IR Prelims Notes

IR Prelims Notes
• NEIGHBOURS
• Maldives
a. India recently gifted -
i. LED StreetLights
ii. Rupay Card
iii. 3 Fish Processing Plants
iv. Patrol Vessel Kaamiyaab - will enhance maritime security of
Maldives
• Mission Sagar-Maitri 2
a. INS Sagardhwani - indigenous oceanographic research vessel by DRDO
b. Will visit 8 IOR countries and collect data of North Indian Ocean
c.
• Bangladesh
a. Boundary Disputes arising out of Radcliffe Award in East Pak were sought
to be resolved by -
i. Bagge Award, 1950
ii. Nehru-Noon Agreement, 1958
1. Berubari Union case => no fruition
b. Rooppur Nuclear Power Project, Bangladesh - by Rosatom (Russia), DAE
(India), Bangladesh govt
c. New Moore Island, Bangladesh - Emerged in Bay of Bengal in aftermath
of Bhola Cyclone in 1970
d. Bhashan Char Island, Bangladesh - rohingyas relocated - island formed
by silt in 2006 on mouth of river Meghna
Rishabh Kumar Rewar – AIR 104, CSE 2020

Jayant & Rishabh UPSC CSE Notes and Strategy - https://t.me/jayantrishabh
e.
f. Indo-Bangaldesh Inland Water Transit and Trade Protocol

i. India will invest in creating infra (port, road, rail) in Ashugonj Port
(river Meghna, Bangladehs) and Akhaura Checkpost (Agartala) =>
to facilitate smooth movt of goods to NE states
ii.

• Bhutan
a. Kholongchhu Project
b. India-Bhutan (50:50) project
• Afghanistan
a. Delaram-Zaranj Highway (aka Route 606) => totally financed by India,
constructed by BRO
b. High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDP) - India & Afg
have signed 5 agreements => developing educational Infra
c. 6+2+1 Meeting on Afg => by UN secretariat => India not invited

d.
• Pakistan
a. KARTARPUR Corridor
i. Indian pilgrims of all faiths and PIOs (need to carry OCI
card+Passport) can use corridor
ii. Visa free - but need passport
iii. Corridor will be operational throughout the year generally
iv. Across River Ravi
b. Pant Mirza Agreement, 1955 - for protection of Non-muslim shrines in
Pakistan and Muslim shrines in India
c. Chinese Projects in POK
i. Kohala Project - Jhelum
ii. Azad Pattan Hydel Project -Jhelum
d. Indian Projects in the region -
i. Tulbul Project - Wular Lake
ii. Kishanganga Hydroelectricity Project - Indian project - diverts
water from Kishanganga (aka Neelum in Pak => merges with
Jhelum in Pak)

•

•
• Vanilla Islands
a. South West Indian Ocean countries => Madagascar, Seychelles,
Mauritius, Reunion, Mayotte, Comoros
b. Vanilla because => Vanilla is grown there

c.
• SAARC
a. SL former PM pitched for revival of SAARC
SAARC estd in Dhaka, 1985. Secretariat - Kathmandu
b. Decisions taken unanimously - bilateral and contentious issues excluded
from deliberations
c. SAFTA, 2006
• REGIONAL CONNECTIVITY PROJECTS

• BBIN-MVA - Bhutan hasn't ratified yet (envt concerns)
a. Initially proposed in SAARC -> declined by Pakistan
b. Support by ADB under SASEC

c.
• Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project

a. Connects Kolkata seaport to Sittwe port, Myanmar
b. Then link Sittwe to Lashio via Kaladan river boat route and then from
Lashio to Mizoram
c.
• India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway

a. Will link Moreh (Manipur) via Mandalay (Myanmar) to Mae Sot distt
(Thailand)

b.
• Chabahar
a.
• BCIM (Bangla-China-India-Myanmar)
a. Aka Kunming initiative
b. Intergration of trade & investment btw the countries
• SOUTH ASIA PLACES

a.
b.
1. Chattogram Use for movt of goods
Port,
Bangladesh
2. Mongla Port, Use for movt of goods
Bang
3. Feni River, Bang Withdrawal of water for drinking
water for Sabroom, Tripura
4. Petrapole, WB Integrated check-post (ICP) across
India-Bangla border
5. Jogbani, Bihar ICP across India-Nepal
6. Moreh, Manipur ICP across India-Myanmar
7. Wagah, Punjab Indo-pak border

8. Motihari- First south asian oil pipeline corridor
Amlekhgunj oil
pipeline
9. Trincomalee India signed MoUs to develop it
Port, SL
10. Colombo Port, India-Japan to develop oil terminal
SL
11. Rakhine state, Rohingya dominated
Myanmar
12. Akhaura, Tripura ICP across India-Bangla
13. Addu Atoll, 5 MoUs to develop Addu Tourism Zone
Maldives
14. Bhashan Char Camp for rohingya refugees
Island,
Bangladesh
15. New Moore Sandbar emerged after Bhola cyclone,
Island, 1970 => sovereignty given to
Bangladesh Bangladesh
• Motihari-Amlekhgunj Oil Pipeline

a. 69km long from Motihari, Bihar to Amlekhgunj, Nepal
b. First transnational oil pipeline from India + First South asian
• RuPay services available in - Bahrain, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Myanmar, Maldives,
Bhutan, Singapore
• Integrated Check Points (ICPs)
a. To provide smooth cross-border movement of individuals, goods and
vehicles. 3 main functions - Customs, Immigration, Border Security
b. Operational ICPs
i. Attari, punjab -Pak
ii. Jogbani, Bihar - Biratnagar, Nepal
iii. Raxaul, Bihar - nepal
iv. Petrapole, WB - bang
v. Axhaura, tripura - bang
vi. Moreh, Manipur - myanmar
• IORA

a.
b. 22 countries (Pakistan, China, Myanmar => NOT members)

c. Estd 1997, in Mauritius
d.
e. Indian Ocean Dialogue => Trakc 1.5 Diplomacy {btw Track 1 (govt
diplomacy) and Track 2 (backchannel diplomacy)}=> btw academia and
officials on strategic issues of interest
i. 1st IOD was held in India in 2014
f. IORA idea was conceived by India and SA
• IONS
a. Formed 2008
b. Pakistan is member also

• ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF)
a. Setup in 1994 => security dialogue in Indo Pacific
b. 27 members => India member
c. Decisions taken by consensus
• Indian Ocean Commission (IOC)
a. 5 African Indian ocean nations - Comoros, Madagascar, Seychelles,
Mauritius, Reunion
b. 5 observers - India, China, EU, Malta, OIF (french speaking)
c. Estd 1984 (Victoria Agreement), HQ - Port Louis (Mauritius)

25.
26. Delhi Dialogue- btw India-ASEAN => held alongwith IOD
27. Mekong Ganga Cooperation

a. Initiative by 6 countries - India + 5 ASEAN (Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam,
Laos, Thailand)
28. South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC), 2001
a. BBIN + Maldives+ Myanmar+SL (i.e. BIMSTEC+Maldives-Thailand)
b. Project based partnership => promote regional prosperity etc
c. Asian Development Bank (manila) -> serves as Secretariat for SASEC
29. SAGE (South Asia Group For Energy)
a. Energy security architecture in South Asia => set up by MEA
b. Consortium of Energy-sector experts
30. East Asia Summit
a. EAS Maritime Summit in Chennai, 2019
b. EAS => 18 members (16 RCEP + US + Russia)
31. Colombo Plan
a. 27 countries (India Member)
b. Regional org to strengthen economic & social dev of member countries
in Asia-Pacific
c. Human Resource development
32. Eurasian Economic Union (EEU)
a. 5 countries - Belarus, Kazakhastan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Russia
b. Estd 2015, HQ - Moscow

c.
d. Talks of India- FTA with Eurasian Economic Union in Jan 2020
33. CICA (Conference On Interaction & CBMs in Asia)

a. Estd 1999, HQ - Nursultan (Kazakhastan)
b. India founding member (27 members)
c. State must have atleast a territory in Asia
• INDIA
34. 2+2 Meetings of India- India-US, India-Japan, India-Australia at ministerial level
o CDRI - US has agreed to join as founding member in 2+2 meeting of 2019
35. Military and Logistics Support Agreement (MLSAs)
o India has signed with => US (LEMOA), JAPAN, France, Oman, Phillipines,
Singapore, Sabang Port (indonesia)
o In advanced stages with => Australia, Russia
a. MLSA (Mutual Logistics Support Agreement) - AUSTRALIA
b. ARLS (Agreement on Reciprocal Logistics Supoort) - RUSSIA
c. Acquisition & Cross Servicing Agreement and Reciprocal Provision of
Supplies & Services - JAPAN
d. LEMOA - US
36. CDRI
a. Knowledge-based platform only
b. First proposed during 2016 during 2016 Asian Ministerial Conference on
Disaster Risk Reduction
c. Launched by India at UN climate action summit, 2019
d. Will provide techcnical support and capacity development, research and
knowledge management etc
e. Upholds UN Agenda 2030 principles => of leaving No one, no place, no
ecosystem behind => focussing on most vulnerable regions and
populations

f. CDRI Charter shared with 38 countries (including G-20 and Non G-20
nations)
37. ISA
a. Solar Risk Mitigation Mechanism => pooled insurance facility to reduce
financial cost of solar projects in member countries - by WB (& IRENA
also associated)
a.
38. India Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC)
a. Bilateral programme of assistance instituted in 1964
b. Under MEA
c. 5 components-
a. Training in India of ITEC nominees
b. Project and feasibility studies and consultancy services for a
country's particular needs/projects
c. Aid for disaster relief
d. Deputation of indian experts in whatever needed capacity abroad
39. Indian Not Part OF -
a. Rome Statute - International Criminal Court
b. Refugee Convention, 1951
c. CTBT
d. NPT
e. 2 of the 8 fundamental conventions of ILO
f. Hague Convention on International Child Abduction, 1983 =>
International Child Abduction - India NOT ratified
a. Abduction and retention (overseas by parent) across international
borders by providing a procedure to bring about their prompt
return
b. Applies to any child < 16 yo who is habitual resident of contracting
countries
c. 90 member countries
40. Hague Convention on Adoption, 1993
a. India has signed and ratified in 2003
b. Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) => central authority for
intercountry adoption => based on Hague Convention on Adoption
c. CARA statutory body under MoWCD
41. India's Overseas Bases
a. Duqm Port - Oman
b. Changi - Singapore
c. Assumption Island - Seychelles
d. Djibouti - mutual pact with Japan
e. Sittwe - Myanmar
f. Bangladesh - listening post
g. Qatar - rights to station its troops
h. Agalega archipelago - Mauritius

i. Maldives
j. Farkhor Air Base - Tajikistan -India's first overseas military base
k. Madagascar - listening post
42. Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA)
a. Estd in 1943 => by a group of Indian intellectuals as a thinktank
b. By act of parliament 2001 => ICWA was declared as institution of national
importance
c. Vice President of India => ex-officio chairman of ICWA
d. Exclusively devoted for study of international relations and foreign affairs
e. Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru => founder-president of council
43. Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR)
a. Founded by Maulana Abul Kalam , in 1950
b. Promotion of Indian culture in other countries => propagating Indian soft
power
c. Office of chairperson => exempted from being Office of profit for MP
44. India-France
a. Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement -> ensuring P2P contact,
mobility of students, academics, researchers, and skilled professionals +
cooperation on irregular migration and human trafficking
45. India-UK
a. India-UK Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO)
b. Recent Developments
a. Access India Programme - facilitating investments by UK SMEs in
India
b. Rupee-Denominated bonds
c. Green Bonds - Indian Railways Finance Coprporation raised and
lister on London Stock Exchange
d. Varanasi Smart City Development Plan
46. India-US
a. 4 Foundational Defence Agreements-
a. GSOMIA (General Security of Military Info Agreement) => ISA
(industrial Security Annexure) under GSOMIA => enable US govt
and defence companies to share classified info with India pvt
defence mfgs - signed
b. LEMOA - Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement - signed
c. COMCASA - Comm Compatibility and Security Agreement -signed
d. BECA - Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement - allow US and
India to share geospatial satellite data - NOT signed yet
b. Integrated Air Defence Weapon System (IADWS) aka NASAMS-II (surface
to air missile systems) => US approved its sale to India
c. Space Situational Awareness cooperation
d. CDRI founding member US

e. Young Innovators Internship Programme (YIIP) - short term internship
for Indian students in US
f. India removed from Developing Countries list of US
47. Norway-India => task force on blue economy and sustainable development
today and new collaboration on Integrated Ocean Management and Research
48. 4 Multilateral Export Control Regime

a. Wassenaar Arrangement - on export controls for conventional Arms and
Dual-Use Tech => India member
b. Missile Techcnology Control Regime (MTCR) - those carrying > 500kg over
300km as well as missile systems intended for delivery of WMD => India
Member
a. Not Legally Binding
c. Australia Group - Chemical and Biological weapons => India member,
China NOT member
a. Formed in 1985 after Iraq's use of chemical weapons
d. NSG - (estd in 1974 - after India test) non-proliferation of nuclear
weapons (48 members) => India not member
a. China refused india entry saying it should first sign NPT
49. Arms Trade Treaty

a. Prevent conventional weapons from being used in war crimes, Human
rights violations => does NOT place restriction on types/quantities of
firearms sold/bought by states
b. UN Office of Disarmament Affairs
c. Came to force in 2014
d. 104 members - India NOT part
50. UN Convention on Torture
a. 1987 - into force
b. Prohibits torture in all circumstances
c. Non Refoulement => cannot return someone who is in danger to be
tortured
d. India has signed but NOT ratified
51. Hague Code Of Conduct (HCOC)
a. International code of conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation
b. Members voluntarily commit themselves to provide prelaunch
notifications (PLNs) on ballistic missile
c. India joined HCoC to push for MTCR membership and strengthen case for
NSG
52. Hague Convention for Protection of Cultural Property in event of Armed Conflict
53. Geneva Convention, 1949
a. Body of Public International Law aka Humanitarian law of Armed Conflicts
b. To ensure warring parties are humane with non-combatants-

a. Civilians
b. Medical personnnel
c. PoW
d. Sick/wounded soldiers
54. Geneva Protocol, 1925
a. Signed in 1925 by LoN
b. Prohibition of use in war of asphyxiating, poisonous or other gases and of
Bacteriological methods of warfare
c. Prohibits USE of chemical & biological weapons => DOES NOT prohibit
development or prohibiton of these weapons
55. Biological Weapons Convention, 1972
a. 1972 => to supplement 1925 Geneva Protocol
b. First multilateral disarmament treaty banning entire category of weapons
c. DOES NOT ban Bio-defence programmes
d. India ratified in 1974
56. Chemical Weapons Convention, 1997
a. Independent, autonomous international organization with working
relationship with UN
b. HQ - Hague, Netherlands
c. OPCW (Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is
implementing body of Chemical Weapons Convention (1997, India has
signed and ratified)
a. India is a member (Israel, Egypt, North Korea, Palestine, South
Sudan - NOT)
b. India setup National Authority for Chemical Weapons Convention
under Cabinet Secretariat
c. India became 1st country to become Chemical weapons free by
destroying its stocks
d. 4 key provisions -
1. Destroying all chemical
2. Monitoring Chemical industry to prevent chemical
weapons from re-emerging
3. Providing protection to states from chemical threats
4. Fostering international cooperation
e. 2013 Nobel Peace Prize
57. FATF
a. Intergovernmental body estd in 1989
b. Policy making body => monitors through "peer reviews" (mutual
evaluations)
c. HQ - Paris
d. Initially aimed at countering money laundering, later in 2001, its mandate
expanded to include terror financing also

e. 39 members including 2 regional councils - European Commission and
Gulf Cooperation Council => Members of Asia - India, China, Russia,
Japan, South Korea, Malaysia (Pakistan not part)
f. Grey List, Black List (non-cooperating countries) - Iran, North Korea
g. Secretariat - at OECD HQ in Paris
h. Report - Money Laundering and Illegal Wildlife Trade - June 2020
58. EAG
a. EAG is associate member of FATF
b. Eurasian Group on Combating Money Laundering & financing of terrorism
=> FATF-style regional body
c. 9 members => India, Russia, China, Belarus + 5 CARs
59. Terrorist Organisations
a. Al-shabab => Somalia and Kenya (east africa)
b. Boko Haram => Northeast Nigeria (west africa)
c. Houthis => Yemen
d. Hezbollah => Lebanon - Shia Islamist political party => Iran's proxy in
Iran-Israel conflict
60. Power Of Siberia Pipeline & Altai Pipeline => Natural Gas Pipeline Btw Russia
and China
61. ASEAN
a. Biannual Summits - 2 in a year
b. 35th ASEAN Summit (2020) theme - "Advancing Partnership for
Sustainability"
c. East Asia Summit - ASEAN+US+Russia+other6RCEPnations
62. Asia pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
a. India NOT a part
b. HQ- Singapore
63. Ashgabat Agreement
a. Multimodaal transport agreement btw - Kazakh, Uzbek, Turkmen, Iran,
Pak, India, Oman => to create international transport and transit corridor
btw Central Asia and Persian Gulf
b. India joined in 2018
64. Mekong Ganga Cooperation
a. 6 countries - India + 5 ASEAN (Myanmar, Thaliland, Laos, Cambodia,
Vietnam)
b. Launched in Vientiane, Laos in 2000
65. CPTPP (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership)
a. 10 countries - (NO USA)
a. Australia
b. NZ
c. Brunei
d. Malaysia
e. Singapore
f. Vietnam

g. Japan
h. Canada
i. Mexico
j. Peru
k. Chile
b.
c. TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) => CPTPP + US => US withdrew and TPP

failed
66. Cairns Group
a. Coalition of 19 agricultural exporting nations => lobbying for agri trade
liberalisation
b. Formed in 1986 in Cairns, Australia
67. UN International Settlement Agreement, 2019
a. Aka Singapore Convention
b. India signed (US and China have also signed)
c. Provides uniform and efficient framework for enforcement of int
settlement agreements resulting from mediation and for allowing parties
to invoke such allegations => ADR
▪ NDIAC (New Delhi Internation Arbitration Centre Act, 2019 - on
recc of BN Srikrishna Comm
68. Paris Club => informal group of creditor nations with objective to find workable
solutions to payment problems faced by debtor nations
69. Capetown Agreement of International Maritime Organisation
a. Combat illegal, unregulated and unregulated fishing
b. Outlines fishing vessels' standards and regulations => to protect crew
c. India has NOT yet ratified
70. CTBT, 1996
a. India invited to join CTBTO as an observer
b. Multilateral treaty that bans ALL nuclear explosions (both civilian and
military purposes) in ALL Environments
a. Earlier, PTBT prohibited all forms except underground
c. Negotiated at Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, 1994
d. Adopted by UNGA in 1996

e. Signed by 184 nations
f. HAS NOT ENTERED INTO FORCE => Will come into force when all 44
nuclear countries sign and ratify
a. India, Pakistan, North Korea - neither signed not ratified
b. China, Egypt, Israel, Iran, US - signed but not ratified
g. CTBT verification regime-
a. International Monitoring System (IMS) - global network of
sensors to detect nuclear explosion
b. International Data Centre (IDC)
c. On-Site Inspections
71. Conference on Disarmament, 1979
a. 1979, Geneva - single multilateral disarmament negotiation forum
b. Proposed by India
c. India member
72. NPT, 1968
a. Prevent spread of nuclear weapons and weapons tech => to promote
cooperation in peaceful uses of nuclear energy and further goal of
nuclear disarmament
b. Only Binding Commitment for disarmament by NWS
c. India, Pakistan, Israel, North Korea, South Sudan => not party
d. NNWS pledge to accept IAEA safeguards to verify their nuclear activities
serve only peaceful purposes
73. NSG - (estd in 1974 - after India test) non-proliferation of nuclear weapons (48
members) => India not member
a. China refused india entry saying it should first sign NPT
74. Nuclear Weapon Prohibition Treaty, 2017
a. First multilateral Legally-binding instrument for nuclear disarmament to
be negotiated in 20 years
b. Not in force => india and other nuclear armed nations did not participate

•
75. UN Treaty on prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW)

a. Entered into force on Jan 2021 -> after 50th member Honduras ratified
b. Adopted in 2017 due to efforts by ICAN (Int Campaign to abolish nuclear
weapons)
▪ ICAN received 2017 Nobel Peace Prize
c. P5 + India, Pak, North Korea, Israel & NATO => did not support it
d. Treaty prohbits members to -
a. Develop, test, mfg, acquire nukes
b. Transfer
c. Receive
d. Use
e. Assist
f. Station/install
76. Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA)
a. Intergovernmental agency that facilitates cooperation among advanced
nuclear infra countries to seek excellence in nuclear safety, tech, science,
envt and law
b. Under OECD
c. Together these countries account for 82% of world's installed nuclear
capacity
d. NEA works closely with IAEA (specialized UN agency) and European
Commission
e. 33 member => India and China NOT MEMBERS
77. IAEA

a. Reports to UNGA, UNSC
b. But NOT UN agency => has own statute
c. Formed in 1957 - Vienna
d. "Atoms for Peace"
e. Promote peaceful use of nuclear energy
f. India recently ratified Additional Protocol of IAEA => Civilian Reactors
come under IAEA surveillance
78. IEA
a. Formed in 1973 after Oil crisis
b. Only OECD members can be members of IAE
c. India is observer
79. IRAN
a. Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) - US withdrew later
b. INSTEX Barter Mechanism - to allow Europe to maintain trade with Iran
a. Intitally setup by France, Germany, UK => to circumvent US
sanctions
b. Joined by 6 new European states - Belgium, Denmark, Finland,
Netherlands, Norway, Sweden
80. Agreement for Bringing Peace - US-Taliban
81. Idlib Ceasefire - Russia-Turkey -> Idlib is last major stronghold of Syrian rebels
82. Peace to Prosperity Plan - US plan for Israel and Palestine
83. Operation Peace Spring - By Turkey and Syrian National Army against Syrian
Democratic Forces after US troops pulled back
84. Arctic Council
a. Only countries with territory in Arctic can be members (8) -
a. Canada, US, Russia, Iceland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland
b. UK IS NOT MEMBER
b. Estd by Ottawa Declaration, 1996; HQ - Romso, Norway
c. India was first elected as observer member in 2013, re-elected in 2019
also
d. Not a formalized treaty-based int legal entity - doesn’t allocate resources
e. Doesn't prohibit commercial exploitation of Arctic resources
f. Mandate doesn't include military security
85. Global Refugee Forum
a. First ever meeting in 2019 in Geneva
b. New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants, 2016
86. BASIC - Brazil, SA, India, China => to act together wrt CC and address common
concerns of developing countries vis-a-vis developed regarding CC
87. Commonwealth
a. Estd in 1949 by London Declaration
b. Queen Elizabeth - head
c. 3 bodies -
a. Commonwealth Secretariat => intergovernmental aspect

b. Commonwealth Foundation => Non govt relations - People's
participation
c. Commonwealth of Learning => open learning & distance
education
d. Commonwealth Head of Govt Meeting - every 2 Years
e. Maldives recently rejoined - 54th member
f. Membership based on free & equal voluntary cooperation
a. ANY country can join
g. Youth Development Index
88. International Criminal Court (ICC)

a. Governed by Rome Statute
b. Entered into force in 2002
c. ICC is NOT part of UN
d. Jurisdiction to prosecute individuals for international crimes of genocide,
crimes against humanity, and war crime
e. Can provide judgement on non-member state
a. ICC investigation on whether US committed war crimes in Afg. US
is not member of ICC, but Afg is and therefore ICC has jurisdiction
in Agf => thus can provide judgement on US also
f. Located at - Hague, Netherlands
g. India not a party to ICC
89. INSTC
a. Estd in 2000 by India, Russia, Iran => later 10 new members were added
90. GAVI (Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization)
a. Public-private global health partnershsip committed to increasing access
to immunization in poor countries
91. Nord Stream 2
a. Export Gas pipeline from Russia to Europe across Baltic Sea

o
92. IBSA
a. Estd in 2003 by Brasilia Declaration => intends for South-South
cooperation
b. IBSA Fund -> managed by UNOSSC (UN Office for south-south
cooperation), lends its professional expertise to promote stakeholders in
promoting development of Global South
93. GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council)
a. Estd 1981
b. Arab countries surrounding Persian Gulf (except Iraq) - UAE, Bahrain,
Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait
c. Political, defence and economic cooperation to balance Iran in Persian
Gulf
o Riyadh Declaration
94. Arab League
a. Arab countries around North Africa, Horn of Africa, Arabia
b. HQ - Cairo
c. India observer status in 2007
95. BIMSTEC
a. Estd in 1997 through Bangkok Declaration, initially 'BIST-EC' (bangla,
India, SL, Thailand)
b. Presently 7 members - BBIN+SL+Thailand+Myanmar
c. Conference on Combating Drug Trafficking
a. India hosted 1st ever BIMSTEC conference on CDT in Delhi
b. Organized by Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB)
96. Banks
a. AIIB
a. Estd 2015, HQ-Beijing

b. 97 members (including 14 of G-20, US and Japan -> NOT
members) => investing in sustainable infra in Asia and beyond
c. Membership open to all members of WB and ADB and classified
as Regional (Asia, Oceania) and Non-Regional members
d. Share 2nd largest => China ($50Bn) > India ($8.4Bn) > Russia >
Germany
e. AIIB creation is part of broader reorientation of Chinese foreign
and international economic policy wrt OBOR etc
f. India => largest beneficiary of AIIB financing for infra projects
b. ADB
a. Estd in 1966, HQ - Manila, Phillipines
b. 68 Members (49 from Asia and Pacific)
c. To provide prosperity, inclusivity, resilience and sustainability to
Asia and Pacific along with eradication of poverty
d. Share 4th largest - Japan>US> China> India
e. Also raises money through bond issues on world's capital markets
c. NDB
a. Estd 2014-> Fortaleza Declaration, HQ-Shanghai
b. Strengthen cooperation among BRICS countries
c. Key area => clean energy, transport infra, irrigation, Sustainable
urban Dev
d. Equal contri of all
▪ CRA (Contingent Reserve Arrangement) => in Fortaleza declration
as well
1. To provide short-term liquidity support to members
through currency swap to help mitigate BOP crisis and
strengthen financial stability
2. Initial commitment = $100BN (C=41, B,I,R=18 each, SA=5)
d. EBRD (European Bank for Reconstruciton & Development)
a. Estd in 1991, HQ - London
b. Supports dev in >30 countries from Europe, Asia
c. India recently became shareholder (US- largest shareholder)
d. Only lends regionally in countries of operations (India is NOT part
of them => so won't get funding)
e. WB
a. 1944 (bretton woods)
b. Only IMF members can be WB member
c. WB Group has 5 institutions -
1. IBRD
2. IDA (Int Development Assocaition)
3. IFC - for pvt sector in developing countires
4. MIGA - to promote FDI in developing countries

5. ICSID - concilitaion & arbitration of investment disputes
(between members and individual investors also) - India
NOT part
f. IMF
a. 1944
b. Quota subscriptions & SDR - 1st line of defense
c. New Arrangements to Borrow & Bilateral Borrowing Agreements
- 2nd and 3rd line of defense
g. SASEC (South Asia Sub-regional Economic Cooperation)
a. Estd 2001, Secretariat - ADB, Manila
b. Members - BBIN+SL+Maldives+Myanmar
c. Project-based partnership to promote regional prosperity by -
1. Cross border connectivity
2. Boosting trade among members
97. World Customs Organisation

a. Estd 1952 => independent intergovernmental body whose mission is to
enhance effectiveness and efficiency of Customs administration
b. SAFE Framework
98. Antarctic Treaty

a. Signed in 1959 in Washington => 54 parties rn
a. Peaceful purposes only
b. Freedom of scientific investigation and cooperation
c. Scientific observations and results will be made freely available
d. No exploitation of resources
99. New and Emerging Strategic Technologies (NEST) Division in MEA
a. New division of NEST in MEA => nodal division for issues pertaining to
new and emerging tech (5G, IoT, AI)
b. Objectives -
a. Assessing foreign policy and international legal implications of
emerging tech
b. Facilitating negotiations to safeguard Indian interests at
multilateral forum like UN or G20
c. Creation of HR capacity within ministry for tech diplomacy
d. Collab with foreign partners in 5G and AI
100. South China Sea

a.
b. North to South - Paracel, Scarborough, Spratly

c. Important locations -
a. Vanguard Bank, Vietnam
b. Spratly Islands (dispute btw China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia,
Phillipines) -> untapped oil reserves
c. Paracel Islands - equidistant from China and Vietnam in South
China Sea
o Natuna Island - China vs Indonesia dispute => near South China Sea
d. China's "Nine-Dash Line" - China rejected UNCLOS Arbitral ruling
▪ UNCLOS - India China members, US hasn't ratified
e. Importance
a. Strategic location
b. Fisheries
101. Peace To Prosperity - US Plan of Israel-Palestine

a. Jerusalem - Israel's soveriegn capital
b. Sections of East Jerusalem can be Palestine's capital
c. Gives 4 years for Israel and Palestine to accept the border

d.
102. EU
a. Maastricht Treaty, 1992 - Treaty on European Union
b. Article 50 of Lisbon Treaty => provides for exit of member countries from
EU
▪ For any country to come out of EU, it has to negotiate a
settlement deal with EU
c. UK joined EU in 1973

d.
e. Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, Liechestein => NOT members of EU

103. Schengen Region
a. 26 European nations - visa free travel zone
b. 22 EU states +Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, Liechestein
104. NATO
a. Sweden, Finland, Austria, Cyprus, Ireland, Malta => members of EU, but
not of NATO

a.
b. Do defend non-members when there is stability under risk, eg, ukraine

c. NATO's first operation "Anchor Guard" in 1990 prompted by Iraqi
invasion of Kuwait
d. North Macedonia - latest member
105. Saudi Arabia
a. Establishment of Strategic Partnership Council (SPC) - India became 4th
country to sign
▪ 2 parallel tracks-
1. Headed by Foreign Ministers - Political, Security, Culture,
Society
2. Headed by India's Commerce Min and Saudi's Energy
Minister - Economy and Investment

b. Saudi Arabia recognized India as one of 8 Strategic Partner countries
under "Vision 2030"
c. Future Investment Initiative => Davos In Desert
106. WEST ASIA PLACES
a.
b.
Khurais Oil Field, Saudi Attacked by drone
Jeddah, Saudi Admin center of OIC
Baku, Azerbaijan 18th NAM Summit
Hajigak mine, Afg India can export iron ore from here
Duqm Port, Oman India got access for military use
107. Hormuz Peace Initiative
a. led by Iran => stabilizing Strrait of Hormuz amidst US-Iran tensions
b. Partnered by - India, Pakistan, China, Afghanistan
108. African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)
a. By African Union (55 members)
b. 54 have signed and 27 have ratified
c. AU is guided by Agenda 2063
109. Blue Dot Network
a. Launched in 2019 on sidelines of 35th ASEAN Summit
b. By US, Japan, Australia => evaluate projects on various parameters
c. Alternative to "Predatory Lending" and debt trap diplomacy of China
under BRI

110. Council Of Europe
a. International org to promote democracy, protect HR and rule of law
b. Founded by Treaty Of London => 47 members (28 members of EU)
111. UNSC Non-Permanent Seat
a. India won unanimous support of all 55-member Asia-Pacific Group at UN
for 2 year term (2021-22)
b. 10 Non-permanent members distributed on regional basis -
▪ Africa and Asia - 5
▪ Eastern Europe - 1
▪ Latin America and Carribean - 2
▪ Western Europe and Other - 2
c. Elections each year - 5 non-permanent members elected for 2 year term
d. Retiring member not eligible for re-election
e. Need 2/3rd vote of UNGA
f. UNSC only UN body with authority to issue binding resolutions on
member states
112. UNHRC
a. UNGA elects members to UNHRC for 3 years => by secret ballot
b. Created in 2006 by UNGA
c. India is member currently
d. US withdrew from UNHRC
113. UN PKF
a. Decision regarding PKF taken by UN Security Council
b. Deployed with consent of main parties in conflict
c. India is 5th largest troop contributor
d. India became first country to deploy all women contingent in 2007

e. 850 indian PKF serving in South Sudan got medal
f. Bangladesh and Nepal contribute more PKF than India
g. India has lost highest number of PKF forces
114. UN Habitat
a. UN Human Settlements Programme => for sustainable development of
human settlements
b. India elected to Executive board of the first UN Habitat Assembly

c. HQ - Nairobi
115. ICJ, ICC, PCA (permanent Court of Arbitration)
1. ICJ => 15 judges elected by UNGA, UNSC for 9 year term

116. Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, 1963
a. Guidelines for consular relations btw independent countries
b. India is party
117. Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961
a. Specifies privileges of a diplomatic mission => legal basis for diplomatic
immunity
b. India is party
118. G-20

a.
b. 14th G-20 summit held in Osaka, Japan

c. International forum for govts and Central bank Governors from 19
countries + EU
d. First G-20 summit held in 1999 after Asian Financial Crisis of 1997-98
e. India will host 2022 summit for first time
f. OSAKA TRACK
a. Proposal by Japan that seeks removal of prohibitions on data
localisation and urges nations to negotiate rules on data flows,
cloud computing etc
b. India, South Africa, Indonesia - boycotted
119. G-7
a. India invited as specical guest in recently in summit in france
b. Intergovernmental Org formed in 1975
c. Russia joined original 7 to form G-8 => later removed after Crimea
annexation
d. Canada, US, Japan, Italy, France, germany, UK

120.
• G20 -
o Iran NOT member
o Spain Permanent invitee
121. BRICS
a. 11th summit in Brasilia => adopted Brasilia Declaration
b. 1st Summit in Yekaterinburg, Russia in 2009
c. Partnership on Urban Envt Sustainability Initiative (PUESI)
d. Partnership on New Industrial Revolution
e. Women Business Alliance
f. BRICS Remote Sensing Constellation
a. Virtual Constellation of Remote Sensing Satellites
b. Phase 1 - existing satellites
c. Phase 2 - new satellites will be launched (from 2022)

d. All will be Sun-synchronous satellites
g. NDB
a. Estd 2014 -> Fortaleza Declaration, HQ-Shanghai
b. Strengthen cooperation among BRICS countries
c. Initial authorized capital - $100Bn
d. Initial subscribed capital = $50Bn (equally shared among founding
members)
e. Any UN member => can become member
f. Equal corpus of all 5
g. Key area => clean energy, transport infra, irrigation, Sustainable
urban Dev
h. CRA (Contingent Reserve Arrangement) => in Fortaleza declration as well
a. To provide short-term liquidity support to members through
currency swap to help mitigate BOP crisis and strengthen financial
stability
b. Initial commitment = $100BN (C=41, B,I,R=18 each, SA=5)
122. SCO
a. Adopted Bishkek Declaration in 19th summit in Kyrgyzstan's capital
b. 2 permanent bodies -
a. SCO Secretariat, Beijing
b. RATS, Tashkent (Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure)
• Sary-Arka Antiterror, 2019 - joint military exercise of SCO
under RATS in Kazakhastan
c. Council of Heads of State - top decision making body
d. Driven by Shanghai Spirit

e.
a. Turkmenistan, Mongolia => NOT member
123. CARICOM (Caribbean Community and Common Market)

a. Formed in 1973 by Treaty of Chaguaramas
b. Replaced Caribbean FTA
c. Secretariat - Guyana
d. 20 countries (15 full time and 5 associate members)
124. APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Corridor)
a. HQ - Singapore
b. 21 members - India NOT member (since not bordering Pacific)
c. Conceived to establish new markets for agri products & raw materials
beyond Europe
125. OPEC
a. HQ - Vienna, set up by Baghdad Conference
b. Qatar and Ecuador => left OPEC
c. 81.5% of proven oil reserves

d.
e. OPEC+
a. Non-OPEC oil producing countries - Russia, Oman, Bahrain,
Brunei, Malaysia, Sudan etc
126. Arctic Council
a. Only countries with territory in Arctic can be members => 8 Arctic States -
▪ Canada, Denmark (including Greenland and Faroe Islands),
finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, US
b. Estd by Ottawa Declaration , 1996
c. India was first elected as observer member in 2013, re-elected in 2019
also
d. Not a formalized treaty-based int legal entity - doesn’t allocate resources
e. Doesn't prohibit commercial exploitation of Arctic resources
f. Mandate doesn't include military security
127. SOUTH AMERICA PLACES

a.
128. CICA (Conference On Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in

Asia)
a. 5th Summit held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan
b. Multinational forum for enhancing cooperation towards promoting
peace, security and stablity in Asia
c. To become member - country must have a part of its territory in Asia
d. CICA summit - every 4 years
e. India founding member
129. Christchurch Call to Action
a. By France and NZ along with top social media companies
b. Collective voluntary commitments of govts

c. 26 members (India part) - US not part (citing freedom of expression as
reason)
130. Paris Call
a. For trust & security in cyberspace => developing common principles for
securing cyber space
b. Commenced at UNESCO Internet Governance Forum (IGF)
c. 50 countries (India signed) + 130 from pvt sector
d. US, China, Russia => did NOT sign
131. Capetown Agreement
a. Adopted by IMO (international maritime organisation) => minimum
safety measures for fishing vessels
b. India showed interest to ratify it
132. INTERPOL
a. Estd 1923, HQ - Lyon, France
b. Doesn’t itself have law enforcement powers like arrest
c. India joined in 1949
d. CBI - nodal for India
e. Blue Notice against Nithyananda

f.
133. Male Declaration

a. 4th South Asian Speakers' Summit on Achieving Sustainable
Development Goals , jointly by Inter-Parliamentary Union and the
People's Majlis
134. Cotton Four (C4) Countries
a. Burkina Faso, Chad, Benin, Mali

135. 3 Seas Initiative
a. Adriatic Sea, Baltic Sea, Black Sea => 12 EU member states => promote
economic growth, security and stronger and more cohesive Europe
136. Beijing Platform of Action
a. Gender Equality and empowerment
b. Adopted in 4th World Conference on Women, 1995
137. Senkaku-Diaoyu Dispute
a. Btw China and Japan, and Taiwan
b.
138. 2+1 Dialogue Mechanism - Proposed by China - India and China jointly
conduct dialogue with third regional South Asian country
139. Asia Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA)

o Previously named Bangkok Agreement , signed in 1975 => initiative of
UNESCAP (UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific)
o Oldest PTA among developing countries in Asia-Pacific
o 7 members rn - India, China, Bangladesh, South Korea, Sri Lanka,
Mongolia, Laos
o Only operational trade agreement linking India and China
140. Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam

a.
b. Constructed over Blue Nile

c. Dispute btw Egypt vs Ethiopia
141. UNHRC
a. Estd 2005
b. 47 members => US withdrew in 2018
c. Passes non-binding resolutions \
142. WTO
a. Estd 1995 (Marrakesh Agreement) replacing GATT
b. Ministerial conference - meets every 2 years
143. Kimberley Process
a. Comittment to remove conflict diamonds from Global supply chain

b. Estd -2003
c. India hosted meeitng in 2019
144. Open Skies Treaty
a. Into effect since 2002
b. 34 members - unarmed surveillance flights
c. US recently withdrew
d. India not member
145. New Start
a. US-Russia for nuclear weapons reduction
b. Signed in 2011 - till 2021
146. Council Of Europe
a. Estd 1949 by Treaty of London
b. To promote democracy, rule of law & Human Rights
c. 47 members (including 28 EU members)
147. A-WEB
a. Largest association of Election management bodies
b. Estd 2013 in South Korea
c. 4th assembly held in Bengaluru
148. UNRWA (UN Relief & Works Agency)
a. Estd 1949 - relief for Palestine refugees
149. ICANN
a. International Corporation for Assigned Names And Numbers
b. Maintains IP Address & Domain names
c. Not for profit org based in US
150. US
o Left - UNESCO, Paris Climate Agreement, Iran Nuclear Deal, UNHRC
o Will leave - WHO
o Still Part of WTO
151. Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI)
a. By India + Japan + Australia
b. To attract FDI to turn Indi-pacific into "economic powerhouse"
c. To reduce dependence on China
152. Armenia-Azerbaijan Conflict
a. Nagorno-Karabakh Region (artsakh) region
b. Internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan => controlled by
Armenian separatists
c. Armenian Christians vs Azerbaijan Muslims

d.
e. Minsk Group - mediate negotiations for peaceful resolution of conflict

a. Functions under OSCE (Org for Security & Cooperation in Europe)
b. Madrid Principles f
153. CONVENTIONs
a. Budapest Convention - only internationally binding instrument on
legislations against cyber crime
a. India, Russia, Pak, China => did not sign
b. US, EU, Canada, Australia etc. => passed
b. Hongkong Declaration - Ship scrapping
a. Adopted by IMO in 2009
c. Captetown Convention - fishing vessels
d. Bangkok Declaration - plastic ASEAN
e. Istanbul Convention - combatting violence against women & domestic
violence
f. Montevido Convention - standard definition of state under international
law - India NOT member
g. UN Convention on Torture, 1987 - India NOT ratified yet


IR Prelims Notes

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IR Prelims Notes

Rishabh Kumar Rewar – AIR 104, CSE 2020

f. Indo-Bangaldesh Inland Water Transit and Trade Protocol

Rishabh Kumar Rewar – AIR 104, CSE 2020

Rishabh Kumar Rewar – AIR 104, CSE 2020

Rishabh Kumar Rewar – AIR 104, CSE 2020

Rishabh Kumar Rewar – AIR 104, CSE 2020

Rishabh Kumar Rewar – AIR 104, CSE 2020

• REGIONAL CONNECTIVITY PROJECTS

Rishabh Kumar Rewar – AIR 104, CSE 2020

• Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project

• India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway

Rishabh Kumar Rewar – AIR 104, CSE 2020

Rishabh Kumar Rewar – AIR 104, CSE 2020

Rishabh Kumar Rewar – AIR 104, CSE 2020

• Motihari-Amlekhgunj Oil Pipeline

Rishabh Kumar Rewar – AIR 104, CSE 2020

b. 22 countries (Pakistan, China, Myanmar => NOT members)

Rishabh Kumar Rewar – AIR 104, CSE 2020

Rishabh Kumar Rewar – AIR 104, CSE 2020

26. Delhi Dialogue- btw India-ASEAN => held alongwith IOD

27. Mekong Ganga Cooperation

Rishabh Kumar Rewar – AIR 104, CSE 2020

d. Talks of India- FTA with Eurasian Economic Union in Jan 2020

33. CICA (Conference On Interaction & CBMs in Asia)

Rishabh Kumar Rewar – AIR 104, CSE 2020

Rishabh Kumar Rewar – AIR 104, CSE 2020

Rishabh Kumar Rewar – AIR 104, CSE 2020

48. 4 Multilateral Export Control Regime

49. Arms Trade Treaty

Rishabh Kumar Rewar – AIR 104, CSE 2020

Rishabh Kumar Rewar – AIR 104, CSE 2020

Rishabh Kumar Rewar – AIR 104, CSE 2020

c. TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) => CPTPP + US => US withdrew and TPP

Rishabh Kumar Rewar – AIR 104, CSE 2020

Rishabh Kumar Rewar – AIR 104, CSE 2020

75. UN Treaty on prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW)

Rishabh Kumar Rewar – AIR 104, CSE 2020

Rishabh Kumar Rewar – AIR 104, CSE 2020

88. International Criminal Court (ICC)

Rishabh Kumar Rewar – AIR 104, CSE 2020

Rishabh Kumar Rewar – AIR 104, CSE 2020

Rishabh Kumar Rewar – AIR 104, CSE 2020

97. World Customs Organisation

98. Antarctic Treaty

Rishabh Kumar Rewar – AIR 104, CSE 2020

b. North to South - Paracel, Scarborough, Spratly

101. Peace To Prosperity - US Plan of Israel-Palestine

Rishabh Kumar Rewar – AIR 104, CSE 2020

Rishabh Kumar Rewar – AIR 104, CSE 2020

e. Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, Liechestein => NOT members of EU

Rishabh Kumar Rewar – AIR 104, CSE 2020

b. Do defend non-members when there is stability under risk, eg, ukraine

Rishabh Kumar Rewar – AIR 104, CSE 2020

Rishabh Kumar Rewar – AIR 104, CSE 2020

d. India became first country to deploy all women contingent in 2007

Rishabh Kumar Rewar – AIR 104, CSE 2020

1. ICJ => 15 judges elected by UNGA, UNSC for 9 year term

Rishabh Kumar Rewar – AIR 104, CSE 2020

b. 14th G-20 summit held in Osaka, Japan

Rishabh Kumar Rewar – AIR 104, CSE 2020

Rishabh Kumar Rewar – AIR 104, CSE 2020

Rishabh Kumar Rewar – AIR 104, CSE 2020