The Ultimate International Relations Cheat Sheet For 2025 Prelims

International Organisations

United Nations (UN)

Structure:

• • Principal Organs: General Assembly, Security Council, ECOSOC, ICJ, Secretariat, Trusteeship Council.
  • Specialised Agencies: WHO, UNESCO, UNICEF, IMF, World Bank.

Key Roles:

• • Peacekeeping (e.g., UNMISS in South Sudan).
  • Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
  • Climate Action (UNFCCC, Paris Agreement).

India’s Role:

• • Founding member; advocate for UNSC reforms (G4 nations).
  • Largest contributor to UN peacekeeping missions.

NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)

• • Purpose: Collective defence (Article 5), deterrence against aggression.
  • Members: 32 members (Sweden joined in 2024).
  • India’s Stance: Not a member but engages in dialogue (e.g., counter-piracy in Gulf of Aden).

WTO (World Trade Organization)

• • Functions: Regulate global trade, resolve disputes (e.g., India vs. US on solar panels).
  • India’s Priorities:
  • • Food security (Peace Clause for MSP).
    • Opposition to fisheries subsidies harming small-scale fishers.

Regional Studies

South Asia

• • SAARC: Stalled due to India-Pakistan tensions; replaced by BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal focus).
  • India’s Neighbourhood First Policy:
  • • Maldives: Infrastructure projects (Greater Male Connectivity).
    • Nepal: Cross-border rail/energy links (e.g., Arun-3 hydropower).
    • Sri Lanka: Debt diplomacy, Trincomalee port development.

Middle East

• • Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC):
  • • India’s energy security (85% oil imports from Gulf).
    • I2U2 Group (India, Israel, UAE, USA) for tech and food security.
  • Iran: Chabahar Port (bypass Pakistan), INSTC corridor.
  • Israel: Defence ties (Barak-8 missiles), agriculture tech.

Europe

• • EU-India Relations:
  • • Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations since 2007.
    • Clean Energy Partnership (solar, hydrogen).
  • Brexit Impact: New opportunities in UK-India trade (e.g., Migration and Mobility Partnership).

India’s Foreign Policy

• • Key Principles
  • • Panchsheel: Peaceful coexistence (1954).
    • Non-Alignment 2.0: Strategic autonomy in multipolar world.
    • Gujral Doctrine: Unilateral concessions to neighbors (1996).
  • Major Initiatives
  • • Act East Policy: ASEAN integration, Indo-Pacific partnerships.
    • SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region): Indian Ocean security.
    • Vaccine Maitri: COVID-19 diplomacy (supplied vaccines to 100+ countries).
  • Strategic Relationships
  • • USA:
    • • Quad (India, USA, Japan, Australia) for Indo-Pacific stability.
      • Defense pacts: COMCASA, BECA, LEMOA.
    • Russia:
    • • S-400 missile deal, Kudankulam nuclear plant.
      • Rupee-Ruble trade to bypass sanctions.
    • Japan:
    • • Asia-Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC), bullet train project.

Bilateral & Multilateral Relations

• • Key Treaties/Agreements
  • • Indo-US Nuclear Deal (123 Agreement): Civil nuclear cooperation (2008).
    • Shimla Agreement (1972): India-Pakistan post-1971 war.
    • India-Japan Civil Nuclear Agreement (2016).
  • Partnerships
  • • Quad: Focus on maritime security, climate, tech.
    • BRICS: New Development Bank (NDB), push for de-dollarisation.
    • SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation): Counter-terrorism (RATS), energy cooperation.

Military Exercises

• • Tri-Service Exercises
  • • INDRA (Russia): Joint drills in Vladivostok (2023).
    • MILAN (Multilateral): Hosted by India, 50+ navies (2024 theme: “Partners Across Oceans”).
  • Army Exercises
  • • Yudh Abhyas (USA): Uttarakhand (2023) – mountain warfare.
    • Surya Kiran (Nepal): Focus on HADR (Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief).
  • Navy Exercises
  • • Malabar (USA, Japan, Australia): Quad naval drills in Philippine Sea (2023).
    • SIMBEX (Singapore): Anti-submarine warfare in Andaman Sea.
  • Air Force Exercises
  • • Garuda (France): Jodhpur (2023) – Rafale and Sukhoi-30 sorties.
    • Cope India (USA): Air combat drills in West Bengal (2023).