UPSC Prelims 2009 Q29: Indian Economy – Banking & Financial Sector
Consider the following pairs :
Large Bank Country of origin
1. ABN Amro Bank : USA
2. Barclays Bank : UK
3. Kookmin Bank : Japan
Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched ?
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 2 only
- (c) 1 and 2
- (d) 2 and 3
Answer: (b) 2 only
Explanation
Checking three bank-country-of-origin pairs
These major global banks are matched here to their countries of origin, with some pairings mismatched.
| Pair | Verdict | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1. ABN Amro Bank : USA | Incorrect | ABN Amro is actually a Dutch (Netherlands) bank, not American |
| 2. Barclays Bank : UK | Correct | Barclays is indeed a British (UK) bank |
| 3. Kookmin Bank : Japan | Incorrect | Kookmin Bank is actually a South Korean bank, not Japanese |
Correct bank-country pairs:
| Bank | Actual country of origin |
|---|---|
| ABN Amro | Netherlands (NOT USA) |
| Barclays | UK |
| Kookmin Bank | South Korea (NOT Japan) |
Answer: (b) 2 only.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Pair 1 (ABN Amro-USA) is wrongly matched; ABN Amro is Dutch, so '1 only' is wrong.
- (b) CORRECT. Only pair 2, Barclays-UK, is correctly matched; the other two reverse the actual countries of origin.
- (c) Incorrect. Pair 1 (ABN Amro-USA) is also wrong, so '1 and 2' is incorrect.
- (d) Incorrect. Pair 3 (Kookmin-Japan) is also wrong, so '2 and 3' is incorrect.
Key point
Barclays-UK is correctly matched — but ABN Amro is actually a DUTCH bank (not American), and Kookmin Bank is actually a SOUTH KOREAN bank (not Japanese).
Remember
Barclays-UK is the only correctly matched pair; ABN Amro is Dutch, and Kookmin Bank is South Korean.
Common mistakes
- Confusing ABN Amro's Dutch origin with the United States.
- Confusing Kookmin Bank's South Korean origin with Japan.
- Assuming all three listed bank-country pairs are automatically correct without individual verification.
Exam tip
ABN Amro = Netherlands (not USA). Kookmin Bank = South Korea (not Japan). Only Barclays-UK is correctly matched among these three.
Sources
- Reserve Bank of India — List of Foreign Banks Operating in India
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — ABN AMRO
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — Barclays PLC