Using sport exclusively for commercial diplomacy
Answer: A
Current Link: The BRICS declaration specifically emphasises athlete and coach exchanges, cultural interaction and stronger people-to-people ties.
State PCS-Level MCQs
Q11. The 2026 BRICS Sports Ministers' Meeting was held in:
A. Hyderabad
B. Vijayawada
C. Visakhapatnam
D. Amaravati
Answer: C — Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
Q12. Who chaired the BRICS Sports Ministers' Meeting 2026?
A. S. Jaishankar
B. Mansukh Mandaviya
C. Jayant Chaudhary
D. Raksha Khadse
Answer: B — Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya.
Q13. How many full BRICS member countries participated in the 2026 Sports Ministers' Meeting?
A. 5
B. 9
C. 10
D. 11
Answer: D — 11.
Q14. Which of the following is not among the 11 BRICS members represented at the meeting?
A. Indonesia
B. Ethiopia
C. Malaysia
D. Saudi Arabia
Answer: C — Malaysia. The participating members listed included Indonesia, Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia, but not Malaysia.
Q15. The proposed BRICS Sports Manufacturing Conclave will be held in:
A. Jaipur
B. Udaipur
C. Ahmedabad
D. Surat
Answer: B — Udaipur.
Q16. Traditional and Indigenous Sports Demonstration Games are proposed to be organised in:
A. Ahmedabad
B. Bhopal
C. Pune
D. Lucknow
Answer: A — Ahmedabad.
Q17. India's BRICS Chairship 2026 theme is:
A. One Earth, One Family, One Future
B. Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability
C. Reform, Perform and Transform
D. Inclusive Growth for a Shared Future
Answer: B.
Memory Trick: BRICS → B-R-I-C-S → Building, Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, Sustainability.
Q18. The AWS re/Start component of the new nationwide skilling initiative targets intensive training for:
A. 5,000 participants
B. 10,000 participants
C. 50,000 participants
D. 1.5 lakh participants
Answer: B — 10,000 participants.
Q19. The new AI and cloud skilling initiative is intended to cover:
A. Aspirational districts only
B. Northeast India only
C. Tier-1 cities only
D. All States and Union Territories
Answer: D — All States and UTs.
Q20. The BRICS RI Debate 2026, reported on 23 August, is associated with which broader theme?
A. Maritime security
B. Global governance and the Global South
C. Nuclear disarmament
D. International sports governance
Answer: B — Global governance and the Global South.
The debate's theme concerns whether BRICS can reform global governance or reproduce existing inequalities; winners of national rounds are scheduled to advance to the Grand Finale in Russia in December 2026.
Today's Score Guide
17–20: Excellent — Prelims ready
14–16: Very good — revise factual traps
10–13: Good — revise today's quick-revision table
Below 10: Re-read today's consolidated Current Affairs once before attempting again.
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