Q. With reference to “India – Australia Economic Co-operation and Trade Agreement (Ind – Aus ECTA)”, which of the following statements is/are correct ?
1. This is a first-of-its-kind initiative of FTAs.
2. The meeting was attended by the Commerce Secretary of India, Shri Sunil Barthwal.
Select the correct answer from the codes given below:
a) Only 2
b) Neither 1 nor 2
c) Only 1
d) Both 1 and 2
Question from UPPSC Prelims 2024
Correct Answer: c) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
Explanation:
1. First-of-its-kind initiative of FTAs: This statement is incorrect. While the Ind-Aus ECTA is significant, it is not the first of its kind; there are several other free trade agreements (FTAs) in existence between various countries.
2. Attendance of Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal: This statement is correct. The meeting was indeed attended by the Commerce Secretary of India, Shri Sunil Barthwal, who led the Indian delegation during discussions about trade and investment issues under the ECTA.
Based on this analysis, the correct answer is: a) Only 2.
