Groupings, Agreements, Major Powers and the Indian Diaspora

What the official syllabus says

HCS Main Written Examination, Paper IV: General Studies-II:

• Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.
• Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.

Topics in detail

Bilateral relations and agreements

• United States: strategic partnership, civil nuclear deal (2008), defence agreements, technology co-operation
• Russia: defence and energy ties, special and privileged strategic partnership
• European Union, United Kingdom, France, Germany: trade, technology, climate
• Japan: special strategic and global partnership, infrastructure and investment
• Gulf and West Asia: energy, diaspora, India–UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (2022)
• Africa, Latin America and Central Asia: development partnership and resources
• Trade agreements: India–Australia ECTA (2022), India–EFTA TEPA (2024), India–UK agreement (2025)

Regional groupings

• SAARC (1985) and its stalling; BIMSTEC (1997); BBIN
• ASEAN, ASEAN Regional Forum, East Asia Summit; Indian Ocean Rim Association
• Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (India a member since 2017)
• Mekong–Ganga Cooperation; Colombo Security Conclave

Global groupings

• G20 (India's presidency in 2023; African Union admitted as member), G7 outreach
• BRICS and its expansion; the New Development Bank
• Quad (India, United States, Japan, Australia); I2U2; India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor
• Non-Aligned Movement; Commonwealth
• Export control regimes: Nuclear Suppliers Group waiver (2008), MTCR, Wassenaar Arrangement, Australia Group
• Agreements India stayed out of: Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership

Effect of policies and politics of other countries

• Tariff and trade policies of major economies; protectionism and supply chains
• Immigration and visa policies affecting Indian professionals and students
• Carbon border measures (the EU's CBAM) and climate finance
• Sanctions regimes and their effect on India's energy and defence purchases
• Oil prices and the decisions of oil-producing countries
• Rivalry between the United States and China; conflicts in Europe and West Asia
• Policies of developing countries: debt crises, South–South co-operation, the Global South

Indian diaspora

• Size, spread and types: old diaspora (indenture) and new diaspora (professionals, Gulf workers)
• Persons of Indian Origin and Overseas Citizens of India
• Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (9 January); Know India Programme
• Remittances and their importance to the economy
• Emigration Act, 1983; e-Migrate; protection of workers in the Gulf
• Evacuation operations: Vande Bharat Mission (2020), Operation Ganga (2022), Operation Kaveri (2023)
• Diaspora as a foreign policy asset; concerns about illegal migration

Groupings at a glance