UPSC Quiz – 2026 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 18th August 2026

Solution (b)
Explanation:
Statement 1 is incorrect: SAFTA (South Asian Free Trade Area) is a regional trade agreement established under the framework of SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation), not ASEAN. ASEAN is a separate grouping of South-East Asian nations. Statement 2 is correct: The Rules of Origin are a critical component of any preferential trade agreement. They are designed to ensure that only goods originating from member countries benefit from tariff concessions, thereby preventing trade deflection (routing goods through a member country to evade duties). Statement 3 is correct: As per the news item, the syndicate allegedly imported areca nuts from Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia (South-East Asia) and routed them through Bangladesh, fraudulently obtaining Bangladeshi Certificates of Origin to claim full customs-duty exemption under SAFTA.
Why this question?
This tests the understanding of international trade mechanisms like Rules of Origin and the institutional framework of SAFTA.
Why important for UPSC?
Current events related to trade and economic issues are frequently linked to static concepts in Prelims.
PYQ Pattern Link
UPSC has previously tested the difference between various regional trade blocs and the concept of Rules of Origin.

Solution (c)
Explanation:
The Mahadayi River (known as Mandovi in Goa) is a west-flowing river. It originates in the Belagavi district of Karnataka. From there, it flows westwards into the state of Goa and eventually drains into the Arabian Sea. This is a crucial geographical fact to understand the dispute, as it involves upstream (Karnataka) and downstream (Goa) riparian states. The river’s ecology is significant as it is part of the Western Ghats, a biodiversity hotspot. Option (c) is the only one that correctly identifies both the origin and the drainage basin.
Why this question?
This is a map-based question testing the geographical orientation and course of a key inter-state river.
Why important for UPSC?
Locating rivers and understanding their drainage patterns is a standard part of the geography syllabus.
PYQ Pattern Link
UPSC frequently uses map-based questions on rivers, especially those involved in inter-state disputes.

Solution (b)
Explanation:
Statement 1 is incorrect: The defining feature of an earthquake swarm is that it lacks a single dominant mainshock. It is a sequence of multiple earthquakes occurring in a small area over a short period without a clear primary event. This distinguishes it from a typical mainshock-aftershock sequence. Statement 2 is correct: Earthquake swarms can be caused by various factors, including the movement of fluids (like groundwater) altering pressure along faults, magma movement in volcanic regions, or slow-slip events. Statement 3 is incorrect: As highlighted in the source, an earthquake swarm does not necessarily mean a major earthquake is imminent. Its occurrence alone cannot reliably predict a larger event.
Why this question?
This tests the precise definition of a geophysical phenomenon and its predictive limitations.
Why important for UPSC?
Understanding natural hazards and their scientific assessment is a key part of the geography syllabus.
PYQ Pattern Link
UPSC has previously tested concepts like earthquake waves, magnitudes, and related terminology.

Solution (b)
Explanation:
Friedreich Ataxia (FA) is a rare, inherited neurodegenerative disorder.
Pair 1 is incorrectly matched. The inheritance pattern for FA is Autosomal Recessive, not Autosomal Dominant. This means a person generally inherits defective copies of the gene from both parents.
Pair 2 is correctly matched. The disorder is caused by a mutation in the FXN (frataxin) gene, which is responsible for producing the frataxin protein.
Pair 3 is correctly matched. The most common mutation is the expansion of GAA trinucleotide repeats in the FXN gene, which reduces frataxin production, leading to mitochondrial dysfunction.
Why this question?
This tests the understanding of basic genetic terminology, inheritance patterns, and specific disease mechanisms.
Why important for UPSC?
Questions on diseases, especially their genetic basis, are becoming more common in the Science & Technology section.
PYQ Pattern Link
UPSC has previously tested concepts like autosomal recessive disorders and trinucleotide repeat expansion diseases.

Solution (c)
Explanation:
The Hara mangrove forests are located in the Persian Gulf, primarily around Qeshm Island and the Khuran Strait in Iran’s Hormozgan Province. They are considered the largest mangrove habitat in the Persian Gulf. The other options represent mangrove or wetland ecosystems in different parts of the world: the Sundarbans are in India and Bangladesh, the Mekong Delta in Vietnam, and the Everglades are in the USA. This is a critical map-based location to remember, as the question specifically asks for the geographical location of the Hara forests.
Why this question?
This is a direct map-based question testing the ability to locate important global ecosystems.
Why important for UPSC?
Questions on unique ecosystems outside India, especially those in geopolitically important regions like the Persian Gulf, are a growing trend.
PYQ Pattern Link
UPSC has previously asked questions on the location of various wetlands and biosphere reserves across the world.