28.08.2026

1. India’s engagement with the landlocked states of Central Asia has sought to overcome geographical constraints through alternative connectivity routes, particularly by linking the region with Iran’s Chabahar Port and the International North-South Transport Corridor.
2. India’s emphasis on Central Asia’s uranium, natural gas and hydropower resources reflects an approach in which connectivity is treated not merely as a transport objective but also as an instrument of energy security and strategic influence.

The above statements have been associated with which of the following?

1. India’s extended neighbourhood policy
2. India’s Act East Policy

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

1. The convention that an Acting Chief Justice should ordinarily not make recommendations for appointment of High Court judges is based, among other considerations, on the relatively short tenure and the limited opportunity for extensive consultation and assessment of candidates.
2. The Supreme Court Collegium has, in earlier instances, adopted different approaches to recommendations made during short or transitional tenures, depending upon factors such as the recommending judge's familiarity with the High Court and objections raised during the consultation process.

III. The absence of a codified rule governing such recommendations enables the Collegium to assess each case on its circumstances, while also creating scope for variation in institutional practice.

Which of the following inferences can be drawn from the above statements?

1. The designation of a judge as Acting Chief Justice, by itself, does not necessarily determine whether recommendations made by that judge will receive consideration by the Collegium.
2. The existence of a convention against such recommendations implies that any recommendation made by an Acting Chief Justice is procedurally invalid.
3. Flexibility in dealing with recommendations from Acting Chief Justices may facilitate case-specific assessment, but can also result in uncertainty regarding the applicable institutional practice.

Select the answer using the code given below:

1. India has operational underground strategic storage facilities for crude oil and LPG, but it does not have an operational underground natural-gas storage facility.
2. Regasification capacity at an LNG terminal is equivalent to strategic LNG inventory because the terminal can convert imported LNG into natural gas for immediate distribution.

III. Salt caverns can facilitate faster injection and withdrawal of stored gas compared to depleted oil and gas reservoirs, making them suitable for frequent cycling.

Which of the statements given above are correct?