Awareness of international relations is crucial for UPSC preparation as it equips candidates with the necessary knowledge to tackle questions related to global politics, diplomacy, and current events. By understanding international dynamics, aspirants can draw correlations between domestic and global issues, enriching their answers in the examination. Furthermore, familiarity with international relations topics often reflects the overall socio-economic understanding expected from candidates, as UPSC exams gauge a candidate's ability to analyze situations in a broader context.