Groupings, Agreements, Major Powers and the Indian Diaspora

What the official syllabus says

Main Examination, Paper III: General Studies II (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations):

• 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: civil nuclear agreement (2008), defence foundational agreements (LEMOA 2016, COMCASA 2018, BECA 2020), technology, trade and visas
• Russia: the 1971 treaty with the USSR, special and privileged strategic partnership, defence and energy ties
• Japan, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia and the European Union: strategic partnerships, trade and technology
• Gulf and West Asia: UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Iran; energy, workers, investment
• Africa and Latin America: development partnership, India-Africa Forum Summit
• Trade agreements: India-UAE CEPA (2022), India-Australia ECTA (2022), India-EFTA TEPA (2024); India’s withdrawal from RCEP (2019)

Regional groupings

• SAARC (1985) and its stalemate; BIMSTEC (1997); BBIN; Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (2000)
• ASEAN, the ASEAN Regional Forum and the East Asia Summit
• Indian Ocean Rim Association; Colombo Security Conclave
• Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (India a full member since 2017)
• Quad (India, the USA, Japan, Australia); I2U2; Indo-Pacific frameworks; the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor

Global groupings and agreements

• G20 (India’s presidency in 2023; the African Union admitted as a member), BRICS and its expansion, G7 outreach
• Non-Aligned Movement (1961), the Commonwealth, the Voice of the Global South summits
• Nuclear and export control regimes: the NPT and CTBT (India not a party), the Nuclear Suppliers Group, MTCR (2016), Wassenaar Arrangement (2017), Australia Group (2018)
• Climate agreements: UNFCCC, the Paris Agreement, the International Solar Alliance

Effect of policies and politics of developed countries on India’s interests

• Trade policy: tariffs, protectionism, carbon border taxes (such as the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism)
• Immigration and visa rules affecting Indian professionals and students
• Sanctions regimes and their effect on India’s defence and energy purchases
• Technology controls, data rules and supply-chain realignment
• Conflicts (for example in Europe and West Asia) and their effect on energy prices, shipping and Indian nationals abroad

Effect of policies and politics of developing countries

• China’s policies in trade, technology and territory
• Political instability and change of government in neighbouring and partner countries
• South-South cooperation, the Global South agenda, competition for markets and resources

Indian diaspora

• Categories: Non-Resident Indians, Persons of Indian Origin, Overseas Citizens of India (PIO merged into OCI in 2015)
• Spread and profile: Gulf workers, professionals in developed countries, old diaspora in the Caribbean, Africa and the Pacific
• High Level Committee on the Indian Diaspora (set up in 2000); Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (9 January)
• Remittances and investment; diaspora as soft power and lobby
• Welfare of emigrants: Emigration Act, 1983, eMigrate, evacuation operations (Operation Raahat 2015, Vande Bharat Mission 2020, Operation Ganga 2022)
• Issues: exploitation of workers, racial attacks, dual citizenship demands, voting rights of overseas electors

Overlaps

• Prelims General Studies Paper I: “Current events of national and international importance.”
• The optional subject Political Science and International Relations (Optional Subject) studies India’s foreign policy in depth.