Overview

International Relations is a core GS2 section in UPSC, covering India's foreign policy evolution, bilateral relationships with neighbours and major powers, the UN system and international organisations, global trade architecture, and multilateral forums. This section provides thirty comprehensive chapters that combine factual depth for Prelims with analytical frameworks for Mains — from Panchsheel and NAM to the Quad, BRICS expansion, and India's WTO battles.

Chapters

#ChapterKey Topics
1India's Foreign PolicyNAM, Panchsheel, Act East, Neighbourhood First, SAGAR, Indo-Pacific, QUAD, BRICS, SCO, G20, bilateral relations
2International Law & TreatiesSources of international law, ICJ, ICC, UNCLOS, Geneva Conventions, treaties & conventions, India's treaty practice, extradition, refugees
3International Humanitarian LawGeneva Conventions, Additional Protocols, IHL principles, ICRC role, India's IHL obligations, armed conflict law
4India's Neighbourhood First Policy — SAARC, BIMSTEC & Sub-Regional CooperationNFP launched May 2014; SAARC (1985, 8 members, last summit 18th Kathmandu 2014, stalled); BIMSTEC Charter 2024 (7 members); BBIN MVA; India-Bangladesh (Teesta, Sheikh Hasina exit Aug 2024); India-Nepal (Kalapani); Maldives "India Out"; Myanmar FMR suspended
5India & Its NeighboursChina (LAC, Galwan), Pakistan (Kashmir, Indus Waters), Bangladesh (LBA, Teesta), Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Maldives, Afghanistan
6India-Pakistan Relations, Kashmir & Cross-Border Terrorism4 wars (1947/65/71/Kargil), Simla Agreement 1972, LoC ~740 km, Uri 2016 → surgical strikes, Pulwama 2019 → Balakot, Indus Waters Treaty 1960 (India suspended Apr 2025), Article 370 abrogation 2019, CPEC objection, MFN revocation 2019
7India-Bangladesh RelationsLand Boundary Agreement 2015, Teesta water sharing, connectivity projects, Sheikh Hasina government exit Aug 2024, trade and investment ties, Rohingya issue
8India-China RelationsLAC, Galwan, border disputes, trade imbalance, strategic competition, bilateral mechanisms
9India-USA RelationsDefence cooperation, trade, technology transfer, diaspora, iCET, strategic convergence
10India-Russia & India-Europe RelationsIndo-Soviet Treaty 1971, S-400/CAATSA, BrahMos, Ukraine war neutrality, India-EU FTA 2026, India-France Horizon 2047 & Special Global Strategic Partnership 2026, India-UK CETA, NATO coordination, multi-alignment doctrine
11India & the Middle East, Africa & Central AsiaUAE CEPA (Feb 2022, $100B target), I2U2, IMEC (Sep 2023), India-Israel normalisation 1992, India-Qatar LNG/navy episode, Abraham Accords, Gulf diaspora ~9.7M, remittances $118.7B (FY24), crude oil import shares (Iraq/Russia/Saudi), IEA membership, Operation Raahat (Yemen)
12India-Africa RelationsIAFS summits, India-Africa trade, ITEC, Lines of Credit, vaccine diplomacy, AU in G20, defence cooperation, China factor in Africa
13India–Central Asia & Pacific IslandsConnect Central Asia policy, SCO, INSTC, Chabahar; FIPIC, 14 Pacific Island Countries, Blue Pacific, China factor
14India-Southeast Asia — ASEAN & Act East PolicyLook East (1992) → Act East (2014), ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership 2022, AITIGA review, trade deficit ~$45B, RCEP exit Nov 2019, India-Japan Strategic Partnership, BIMSTEC Charter 2024, Mekong-Ganga Cooperation
15Indo-Pacific, QUAD & ASEANIndo-Pacific strategy, QUAD, AUKUS, ASEAN centrality, maritime security, regional architecture
16International OrganisationsUN system (UNGA, UNSC, ICJ), WTO, IMF, World Bank, ASEAN, EU, AU, SAARC, BIMSTEC, AUKUS, I2U2
17India-UN Relations, UNSC Reform & PeacekeepingIndia's UNSC bid, G4 group, Uniting for Consensus, India's peacekeeping record, elected UNSC terms, Summit of the Future 2024
18Multilateral ForumsUN reform, BRICS expansion, SCO, Quad, G20 presidency, SAARC vs BIMSTEC, multi-alignment strategy
19G20 & Multilateral GovernanceIndia's G20 Presidency 2023, New Delhi Declaration, Voice of Global South, PGII vs BRI, G20 reform agenda, climate finance outcomes
20SCO — Shanghai Cooperation OrganisationSCO founding (2001), members (India joined 2017), RATS, SCO Charter, India-Pakistan in SCO, INSTC, Samarkand Summit
21India's Strategic PartnershipsIndia-USA, India-Russia, India-Japan, India-France, India-EU, nuclear diplomacy, Indo-Pacific strategy
22India's Nuclear Diplomacy, NSG & Strategic AutonomyPokhran-I (1974), Pokhran-II (May 11-13, 1998), NFU doctrine, 123 Agreement (Oct 2008), Hyde Act 2006, NSG bid blocked 2016, MTCR (Jun 2016), Wassenaar (Dec 2017), Australia Group (Jan 2018), INS Arihant (Aug 2016, triad)
23Global Security & Arms ControlNuclear non-proliferation (NPT, CTBT, NSG), arms control treaties, terrorism conventions, UNSC resolutions, India's stance
24India's Development & Humanitarian DiplomacyITEC, disaster relief abroad, vaccine diplomacy, Lines of Credit, South-South cooperation, diaspora engagement, soft power
25International Trade & WTOIndia's trade profile, WTO structure & disputes, FTAs (UAE, Australia, EFTA, UK), RCEP, trade policy instruments
26India-EU & Multilateral Trade NegotiationsIndia-EU FTA negotiations, WTO dispute settlement, trade remedies, anti-dumping, safeguard measures, TBT/SPS barriers
27Climate Diplomacy & Global CommonsUNFCCC negotiations, India's climate diplomacy, loss & damage, CBDR, LiFE, global commons governance
28Indian Diaspora, Soft Power & Cultural DiplomacyPravasi Bharatiya, yoga diplomacy, Brand India, cultural outreach, diaspora engagement
29Refugee Crisis, UNHCR & India's PolicyRefugee vs asylum seeker distinction, 1951 Refugee Convention (India not signatory), UNHCR, Rohingya, Afghan refugees, India's non-refoulement practice, domestic legal framework
30BRICS — Bloc, Expansion & New Development BankBRIC 2006, South Africa 2011, Johannesburg expansion (2023), 10 full members (Egypt/Ethiopia/Iran/UAE Jan 2024, Indonesia Jan 2025), Argentina declined, Kazan Summit 2024, 13 partner countries, NDB (Shanghai, $100B, Dilma Rousseff), CRA ($100B), India's anti-de-dollarisation stance, Brazil 2025 Presidency