Q1. Which of the following statements about the India–Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) is/are correct?
1. It is the highest-level official platform between India and the African Union.
2. All 54 African countries participated for the first time in IAFS-II (2011).
3. IAFS-I was held in New Delhi.
• IAFS-I (2008) was held in New Delhi ✔
• IAFS-II (2011) was in Addis Ababa with only 15 countries ✔
• All 54 countries participated only in IAFS-III (2015) ✘ for statement 2.
Q2. The “Banjul Formula”, often mentioned in India–Africa relations, is related to:
The Banjul Formula is an African Union mechanism to decide which African countries will participate/represent the continent in summits like the IAFS.
Q3. Where was the IAFS-II (2011) held?
IAFS-II (2011) was hosted in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Q4. Which of the following was a major initiative launched at IAFS-I (2008)?
The Pan-Africa e-Network was a flagship initiative to connect African countries with India for tele-education and tele-medicine.
Q5. Which institution is MOST closely associated with India’s development partnership with Africa?
EXIM Bank is the key institution handling Lines of Credit (LoCs) and financial instruments for India’s development partnership, including with African nations.
Q6. Consider the following countries:
1. Nigeria
2. Ethiopia
3. South Africa
4. Seychelles
Which of the above participated in IAFS-III (2015)?
All 54 African countries participated in IAFS-III (2015), so Nigeria, Ethiopia, South Africa and Seychelles were all present.
Q 7. With reference to Vanadium, consider the following statements:
1. Vanadium shows multiple stable oxidation states, which makes it suitable for redox flow batteries.
2. The majority of the world’s vanadium production currently comes from China.
3. India is among the top five global producers of vanadium.
• Vanadium exists in multiple stable oxidation states (V²⁺, V³⁺, V⁴⁺, V⁵⁺), ideal for VRFB redox reactions ✔
• China accounts for ~60–70% of global vanadium production ✔
• India has small reserves and is not a major producer; it imports mainly from China and South Africa ✘
Q 8. In the context of Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries (VRFBs), which of the following advantages are correctly matched?
1. Deep-discharge capability – VRFBs can be discharged up to nearly 100%.
2. Thermal safety – VRFBs have a high risk of thermal runaway.
3. Long cycle life – Electrolyte degradation occurs quickly in VRFBs.
4. Scalability – Energy capacity can be increased by simply expanding electrolyte tank size.
• VRFBs allow almost 100% depth of discharge without major life loss ✔
• They use aqueous electrolytes and have no thermal runaway risk ✘
• Electrolyte is long-lasting (20–25+ years), not quickly degrading ✘
• Energy can be scaled by increasing electrolyte volume/tank size ✔
MCQ 9. Consider the following statements regarding India’s first MWh-scale Vanadium Flow Battery at NTPC NETRA:
1. The system has an energy storage capacity of 3 MWh.
2. It was developed by NTPC NETRA in collaboration with Delectrik Systems.
3. The project is located in Odisha.
• India’s first VRFB system at NTPC NETRA has a 3 MWh capacity ✔
• It was implemented in collaboration with Delectrik Systems ✔
• NETRA is located in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, not Odisha ✘
MCQ 10. Vanadium is considered a “critical mineral” in India. Which of the following reasons justify this classification?
1. India has very limited domestic reserves of vanadium.
2. Vanadium is essential for high-strength steel and emerging clean-energy technologies.
3. India is a net exporter of vanadium.
Statement 1: Correct
• India has only small deposits in Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha, and Karnataka.
• Hence India is heavily import-dependent.
Statement 2: Correct
• Vanadium is critical for:
– High-strength steel
– Aerospace applications
– Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries (VRFBs)
– Renewable energy / long-duration storage
• Makes it vital for India’s clean-energy transition.
Statement 3: Incorrect
• India is a net importer, not an exporter.