Table of Contents

1. Indian Neighbourhood……………………………………………….……………………………….. 1-5

1.1 India and China ................................................................................................................................. 1

1.2 India and Pakistan ............................................................................................................................. 2
1.3 India and Bangladesh ........................................................................................................................ 3
1.4 India and Sri Lanka ........................................................................................................................... 4
1.5 India and Maldives ............................................................................................................................ 4
1.6 India and Bhutan ............................................................................................................................... 5

2. India and Southeast Asia…………………………………….……………………………………….6-8

2.1 South China Sea ................................................................................................................................ 6

2.2 Indo-Myanmar .................................................................................................................................. 6
2.3 East Asia Summit .............................................................................................................................. 7
2.4 ASEAN ............................................................................................................................................. 7
2.5 Mekong Ganga Cooperation ............................................................................................................. 8

3. India and West Asia………………………………………………………………………………....9-13

3.1 Israel Palestine Issue ......................................................................................................................... 9

3.2 Saudi Arabia--Iran deal ................................................................................................................... 12
3.3 OPEC and OPEC+ .......................................................................................................................... 12
3.4 Arab League .................................................................................................................................... 13

4. Asia…………………..………………………………………………………………………………14-16
4.1 C+C5 ............................................................................................................................................... 14
4.2 24th Inter-Governmental Commission............................................................................................ 14
4.3 Rasht-Astara Railway Line ............................................................................................................. 14
4.4 Kremlin ........................................................................................................................................... 14
4.5 Nagorno-Karabakh .......................................................................................................................... 14
4.6 Russia-Ukraine Conflict.................................................................................................................. 15
4.7 Black Sea Grain Deal ...................................................................................................................... 15
4.8 Eastern Economic Forum ................................................................................................................ 15
4.9 Spirit of Camp David ...................................................................................................................... 16
5. India and the Pan-American Connection………………………………………………………….17-19

5.1 India-USA ....................................................................................................................................... 17

5.2 India- Latin America ....................................................................................................................... 18

6. Indo-Pacific …………..………………………………………………………………………….....20-21

6.1 Asian Pacific Postal Union ............................................................................................................. 20

6.2 IFC-IOR .......................................................................................................................................... 20
6.3 India - Japan .................................................................................................................................... 21
6.4 Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership ................................... 21
 6.5 QUAD ............................................................................................................................................. 21
6.6 6th Indian Ocean Conference .......................................................................................................... 21
6.7 Indian Ocean Rim Association ....................................................................................................... 21

7. Europe ………………………………………………………………………………………...…… 22-27

7.1 Croatia ............................................................................................................................................. 22

7.2 India-United Kingdom Ties ............................................................................................................ 23
7.3 Nordic-India Relations .................................................................................................................... 24
7.4 India- Italy Ties ............................................................................................................................... 24
7.5 NATO ............................................................................................................................................. 24
7.6 European Free Trade Association ................................................................................................... 25
7.7 India-European Union Trade and Technology Council .................................................................. 25
7.8 North Sea ........................................................................................................................................ 25
7.9 EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) ................................................................................................... 25
7.10 Kosovo-Serbia Conflict ................................................................................................................ 26
7.11 European Sky Shield Initiative ..................................................................................................... 26
7.12 European Union Migration Deal ................................................................................................... 26
7.13 Bletchley Declaration.................................................................................................................... 27

8. India and Africa …………………………………………………………………………………... 28-29

8.1 India-Egypt Relations ..................................................................................................................... 28

8.2 Stockholm Agreement .................................................................................................................... 28
8.3 Economic Community Of West African States .............................................................................. 28
8.4 Kampala Declaration ...................................................................................................................... 28
8.5 Red Sea ........................................................................................................................................... 29

9. International Entities and Developments …………………………………………………….…..30-41

9.1 Voice of Global South Summit 2023 .............................................................................................. 30

9.2 International Monetary Fund .......................................................................................................... 31
9.3 United Nations ................................................................................................................................ 31
9.4 G-20 ................................................................................................................................................ 34
9.5 G-7 .................................................................................................................................................. 36
9.6 Global Compact On Refugees.........................................................................................................37
9.7 International Criminal Court ...........................................................................................................37
9.8 Shanghai Cooperation Organisation ...............................................................................................37
9.9 BIMSTEC .......................................................................................................................................38
9.10 World Trade Organisation ............................................................................................................38
9.11 BRICS ...........................................................................................................................................39
9.12 Asian Development Bank .............................................................................................................39
9.13 World Health Organization ...........................................................................................................40
9.14 Short News ....................................................................................................................................40

10. Initiatives & Agreements …………………………………………………………………..…… 42-49

10.1 NEW START Treaty ....................................................................................................................42

10.2 The High Seas Treaty ....................................................................................................................42
10.3 India, Brazil, and South Africa - IBSA .........................................................................................43
10.4 Vienna Convention: ......................................................................................................................43
 10.5 Doha Political Declaration ............................................................................................................44
10.6 OECD............................................................................................................................................44
10.7 International Financial Architecture .............................................................................................45
10.8 International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) .......................................................................45
10.9 Third FIPIC Summit .....................................................................................................................45
10.10 Mineral Security Partnership (MSP) ...........................................................................................45
10.11 Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) .........................................................46
10.12 World Food Programme ............................................................................................................47
10.13 Headquarters Agreement.............................................................................................................47
10.14 International Fund of Agricultural Development ........................................................................47
10.15 Clean Energy Ministerial ............................................................................................................48
10.16 Group of Global Crisis Response Group (GCRG) ......................................................................48
10.17 World Coffee Conference ...........................................................................................................48
10.18 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum ..................................................................48
10.19 Trade Agreements .......................................................................................................................48

11. Security Matters at a Glance …………………………………………………………………... 50-53

11.1 FATF .............................................................................................................................................50
11.2 Operation Inteflex .........................................................................................................................50
11.3 Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) ..........................................................50
11.4 Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) ..............................................................................................50
11.5 NAFIS ...........................................................................................................................................51
11.6 Nuclear Liability Issue ..................................................................................................................51
11.7 Cyber Security Initiatives..............................................................................................................51
11.8 Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967 ..................................................................................51
11.9 PMLA ...........................................................................................................................................52
11.10 Inter-Services Organisation Bill.................................................................................................52
11.11 INTERPOL .................................................................................................................................52
11.12 United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crimes (UNTOC) ......................52
11.13 Project Dantak and Project Beacon ............................................................................................53
11.14 Global Terrorism Index 2023 ......................................................................................................53
12. News in Short ……………………………………………………………………………..……... 54-61

12.1 Pravasi Bharatiya Divas ...............................................................................................................54

12.2 Migration and Mobility Agreement ..............................................................................................54
12.3 India’s All Women Contingent ....................................................................................................54
12.4 First Port Call in India...................................................................................................................55
12.5 Disaster Relief Diplomacy ............................................................................................................55
12.6 8th Raisina Dialogue .....................................................................................................................56
12.7 Summit for Democracy .................................................................................................................56
12.8 Fab 4 or Chip 4 Alliance ...............................................................................................................56
12.9 United Nations Democracy Fund ..................................................................................................56
12.10 Language Friendship Bridge .......................................................................................................56
12.11 PRET Initiative ...........................................................................................................................56
12.12 Samosa Caucus ...........................................................................................................................57
12.13 Oslo Forum .................................................................................................................................57
12.14 Atlantic Declaration ....................................................................................................................57
 12.15 USA's UNESCO Membership ....................................................................................................57
12.16 Nuclear Liability .........................................................................................................................57
12.17 London Conference .....................................................................................................................58
12.18 India-Indonesia EFD ...................................................................................................................58
12.19 Washington Declaration ..............................................................................................................58
12.20 Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization .................................................................................58
12.21 Munich Security Conference ......................................................................................................59
12.22 International Organization of Legal Metrology ..........................................................................59
12.23 L.69 Grouping .............................................................................................................................59
12.24 UNCITRAL ................................................................................................................................59
12.25 Global Security Initiative ............................................................................................................59
12.26 UK 'Safe States' List ...................................................................................................................59
12.27 Indo--Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) Initiative ...............................................59
12.28 UNIDROIT .................................................................................................................................60
12.29 International Maritime Organisation ...........................................................................................60
12.30 Tax Inspectors without Borders (TIWB) Programme .................................................................60
12.31 Hydrographic Survey Agreement ...............................................................................................60
12.32 Debt for Nature Swap .................................................................................................................60
12.33 Global Peace Index .....................................................................................................................61
12.34 RISE Initiative ............................................................................................................................61
12.35 AUKUS .......................................................................................................................................61
13. Places in News ……………………………………………………………………………….…... 62-70
 1
Indian Neighbourhood
1.1 India and China
1.1.1 One China Policy
Context: Honduras established diplomatic
relations with China after severing ties with
Taiwan in pursuance of the “One China” Policy.
About One China Policy:
• ‘One China’ for China means that it is one
country comprising mainland China and the
island of Taiwan.
• Under it, Beijing claims self-ruled Taiwan as
a breakaway part of its territory.
• It does not accept official ties of a third country
with the island and has never ruled out using
force to merge it with the mainland.
Location of Honduras:
• Honduras is located in Central America
between Guatemala and El Salvador to the
west and Nicaragua to the south and east, the
Pacific Ocean to the south, and the Caribbean
Sea to the east.
India’s stance on the One China Policy:
• India adheres to the "One China" Policy,
lacking formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan.
• Taiwan and Tibetan authorities are not
recognized by India as independent from
China.
• Diplomatic functions are conducted through
the India Taipei Association (ITA) in Taipei.
• Taiwan operates the Taipei Economic and
Cultural Centre in India.
• Both offices were established in 1995.
1.1.2 Taiwan Strait
Context: China’s Foreign Minister said that both
sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to China.
About Taiwan Strait:
• The Taiwan Strait is a water body that
separates the island of Taiwan from the
southeastern coast of mainland China.
• It is part of the South China Sea and connects
to the East China Sea to the north.
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• It is also called Formosa Strait, and the area lies
in a typhoon zone.
More on News:
About New Southbound Policy:
• Introduced in 2016 as a concerted effort to
expand Taiwan’s presence across the Indo-
Pacific.
• It is designed to strengthen Taipei’s
relationships with the ten countries of the
ASEAN, India, Australia, and New Zealand.
• Its aim is to enhance Taiwan’s regional
integration and promote the broader
development of the Indo-Pacific region.
1.1.3 Persona Non-Grata
Context: China declared a Canadian diplomat in
Shanghai a persona non grata.
About Persona Non Grata:
• Persona non grata is a Latin phrase that means
“unwelcome person.”
• In diplomacy, it refers to a diplomat or foreign
person whose entering or remaining in a
certain country has been prohibited by that
country.
• The designation received diplomatic meaning
at the 1961 Vienna Convention for Diplomatic
Relations.
1.1.4 Belt and Road Initiative
Context: Recently, the third Belt and Road (BRI)
Forum for International Cooperation was
convened in Beijing, China.
About Belt and Road Initiative:
• The BRI was launched by Chinese President Xi
Jinping in 2013.
• The project aims to link Asia, Europe, and
Africa through a network comprising railways,
highways, ports, and airports to foster trade,
investment, and economic growth among the
participating countries.
• Principal components: The Silk Road Economic
Belt and the Maritime Silk Road.
• Geographic Corridors under BRI:
○ China-Pakistan Economic Corridor
(CPEC).
○ New Eurasian Land Bridge Economic
Corridor.
○ China - Indochina Peninsula Economic
Corridor.
○ China-Mongolia-Russia Economic
Corridor.
○ China-Central Asia-West Asia Economic
Corridor.
○ China-Myanmar Economic Corridor.
"Debt-trap diplomacy" refers to the strategy
where in an international financial relationship,
a lending country or institution provides loans
to a borrower nation mainly to gain political
influence.
India’s Stand on CPEC:
• India opposes the China-Pakistan Economic
Corridor (CPEC), a part of China's Belt and
Road Initiative (BRI), as it passes through
Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK).
• The CPEC, linking Gwadar Port in
Baluchistan with China's Xinjiang Province,
raises concerns for India regarding
sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Alternatives to BRI:
• Partnership for Global Infrastructure and
Investment: PGII is a West-led initiative to
fund global infrastructure projects, seen as a
response to China's BRI.
2
• India-Middle East-Europe Corridor
(IMEC): It seeks to link India, West Asia, and
Europe through railways and shipping lines.
• Global Gateway: The EU plans to mobilize
€300 billion by 2027 for financing
sustainable infrastructures that meet social
and environmental standards.
1.2 India and Pakistan
1.2.1 Indus Waters Treaty
Context: India plans to amend the Indus Waters
Treaty with Pakistan due to disputes over the
Kishenganga and Ratle hydropower projects.
Recent Developments:
• For amendment, India's notice cites Article XII
(3) of the treaty, permitting modifications
through a ratified agreement between the two
governments.
About Indus Water Treaty:
• The Indus Water Treaty was signed by India's
PM Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan's President
Ayub Khan in 1960 with World Bank
mediation.
• Water Allocation:
○ India was allocated unrestricted use of
eastern rivers (Sutlej, Beas, Ravi), while the
western rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab)
were largely assigned to Pakistan.
• India can generate hydroelectricity on western
rivers through run-of-the-river projects with
design criteria.
○ It allows Pakistan the right to object to
Indian Hydroelectric Projects.
• It mandated both countries to establish a
Permanent Indus Commission for the
resolution of conflicts.
• IWT has no unilateral exit provision and is
supposed to remain in force unless both
countries ratify another mutually agreed pact.
 About Dispute Resolution Process:
● Article IX of the treaty outlines three steps to address objections raised by either party regarding
"Settlement of Differences and Disputes.":
○ Collaborating with the "Permanent Indus Commission" (PIC) of Indian and Pakistani water
experts.
○ Consulting a World Bank -appointed neutral expert.
○ Initiating a court process via the World Bank and the Permanent Court of Arbitrage (PCA).

1.2.2 Iran - Pakistan Conflict

About India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline
Context: Recently, Iran launched a missile attack
(IBFPL):
inside Pakistan's Balochistan province, targeting
● The IBFPL is a 131.5 km oil pipeline
the bases of the terrorist group Jaish al-Adl.
linking Siliguri in North Bengal to
More on News:
Parbatipur in Bangladesh's Dinajpur
• The focal point of this operation was the region
province.
known as Kouh-Sabz (green mountain) in
● The pipeline will transport one million
Balochistan.
tonnes of high-speed diesel from Assam's
• Baloch People: They are an ethnic group Numaligarh refinery to Bangladesh’s
spread across the Pakistani province of Parbatipur depot.
Balochistan and Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan
province.

1.3 India and Bangladesh
Context: Recently, India and Bangladesh jointly
launched their first cross-border energy pipeline,
the India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline.
More on News:
• India is considering proposals to connect
Bangladesh's Matarbari Port to Northeastern
States.
About the Matarbari Project:
• Matarbari project would be Bangladesh's first
deep-sea port capable of hosting large vessels.

3
• It aims to strengthen the port’s cargo-handling
capacity and to facilitate logistics operations
with neighbouring countries.
• Japan International Cooperation Agency
(JICA), granted a $750 million loan to the
Bangladesh government for the Matarbari
development.
About Deep Sea Ports:
• Deep sea ports are ports that are capable of
handling large ocean-going vessels, including
container ships, bulk carriers, and oil tankers.
• These ports are strategically located along
coastlines to facilitate international trade and
transportation.
1.4 India and Sri Lanka
Context: Recently, IMF approved a $2.9 billion
loan for Sri Lanka, contingent on financing
assurances from official creditors like China,
Japan, and India.
Indo-Sri Lanka Connect:
• Economic: India is Sri Lanka's third-largest
export market, following the US and UK, with
over 60% of Sri Lankan exports benefiting from
the India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement.
○ India holds a 16% share in Sri Lanka's
global trade.
About 13th Amendment:
• It ensures power devolution to Provincial
Councils across all nine provinces,
including Sinhala majority areas, enabling
self-governance and power-sharing for the
Tamil community.
• Both Sinhala nationalist parties and the
LTTE oppose it. The former believed it
gave away too much power, while the LTTE
felt it wasn't enough.
4
1.4.1 Agreement in Principle
Context: Recently, Sri Lanka has reached an
“agreement in principle” with India and the
Paris Club group of creditors, on a debt treatment
plan.
Agreement in Principle for Debt Treatment Plan:
• It aims at facilitating the disbursement of the
next tranche of the International Monetary
Fund’s nearly $ 3 billion recovery package.
• The Official Creditor Committee (OCC) and
Sri Lanka have agreed on key terms that align
with the IMF's Extended Fund Facility (EFF)
program.
About Paris Club:
• It is an informal group of creditor nations
focused on resolving debtor nations'
payment issues.
• It consists of 22 permanent members,
including Western European, Scandinavian
nations, the United States, the United
Kingdom, and Japan.
• India and China are not its members.
About Extended Fund Facility (EFF):
• It is designed to assist countries with serious
medium-term balance of payments issues
caused by structural problems that need time
to resolve.
About Official Creditor Committee (OCC):
• The formation was a response to Sri Lanka's
appeal for debt restructuring during its
economic crisis.
• Co-chaired by India, Japan, and France, as
chair of the Paris Club.
• China, Sri Lanka's biggest bilateral creditor,
did not join the OCC but participated as an
observer.
1.5 India and Maldives
Context: India's External Affairs Minister recently
reviewed joint projects with the Maldives during
a three-day visit.
Contemporary Developments:
• India provided a 100 million Maldivian
Rufiyaa grant for High Impact Community
Development, and an MoU was inked for a
sports complex in Gaafu Dhaal Gadhdhoo.
 • Bhutan, a landlocked nation in the Eastern
Himalayas, is nestled between India and
China and has an open border with four Indian
states: Sikkim, West Bengal, Assam, and
Arunachal Pradesh.
• India is Bhutan's largest trading partner.
• Major exports from India to Bhutan include
mineral products, machinery, electrical
equipment, base metals, vehicles, and
vegetable products.
• Major items of imports from India to Bhutan
are electricity, ferro-silicon, Portland cement,
dolomite, calcium carbides, silicon carbides,
India-Maldives Connect: cement clinkers, wood products, cardamom,
and fruit products.
• India recognised Maldives post-1965
independence and established a mission in
Male in 1972.
• Greater Malé Connectivity Project (GMCP)
was funded by India.
• Maldives is part of the India-driven Colombo
Security Conclave.
• Maldives is also part of SAARC.
About Colombo Security Conclave:
• Colombo Security Conclave was formed in
2011 as a trilateral maritime security grouping
of India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
• Later expanded, with Mauritius joining as the
fourth member and Bangladesh & Seychelles
About Doklam:
participating as observer countries.
• Doklam is a sub-100 sq km plateau and valley
• The Conclave underlines regional
area at the India, Bhutan, and China
cooperation and shared security objectives
trijunction.
concerning all littoral nations in the Indian
• It is surrounded by the Chumbi Valley of
Ocean Region (IOR).
Tibet, Bhutan’s Ha Valley, and Sikkim.
• Priority areas: Maritime Safety and Security,
• Doklam is strategically near the Siliguri
Countering Terrorism and Radicalization,
Corridor, a crucial and vulnerable link between
Combating Trafficking and Transnational
India and its Northeast, also known as the
Organized Crime, Cyber Security and
Chicken's Neck.
Protection of Critical Infrastructure
More on News:
Technology, Humanitarian Assistance and
● Recently, Tshering Tobgay of the People’s
Disaster Relief.
Democratic Party (PDP) won the runoff
election in Bhutan.
More on News:
• About Runoff Voting:
About Hydrographic Surveys:
○ It is also known as a two-round system
• They help to map out water depth, the shape (TRS). It is a voting method used to elect a
of the seafloor and coastline, the location of single candidate when a second election
possible obstructions, and physical features of must be held because the first election did
water bodies to ensure the efficiency and not reach the necessary threshold of votes
safety of maritime transportation. needed for a candidate to win.
○ The election process usually proceeds to a
1.6 India and Bhutan second round only if in the first round no
candidate received a simple majority (more
About India-Bhutan Relations:
than 50%) of votes cast or some other lower
prescribed percentage.

5
 2
India and Southeast Asia

2.1 South China Sea

Context: Militarization of South China Sea.

South China Sea Dispute:

• The South China Sea, a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, is contested by regional states,
including China, Brunei, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam.
China’s Stand:
• Countries challenge China's sovereignty over the South China Sea, but China asserts the region within
the Nine-Dash line is its territory.
• China is opposed to the internationalisation of the South China Sea disputes and prefers bilateral
resolutions.
Nine-Dash Line:
• China laid claim to the South China Sea back in 1947 and demarcated its claim with a U-shaped line
made up of dashes to make it a Nine-Dash Line.
• It stretches from China's southerly Hainan Island, covering the strategic Paracel and Spratly island
chains.
• China claims almost 90% of the South China Sea’s waters.
• For China, the dash lines, including the ocean, islands, and reefs, all belong to China, where it has
sovereign rights.

About Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport

2.2 Indo-Myanmar Project:
• It was jointly identified by India and Myanmar.
2.2.1 Kaladan Project • It aims to facilitate cargo transport from India's
Context: Recently, the Prime Minister hailed the eastern ports to Myanmar and India's
first voyage from Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port Northeast via a multi-modal transport system.
to Myanmar's Sittwe Port.

6
• It will connect Sittwe Port in Myanmar to the
India-Myanmar border.
2.2.2 Operation Karuna
Context: Recently, India initiated 'Operation
Karuna' for humanitarian aid in cyclone-hit
Myanmar.
About Operation Karuna:
• Cyclone Mocha wreaked havoc in Bangladesh
and Myanmar, resulting in significant loss of
life and property.
• The cyclone originated from the Bay of Bengal,
named 'Mocha' by Yemen, is titled after its Red
Sea coastal city.
2.3 East Asia Summit
Context: Recently, the 13th EAS Foreign Ministers
meeting was held in Jakarta, Indonesia.
About East Asia Summit:
• Established in 2005 as an ASEAN led initiative,
it is the Indo-Pacific's premier forum to discuss
political, security and economic issues of strategic
importance.
• Member Countries: Ten ASEAN countries
(Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia,
Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand,
Vietnam) along with Australia, China, India,
Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea,
Russia and the United States.
7
2.4 ASEAN
About Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN):
• Established in 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand,
with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration
(Bangkok Declaration).
• ASEAN, a union of 10 member states in
Southeast Asia, is an intergovernmental
organisation aimed at promoting economic
growth and regional stability among its
members.
• Secretariat—Indonesia, Jakarta.
2.4.1 ADMM-Plus
Context: Recently, the 10th ASEAN Defence
Ministers’ Meeting - Plus (ADMM-Plus) was
held in Jakarta, Indonesia.
About ADMM-Plus:
• It is a platform for ASEAN (Association of
Southeast Asian Nations) and its 8 Dialogue
Partners to strengthen security and defence
cooperation for peace, stability, and
development in the region.
• Composition: 10 ASEAN nations and eight
dialogue partners, including India, China,
Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of
Korea, Russia and the United States.
• India has been the dialogue partner since 1992.
2.5 Mekong Ganga Cooperation
Context:Recently, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar co-chaired the 12th Mekong Ganga
Cooperation (MGC) meeting in Bangkok.
About Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC):
• Launched in 2000 at Vientiane, Lao PDR.
• The MGC initiative seeks to enhance interaction between people living in the Ganga and Mekong river
basins.
• Its meetings are alternately co-chaired annually between India and one of the five Mekong countries.
• India and five ASEAN nations., Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam are
members of this group.

8
 3
India And West Asia
3.1 Israel Palestine Issue

• The Balfour Declaration (1917): The British

History and the birth of Israel: agreed to the establishment of a Jewish
• The issue has its origins in the conflict between homeland.
the Jewish Zionists and Palestinian • In 1947, the British government referred
Nationalists. Palestine's future to the UN, which proposed a
• 1897: Jews initiated the Zionist movement in partition plan to divide the land into two
the U.S. to escape persecution and establish a countries.
state in their ancestral Israel. • Jews accepted the UN Plan, declaring Israel's
• The World Zionist Organisation advocated for independence, sparking the Arab-Israel war.
a Jewish homeland in Palestine, leading to • Post-war, Israel held more territory than the
increased Jewish settlements and land UN's proposal, displacing 700,000 Palestinians.
acquisition from the Ottomans.
• 1917: The Ottoman Empire fell after World
War I, and the UK got control over Palestine.
• The Sykes-Picot Agreement was signed (a
secret agreement between Great Britain and
France), which led to the division of the old
Ottoman Turkish Empire.

9

West Bank Settlements:
• The West Bank was captured by Jordan after
the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.
• Israel reclaimed it in the 1967 Six-Day War and
has since occupied it, establishing around 130
formal settlements.
Conflicts over Israel’s Settlements:
• Breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention
(1949): It prohibits an occupying force from
transferring its civilians to occupied territories.
• The Rome Statute (1998) that set up the
International Criminal Court classifies such
settlements as war crimes.
• The Oslo Accords from the 1990s determined
that settlement statuses would be negotiated,
but these negotiations have stalled for years.
Current Situation:
• Israel proclaimed Jerusalem its "eternal,
undivided capital."
• The UN's 1967 Resolution called for Israel's
withdrawal from war-seized territories, which
hasn't occurred.
• Palestinians envision the West Bank as their
future state's heartland, but since 1967, Israel
has built numerous Jewish settlements there,
coexisting with three million Palestinians
under Israeli military rule.
Oslo Accords 1993:
• American-mediated effort to broker a peace
treaty between Israelis and Palestinians.
• Israel accepted the PLO as the representative of
the Palestinians, and the PLO renounced
terrorism and recognized Israel's right to exist
in peace.
10
• Both sides agreed that a Palestinian Authority
(PA) would be established and assume
governing responsibilities in the West Bank
and Gaza Strip over a five-year period.
United Nations Agency for Palestinian Refugees
(UNRWA):
• Established in 1949 with headquarters in
Amman, Jordan, and Gaza, Palestinian
Authority.
• UNRWA serves nearly six million Palestinians
across the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Syria,
Lebanon, and Jordan.
Recent Developments:
Context: Israel declared a state of war after the
Palestinian militant organisation Hamas
launched an attack on it.
More on News:
• The latest escalation is being referred to as the
beginning of the “Third Intifada”.
• The First Intifada lasted from 1987 to 1993, and
the Second Intifada from 2000-2005.
• Intifada: The Arabic term meaning 'to shake
off' refers to the Palestinian uprising against
Israeli control in the West Bank and Gaza,
which gained prominence in December 1987.
About Hamas:
• It is the largest Palestinian militant Islamist group
and a regional political party, established during
the first Palestinian intifada against Israeli
occupation in the late 1980s.
• Labelled a terrorist organisation by Israel, the US,
the EU, the UK, and other countries.
About Hezbollah:
• Hezbollah, whose name means ‘Party of God’, is
a Shiite Islamic militant organisation from
Lebanon.
India’s Stand over Conflict:
• Historically, India has expressed solidarity
with the Palestinian cause and supported the
establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state.
• Presently, India seeks to balance its ties with
Arab states and Israel amidst the complex
dynamics of West Asia.
• The Prime Minister recently expressed shock
over the latest conflict, denouncing the
incidents as and expressing solidarity with
Israel.
Places linked to Dispute:
• Al Aqsa Mosque. It is one of the holiest
structures in the Islamic faith known by
Muslims as Haram al-Sharif, and by Jews as
the Temple Mount.
• West Bank: A landlocked territory in West
Asia. It also contains a significant section of
the western Dead Sea.
• Gaza Strip: Located between Israel and
Egypt. Israel occupied the strip after 1967.
• Golan Heights: A strategic plateau that
Israel captured from Syria in 1967.
• Sinai Peninsula: Bordered to the north by
the Mediterranean Sea, and to the east by
Israel and the Gaza Strip, to the southwest by
the Gulf of Suez, and South by the Red Sea.
More on News:
• Recently, South Africa moved to the
International Court of Justice (ICJ), for an
urgent order declaring that Israel was in breach
of its obligations under the 1948 Genocide
Convention.
• About UN’s Genocide Convention:
o The term 'genocide' is specifically defined
in the UN's Convention on the Prevention
and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
o Enacted in 1948, it outlines criteria,
including acts committed with the intent to
destroy a national, ethnic, racial, or religious
group.
o Criteria for Genocide:
▪ (a) Killing members of the group;
▪ (b) Causing serious bodily or mental
harm;
▪ (c) Inflicting conditions of life for
physical destruction;
▪ (d) Imposing measures to prevent births;
▪ (e) Forcibly transferring children.
• War crimes
○ War crimes are those violations of
international humanitarian law (treaty or
customary law) that incur individual
criminal responsibility under international
law.
11
• Laws of War:
○ International humanitarian law, or jus in
bello, provides the rules to be followed
during an armed conflict.
○ International humanitarian law(IHL) is
contained in customary international law,
the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and the
Additional Protocols of 1977 to protect
civilians in war
○ jus ad bellum: Under what conditions or
when can countries use force in their
international relations during war. It is
regulated by the United Nations (UN)
Charter.
About Rome Statute:
• The Rome Statute of the International
Criminal Court is the treaty that established
the International Criminal Court (ICC).
• It was adopted in 1998 and entered into force
in 2002.
• The ICC is an intergovernmental organisation
with 123 member states.
• However, India is not a member state of the
ICC, and has never signed its core treaty, the
‘Rome Statute’.
• It is a tribunal that investigates and charges
individuals in cases of genocide, war crimes,
crimes against humanity and crimes of
aggression.
About the International Court of Justice (ICJ):
• The ICJ is the primary judicial organ of the
United Nations, serving as a key component in
international legal matters.
• Established in 1945 by the United Nations
Charter.
• Of the six principal organs of the United
Nations, it is the only one not located in New
York (United States of America).
• French and English are the official languages
of the Court.
• Composition and Tenure: The Court is
composed of 15 judges who are elected for a
nine-year term.
○ Members are chosen by both the General
Assembly and the Security Council of the
United Nations.
• The 15 judges of the Court are distributed in
following regions:
○ Three from Africa.
○ Two from Latin America and Caribbean.
○ Three from Asia.
○ Five from Western Europe and other states.
○ Two from Eastern Europe.
• Seat and Location: The Peace Palace in The
Hague, Netherlands
 Key Terms
White Phosphorous bombs:
• A chemical substance dispersed in artillery shells, bombs, rockets, or mortars, used primarily to
obscure military operations on the ground.
Iron Sting:
• A laser and GPS-guided system that fires 120mm mortar and is built to engage targets in around 1 to
12 km range having around 90% accuracy and ensuring minimal collateral damage.
Policy of De-hyphenation:
• It means dealing with two countries, having adversarial relationship between them, in an independent
manner.
Two-State Solution:
• The two-state solution aims to establish an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel, ensuring
two states for two peoples.
Right to Self-determination
• It is a basic right of people to determine their own future, political status and independence without
any external duress, compulsion or coercion.

• Headquarters: Vienna, Austria.

3.2 Saudi Arabia--Iran Deal • With the addition of another ten allied major
oil-producing countries, the OPEC is known
Context: Signing of Saudi Arabia--Iran as OPEC Plus.
agreement. • OPEC Plus countries include Azerbaijan,
About Abraham Accords Bahrain, Brunei, Kazakhstan, Malaysia,
• The Israel-UAE normalisation agreement, Mexico, Oman, Russia, South Sudan, and
officially known as the Abraham Accords, was Sudan.
initially established through a joint statement More on News:
by the USA, Israel, and the UAE in 2020. • Recently, Angola has decided to leave OPEC.
• The UAE became the third Arab nation, • Angola believes OPEC no longer aligns with its
following Egypt (1979) and Jordan (1994), to interests due to a disagreement on output
officially normalise ties with Israel. quotas.
About India, Israel, UAE and USA (I2U2) : • Angola's departure, along with Ecuador and
• I2U2, initially known as the 'International Qatar, poses a challenge to OPEC's market
Forum for Economic Cooperation,' was share.
established in 2021 after the Israel-UAE • OPEC's market share has been shrinking due to
Abraham Accords. production cuts and increased output from
• The countries involved are the USA, UAE, non-OPEC nations.
Israel and India.
• It focused on maritime security,
About Angola:
infrastructure, and transport in the region.
• Located on the west-central coast of Southern
This arrangement was dubbed the 'West
Africa.
Asian Quad.'
• It shares borders with Namibia (south), the
Democratic Republic of the Congo (north), Zambia
3.3 OPEC and OPEC+ (east), and the Atlantic Ocean (west).

Context: Recently, OPEC+ announced cuts to

crude oil production for 2024.
About the Organization of the Petroleum
Exporting Countries (OPEC):
• OPEC is a permanent, intergovernmental
organisation created at the Baghdad Conference
in 1960.
• Founding Members: Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi
Arabia, and Venezuela.

12
 About OPEC+: 3.4 Arab League
• OPEC+ includes 23 oil-exporting
countries that regularly decide global Context: The Arab League recently voted to
crude oil sales and collectively account for restore Syria's membership, which was
40% of the world's oil production. suspended for over a decade.
• OPEC Plus countries include Azerbaijan, About the Arab League:
Bahrain, Brunei, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, • Established in 1945, its purpose is to promote
Mexico, Oman, Russia, South Sudan, cooperation and coordination among Arab
Sudan. nations, with its headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.
• It was formed in response to declining • Founding Members: Egypt, Syria, Lebanon,
crude oil prices, partly due to the Iraq, Transjordan (now Jordan), Saudi Arabia
substantial rise in US shale oil production and Yemen.
since 2011. • Other Members: Libya, Sudan, Tunisia,
Morocco, Kuwait, Algeria, Bahrain, Oman,
Oil Benchmarks: Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Mauritania,
• Oil benchmarks describe where the commodity Somalia, the Palestine Liberation Organization,
originates, which determines its use and Djibouti and Comoros.
allows investors to track the price of a specific
• Its observer countries include Brazil, Eritrea,
oil type.
India and Venezuela.
• Brent Crude: The benchmark used for the light
• The league was formed as a response to
oil market in Europe, Africa, and the Middle
postwar colonial territorial divisions and
East. Oil is produced near the sea, so
opposition to a Jewish state in Palestine.
transportation costs are significantly lower.
• West Texas Intermediate: The benchmark for
the U.S. light oil market and is sourced from
U.S. oil fields. Oil is produced in landlocked
areas, making transportation costs more
difficult.
• Both Brent Crude and WTI are light and sweet,
making them ideal for refining into gasoline.
About International Energy Agency (IEA):
• It was created in 1974 to help coordinate a
collective response to major disruptions in the
supply of oil.
• Headquarters: Paris, France.
• India’s Membership: Not a member country.
• India along with Brazil, South Africa, and
China is an associate member of IEA.

13
 4
Asia

4.1 C+C5 • It envisions a 7,200-km-long multi-mode

Context: Recently, China hosted a virtual trade
ministers' meeting for the C+C5 group.
About C+C5:
• C+C5 stands for a group of countries that
include China and the five Central Asian
countries, namely Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan,
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan.
• The Central Asia Region ranges from the
Caspian Sea in the west to China in the east
and from Afghanistan in the south to Russia
in the north.
• China's ties with the region were formalised as
the “Shanghai Five”, following the start of
diplomatic relations in 1992.
network of ship, rail, and road routes for
transporting freight.
• It aims to reduce the carriage cost between
India and Russia by about 30% and reduce the
transit time from 40 days by more than half.
• It has been ratified by 13 countries namely,
Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Armenia,
India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Oman,
Russia, Tajikistan, Turkey, and Ukraine.

4.2 24th Inter-Governmental

Commission
Context: The Russian Deputy Prime Minister
recently visited India for the IRIGC meeting on
bilateral cooperation in trade, science, technology,
and culture.

About IRIGC:
• It is a mechanism to monitor the progress of
bilateral trade and economic cooperation
between India and Russia.
• It is co-chaired by the Indian minister of
External Affairs and the Russian Deputy PM.
4.4 Kremlin
Context: Recently, Russia claimed Ukraine
targeted the Kremlin with drones in an
unsuccessful bid to assassinate President Putin.

4.3 Rasht-Astara Railway Line
Context: Recently, Iran and Russia agreed to
jointly finance and construct a Rasht-Astara
Railway Line as part of the North-South
Transport Corridor.
About Kremlin:
• The Kremlin is the Russian President's official
residence and has been the center of Russia's
political power since the 14th century.
• The Kremlin has been a UNESCO World
Heritage Site since 1990.

About International North-South Transport

Corridor (INSTC): 4.5 Nagorno-Karabakh
• The legal framework for the INSTC is
Context: Recently, Azerbaijan established a
provided by a trilateral agreement signed by
checkpoint at the start of the Lachin corridor, the
India, Iran, and Russia at the Euro-Asian
only land route linking Armenia to Nagorno-
Conference on Transport in 2000.
Karabakh.

14
 About Nagorno-Karabakh: Black Sea, while being positioned on the right
• Nagorno-Karabakh, is a landlocked (west) bank of the lower Dnieper River.
mountainous area in the South Caucasus. About Dnieper River:
• Claimed by both Azerbaijan and Armenia • The Dnieper, or Dnipro, is a major
after the fall of the Russian Empire in 1917. transboundary European river.
• Internationally recognised as part of oil-rich • Originating in Russia's Valdai Hills, it flows
Azerbaijan, but its inhabitants are through Belarus and Ukraine before reaching
predominantly ethnic Armenians. the Black Sea.
• It is ranked as Ukraine and Belarus' longest
river and stands as Europe's fourth-longest,
trailing the Volga, Danube, and Ural rivers.

4.7 Black Sea Grain Deal

Context: Recently, Russia expressed its opinion
on withdrawing from the Black Sea grain deal.
About Black Sea Grain Deal:
• The Black Sea Grain Initiative, brokered by the
United Nations and Turkey in 2022, aimed to
address the global food crisis exacerbated by
Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the blockade
of its Black Sea ports.
• It included provisions for the safe passage of
ships and allowed food and fertiliser to be
exported from three Ukrainian ports –
4.6 Russia-Ukraine Conflict Chornomorsk, Odessa and Pivdennyi.
• Ukraine is one of the world’s largest exporters
Places in News: of wheat, corn and sunflower oil.
About Kakhovka Dam:
• Recently, the destruction of Kakhovka Dam in 4.8 Eastern Economic Forum
Ukraine was termed as ecocide due to ongoing
Russia-Ukraine conflict. Context: Recently, the eighth edition of the
Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) took place in
• Built on the Dnipro River in Ukraine (Kherson
Vladivostok, the Far East region of Russia.
Region) as part of the Kakhovka hydroelectric
power project. About Eastern Economic Forum:
• It supplies water to the Crimean Peninsula • It was established in 2015 to encourage foreign
and Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant (Europe's investments in Russia’s Far East.
largest). • It encompasses one-third of Russia’s territory
Additional Info: and is rich with natural resources such as fish,
oil, natural gas, wood, diamonds etc.
• Under Genenva Conventions, attacks on
• In 2019, India offered a $1 billion line of credit
water infrastructure such as dams can
to develop infrastructure in the region.
constitute a "war crime".
• Geneva Conventions establish international
legal standards for humanitarian treatment in
war.
• Ecocide is a term that describes the destruction
of the natural environment by deliberate or
negligent human actions.
About Kherson:
• Kherson, a southern Ukrainian city, holds
strategic importance for both Russia and
Ukraine.
• Situated northwest of the Dnipro River, it
shares borders with Donetsk, Crimea, and the

15
 Recent Developments:
• Recently, India extend the invitation for an
Indo-Russian Workshop on the Eastern
Maritime Corridor (EMC) in Vladivostok,
Russia.
• The Eastern Maritime Corridor is a proposed
sea route linking Chennai, India, to
Vladivostok, Russia, traversing the Sea of
Japan, South China Sea, and the Malacca
Strait.
16
4.9 The Spirit of Camp David
Context: Recently, the United States of America,
Japan, and South Korea issued a joint statement
tilted "The Spirit of Camp David".
More on news:
• It was issued to demonstrate unity against the
backdrop of China's increasing influence and
the nuclear threats posed by North Korea.
About Camp David Accords:
• The Camp David summit comprises meetings
at the Camp David presidential retreat in
Maryland, USA.
• It serves as a venue for global leaders to
convene and engage in negotiations, reaching
agreements with the United States.
 5
India and the Pan-American Connection
5.1 India-USA
5.1.1 U.S. Visa Processing
Context: The US Embassy in India is considering
a potential pilot program for domestic visa
revalidation for foreign tech workers on H-1B and
L1 visas.
About Visitor Visas:
• Visitor Visas (B-1 for business, B-2 for tourism,
or B-1/B-2 for both) are non-immigrant U.S.
visas for temporary entry.
About H-1B Visa:
• The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant work visa
for highly skilled workers like engineers and
scientists seeking temporary U.S.
employment.
• It's company-specific, meaning visa holders
can only work for the petitioning U.S.
employer.
• There's an annual visa issuance limit and is
valid for three years.
About E-1 Visa:
• The E-1 visa, or “Treaty Trader Visa,” is based
on agreements between the U.S. and "treaty
countries" to promote trade.
About L-1 Visa (Intracompany Transferee):
• The L-1 visa permits temporary work and
residence in the U.S., allowing intra-company
transfers from a foreign location to a U.S.
location.
• The Visa is divided into L-1A Visa for
managerial positions and L-1B for specialised
knowledge positions.
• There is no cap on L1 visas, and L-1A is valid
for seven years while L-1B is valid for five
years.
5.1.2 Initiative on Critical and Emerging
Technologies (iCET)
Context: The U.S. and India inaugurated their
initiative on critical and emerging technologies
(iCET).
About Initiative on Critical and Emerging
Technology (iCET):
• Launched during the Quad Summit (2022).
17
• Vision: To enhance the strategic technology
and defense cooperation between India and
the USA's governments, businesses, and
academia.
• iCET aims to address regulatory barriers and
talent mobility to benefit both countries.
Key Technology Sectors under iCET:
Defence, Semiconductor Supply Chains, Space,
and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and
maths), Biotechnology, advanced materials, and
Rare Earth processing technology.
5.1.3 Indo--U.S. Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
Context: A prototype of the Air Launched
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (ALUAV) was
developed jointly by India and the United States.
About ALUAV:
• The Ministry of Defence and the US
Department of Defence signed a Project
Agreement for Air-Launched Unmanned
Defence Technology and Trade Initiative
(DTTI):
• Announced in 2012, the DTTI aims to foster
technology exchange and enable co-
production and co-development for the Indian
and US militaries.
• Under DTTI, Joint Working Groups focus on
projects in land, naval, air, and aircraft carrier
technologies.
Aerial Vehicles under DTTI.
5.1.4 Trade Relations
• India's bilateral trade with the USA in 2021-22
was $119.42 billion, making it India's largest
trading partner, followed by China.
• The US has been India's top export destination
since 2013-14.
• India's Exports to USA: Polished Diamonds,
Pharmaceutical Products, Jewellery, Light Oil
and Petroleum, Frozen Shrimp Cosmetics, etc.
• India's Imports: Oil, Liquefied Natural Gas,
Gold, Coal, Recycled Products, and Scrap Iron,
Large Almonds, etc.
 About Trade Policy Forum (TPF):
• TPF, founded in 2005, fosters ongoing trade
and investment collaboration between
India and the USA through working
groups in agriculture, non-agriculture
goods, services, investment, and intellectual
property.
More on News:
China-Plus-One refers to a strategy in which
companies avoid investing only in China and
diversify their businesses to alternative
destinations.
5.1.5 India-US Defence Relations
Context: During the Indian Prime Minister's
recent official visit to the United States, multiple
major defence deals were signed.
Key Highlights of the Visit:
• General Electric (GE) and Hindustan
Aeronautics Limited (HAL) signed an
agreement to co-produce the GE F414 Jet
Engine.
• India has agreed to buy 31 General Atomics
MQ-9B drones, which are High Altitude Long
Endurance (HALE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
(UAV), from the US.
• The U.S.-India Defence Acceleration
Ecosystem (INDUS-X) was launched to
promote joint defence technology innovation
and co-production between the two countries.
More on News:
About Lab-Grown Diamonds (LGDs):
• During his recent visit, the Prime Minister
presented a 7.5-carat green diamond as a gift
to US First Lady Jill Biden.
• Lab-grown diamonds are created using
technology to replicate natural diamond
growth
processes, making them chemically,
physically, and optically identical to natural
diamonds.
• LGDs are eco-friendly and often produced
with renewable energy.
• They find applications in electronics as cutters
and heat spreaders.
5.1.6 Americas Partnership for Economic
Prosperity
Context: Recently, USA hosted the leaders’
summit to establish a forum for improving
regional competitiveness and mobilising
investment in western hemisphere.
18
About Americas Partnership for Economic
Prosperity:
• It is a framework for regional cooperation to
foster regional competitiveness, resilience,
shared prosperity, and inclusive and
sustainable investment.
• Partner Countries: Barbados, Canada, Chile,
Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic,
Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Uruguay and
USA
• It aims to drive inclusive growth and
strengthen critical supply chains, with an initial
focus on clean energy, semiconductors, and
medical supplies.
• New Investment Platform: The U.S.
International Development Finance
Corporation (DFC) and the Inter-American
Development Bank (IDB).
• New Accelerator Program: To support
investment in entrepreneurs by the US Agency
for International Development (USAID).
• Migration Problem: US, Canada, South Korea,
and Spain are working to make available a
combined $89 million for IDB’s Grant Facility
to support countries in the region most
impacted by migration.
• Climate Financing: New fund to catalyze
investment in innovative climate financing
solutions.
5.2 India- Latin America
Context: Recently, India's External Affairs
Minister India-Central American Integration
System (SICA) Foreign Ministerial Meet.
More on News:
• He also co-chaired the 4th India-CARICOM
Ministerial Meeting.
About Central American Integration System
(SICA):
• SICA was established in 1991 through the
signing of the Protocol to the Charter of the
Organization of Central American States.
• Its members include Costa Rica, El Salvador,
Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama,
Belize, and the Dominican Republic.
• It aims for regional peace, democracy,
development, regional integration, a free trade
area, and a customs union.
Latin America:
• It is a vast region in the Western Hemisphere that encompasses Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean,
and South America.
• Guyana has one of the world's largest oil reserves.
• Panama is India's largest Central American trade partner and serves as India's gateway to the Latin
American region.

About Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM):

• CARICOM was established by the Treaty of Chaguaramas 1973, with its headquarters in Georgetown,
Guyana.
• It consists of 15 member states: Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada,
Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,
Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.
• Its mandate is based on four main pillars: economic integration, foreign policy coordination, human and
social development, and security.

19
 6
6.1 Asian Pacific Postal Union
Context: India assumes leadership of the Asian
Pacific Postal Union (APPU), headquartered in
Bangkok, Thailand.
About Asian Pacific Postal Union (APPU):
Indo-Pacific
• An intergovernmental organisation with 32
member countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
• It aims to extend, facilitate, and improve postal
relations between member countries and to
promote cooperation in the field of postal
services.

6.2 IFC-IOR
Context: The Navy’s Information Fusion Centre for Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Regional Coordination Operations Centre (RCOC),
Seychelles.

Information Fusion Centre for Indian Ocean

Objective of MoU: Region(IFC-IOR):
To foster collaboration between the centers for
• Inaugurated in 2018, it's located within the Navy’s
improved maritime awareness, expertise
IMAC (Information Management and Analysis
development, and countering threats like piracy,
Centre) in Gurugram.
trafficking, IUU fishing, and maritime terrorism.
• The IMAC, a central hub connecting coastal
White Shipping Information: radars, provides real-time visuals of the 7,500-km
• Refers to the exchange of advance coastline, joined by numerous Indian Ocean
information on the identity and movement states.
of commercial non-military merchant • It collaborates with partner nations for maritime
vessels. awareness and shares information on white
shipping.
• It also hosts International Liason Officers (ILO)
from 12 nations.

20
6.3 India - Japan
Asia Energy Transition Initiative:
• Japan introduced the Asia Energy Transition
Initiative (AETI) in 2021 to support diverse
and practical energy transitions in Asia.
• AETI now looks forward to supporting
India's Clean Energy Transition.
Idea of Free and Open Indo-Pacific:
• Recently, the Japanese PM unveiled Japan’s
new plan for a FOIP.
• It emphasises on upholding the rules-based
order and respecting territorial sovereignty,
especially during a pivotal moment in
international affairs.
6.4 Comprehensive and Progressive
Agreement for Trans-Pacific
Partnership
Context: Recently, Britain joined the
Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for
Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) as the 12th
member.
About CPTPP:
• CPTPP is a free trade agreement (FTA) that
was agreed between 11 countries - Australia,
Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia,
Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and
Vietnam.
• It was signed in 2018 in Santiago, Chile.
• It covers goods, services, intellectual
property, investment, labour, and the
environment.
• It also includes commitments to uphold
labour rights, the right to collective
bargaining, and eliminating forced and child
labour.
• India did not join the CPTPP due to its strict
intellectual property rights standards, the
Investor-State Dispute Settlement
Mechanism.
6.5 QUAD
Context: Recently, the Prime Minister attended
the third Quad Leaders' Summit held in
Hiroshima, Japan.
Key Highlights of the Summit:
● Clean Energy Supply Chain Initiative.
● Partnership for Cable Connectivity and
Resilience.
21
● Quad Investors Network
About Quad:
● The concept of the Quad was initiated by
Japanese PM Shinzo Abe in 2007 to create an
Asian Arc of Democracy.
● It is an informal strategic dialogue between
the four nations, i.e., the US, India, Japan, and
Australia.
● It aims to ensure and support a “free, open,
and prosperous” Indo-Pacific region.
6.6 6th Indian Ocean Conference
Context: Recently, the 6th Indian Ocean
Conference was held in Dhaka.
About 6th Indian Ocean Conference:
• Theme: Peace, Prosperity, and Partnership for
a Resilient Future.
• It seeks to foster economic growth and uphold
peace and stability in the Indian Ocean region.
About Indian Ocean Conference:
• The Indian Ocean Conference, initiated in
Singapore in 2016, has become the premier forum
for regional consultations.
• It aims to unite regional maritime partners for
cooperation under the Security And Growth for
All in the Region (SAGAR) initiative.
6.7 Indian Ocean Rim Association
Context: Sri Lanka is set to take over the
chairmanship of the Indian Ocean Rim
Association (IORA).
About Indian Ocean Rim Association:
• The IORA is an intergovernmental
organization established in 1997, comprising 23
member states and 11 dialogue partners.
• IORA Members:
○ Asia: India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Iran,
Malaysia, Maldives, Oman, Singapore, Sri
Lanka, Thailand, United Arab Emirates
and Yemen.
○ Africa: Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique,
Somalia , South Africa, Tanzania, Comoros,
Mauritius, Seychelles.
○ Oceania: Australia.
○ Europe: France
• Dialogue partners: China, Egypt, Saudi
Arabia, Germany, Italy, Japan, Republic of
Korea, Russia, Turkiye, United Kingdom and
United States of America.
 7
7.1 Croatia
Context: Recently, Croatia joined the Schengen Area and Eurozone.
Exploring the Schengen Zone:
• The Schengen zone is the world’s largest
passport-free travel and borderless zone in
Europe.
• It was created in 1985 in the Schengen town in
Luxembourg.
• It covers 23 European Union member states
plus the four members of the European Free
Trade Association – Iceland, Norway,
Switzerland, and Liechtenstein.
22
Europe
• It allows people, goods, and services to travel
freely amongst its member countries without
having to pass identity checks at checkpoints.
Eurozone:
• The Eurozone refers to an economic and
geographic region comprising European
Union countries that use the Euro as their
national currency
7.2 India-United Kingdom Ties
7.2.1 Windsor Framework
Context: The 'Windsor Framework' will replace the contentious Northern Ireland Protocol,
addressing its economic and political issues.
About Northern Ireland Protocol:
• The Northern Ireland Protocol is a part of the
Brexit agreement between the UK and the EU.
• It addresses the issue of the land border
between Northern Ireland, which is part of the
UK, and the Republic of Ireland, which is an
EU member state.
• The Protocol aims to avoid a hard border
between Northern Ireland and the Republic of
Ireland, preserving the peace established by
the Good Friday Agreement.
• The Protocol mandates customs and
regulatory checks on goods from Great Britain
to Northern Ireland at ports and airports to
align with EU standards.
Windsor Framework:
• The Windsor Framework is a post-Brexit deal
between the EU and the UK modifying the
Northern Ireland Protocol's functioning.
• Introduction of a green lane and red lane
system for goods that will stay in Northern
Ireland and those that will go to the EU,
respectively;
• ‘Stormont Brake’: It allows Northern Ireland
lawmakers and London to veto any EU
regulation they believe affects the region
adversely.
23
More on News: Recently, US President Joe Biden
visited Belfast to commemorate the Good Friday
Agreement's 25th anniversary.
About Good Friday Agreement:
• The Good Friday Agreement, also known as the
Belfast Agreement of 1998, was a peace deal
between the Northern Ireland groups and the
governments of Britain and Ireland to halt
Northern Irish violence.
• It concluded 'The Troubles,' a 30-year period of
violence, and is acclaimed as a model for
resolving protracted conflicts.
7.2.2 NET Zero Innovation Virtual Centre
Context: India and the UK recently launched a
'NET Zero' Innovation Virtual Centre for climate
and environmental goals.
About NET Zero Innovation Virtual Centre:
• It is a joint initiative of India and the UK.
• It was announced during the India-UK
Science & Innovation Council meeting.
• Focus Areas: Decarbonization of manufacturing
process and transport systems and Green
Hydrogen as a renewable source.
7.3 Nordic-India Relations
Context: Recently, India has sought Nordic
support for India’s Green Transition.
About Nordic-India:
• Nordic-India Summit was held in Copenhagen
in 2022, with cooperation to digitalization,
renewable energy, etc.
• India is a focus country in Norway’s Climate
Investment Fund.
About Nordic region:
● It is a geographical and cultural region in
northern Europe that comprises Denmark,
Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden.
About Climate Investment Funds:
● Established in 2008, the Climate Investment
Funds (CIF) is a multilateral climate fund
that enables climate action in over 70 low
and middle-income countries.
7.4 India- Italy Ties
Context: India and Italy have upgraded their
bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership
and signed an MoU on defence cooperation.
Key Outcomes:
● Italy and India have established a 'Startup
Bridge' to boost cooperation in technology and
innovation.
● Italy has joined the Indo-Pacific Ocean
Initiative (IPOI).
● Signing of Declaration of Intent (DOI) on
migration and mobility.
About Indo-Pacific Ocean Initiative(IPOI):
• The Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) was
launched at the East Asia Summit in 2019.
• It seeks to ensure the security and stability of
the regional maritime region.
• It is an open, non-treaty-based initiative for
countries to work together for cooperative and
collaborative solutions.
7.5 NATO
More on News:
● Finland became the 31st country to join the
North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).
○ Finland is a northern European nation
bordering Sweden, Norway and Russia.
○ Finlandization refers to the policy of strict
neutrality between Moscow (Russia) and
24
the West that Finland followed during the
decades of the Cold War
● Recently, NATO formally suspended the
Treaty of Conventional Armed Forces in
Europe.
About Treaty of Conventional Armed Forces:
● The treaty was signed in 1990 and aimed to
prevent massing of forces near mutual
borders.
● The treaty was one of several major Cold War-
era treaties involving Russia and the United
States that have ceased to be in force in recent
years.
● Russia suspended its participation in 2007,
and in 2015 announced its intention to
completely withdraw from the agreement.
About NATO:
• NATO, formed in 1949 by European and
North American nations, is a military alliance
for political and military collaboration.
• Headquarters: Brussels, Belgium
• Article 5 of NATO states the Collective
Defense Principle, where an attack on one
member is deemed an attack on all, with a
collective response commitment.
○ It has been invoked only once after 9/11,
and it doesn't cover members' civil wars or
internal coups.
About NATO Plus:
• Recently, India was invited to join the "NATO
Plus Five" Defense status.
• NATO Plus is a grouping of the North Atlantic
Treaty Organisation (NATO) and five
countries, including Australia, New Zealand,
Japan, Israel, and South Korea.
• It is aimed at boosting global defence
cooperation.
Major Non-Nato Ally Status (MNNA):
• MNNA status is a U.S. legal designation
granting foreign partners specific benefits in
defence and security cooperation.
• The status grants military and economic
privileges but does not involve any security
commitments to the designated country.
• The US has designated 30 countries,
including Japan, South Korea, and Israel, as
MNNA, but India is not one of them.
 7.6 European Free Trade Association
About Trade and Economic Partnership
Agreement:
● TEPA is a Free Trade Agreement (FTA)
between India and EFTA members (Iceland,
Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland).
● Under an FTA, two trading partners reduce or
eliminate customs duties on a wide range of
traded goods and simplify regulations to
promote trade in services and investments.
India-European Free Trade Association:
• EFTA is an inter-governmental organization
that promotes and strengthens free trade.
• EFTA countries are not part of the EU and were
established as an alternative for states that
didn't want to join the European Community.
About India’s Trade with EFTA:
• India is the 9th largest trading partner of
EFTA, with exports of USD 1.67 billion to
EFTA countries in 2022-23 and imports
totaling USD 15 billion in the same period.
7.7 India-European Union Trade and
Technology Council
Context: The inaugural India-EU Trade and
Technology Council (TTC) Ministerial meeting
was held in Brussels, Belgium.
About India- European Union Trade and
Technology Council (TTC):
• The TTC's creation was declared in 2022 by the
Indian Prime Minister and the European
Commission President.
• It aims to establish a platform for high-level
coordination on strategic issues involving
trade, trusted technology, and security.
• Ministerial meetings of the TTC will be held
annually.
• The TTC consists of three Working Groups
(WGs) that report on roadmaps for future
cooperation:
○ WG on Strategic Technologies, Digital
Governance, and Digital Connectivity
○ WG on Green and Clean Energy
Technologies
○ WG on Trade, Investment, and Resilient
Value Chains.
25
7.8 North Sea
Context: Nine European countries pledged at the
second North Sea Summit in Ostend, Belgium, to
convert the North Sea into a renewable energy
hub.
About the North Sea Summit:
• The second summit took place in Ostend,
following the first in 2022 with the Esbjerg
Declaration in Denmark.
• Participant countries: Belgium, Denmark,
France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg,
Netherlands, Norway, and the United
Kingdom.
• The summit aims to make the North Sea
Europe's top green energy source by fast-
tracking offshore wind turbines to achieve at
least 120 GW by 2030.
About North Sea:
• It is the northeastern arm of the Atlantic Ocean
located between the British Isles and the
mainland of northwestern Europe.
• The North Sea is bordered by the UK and
Norway to the west, Denmark south,
Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and
France east, and the Faroe Islands and
Svalbard to the north.
• It links to the Atlantic through the English
Channel and to the Baltic Sea via the Kattegat
and Skagerrak straits, with the busy Kiel
Canal connecting both Baltic and North Sea.
• Key rivers flowing into the North Sea include
the Forth, Elbe, Weser, Ems, Rhine, Meuse,
Scheldt, Thames, and Humber.
7.9 EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA)
Context: Recently, the European Union identified
19 platforms that will be subject to its landmark
online content regulations.
More on news:
• The Digital Services Act (DSA) introduced
rules to revamp the EU's social media and e-
commerce regulations, focusing on strict
regulation of how major tech platforms
moderate user content.
• Under the DSA, ‘Very Large Online Platforms’
(VLOPs) and ‘Very Large Online Search
Engines’ (VLOSEs) — that is, platforms having
more than 45 million users in the EU, will have
more stringent requirements.
About Digital Services Act (DSA): ○ The rivers flowing through it are the
• Passed by the European Parliament in 2022, it Danube, Sava, Tisa, etc.
is a comprehensive set of rules designed to
enhance online safety and transparency for
European Union (EU) users.
• Key provisions of the DSA:
○ Content Regulation: DSA mandates online
platforms to actively prevent and remove
illegal or harmful content, including hate
speech, terrorism, and child abuse.
○ Targeted Advertising Restrictions: Online
platforms are prohibited from using a
person's characteristics like sexual
orientation, religion, ethnicity, or political
beliefs for targeted advertising.
○ Safeguarding Children: They are
safeguarded from excessive or
inappropriate ads through ad targeting 7.11 European Sky Shield Initiative
restrictions.
○ Algorithm Transparency: Platforms must Context: Recently, Austria and Switzerland
disclose how their algorithms function and joined the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI).
impact the content they display. About European Sky Shield Initiative:
○ Stricter Rules for Large Platforms: Large • ESSI seeks to build a European air and missile
online platforms, reaching over 10% of the defence system by jointly acquiring defence
EU population must share data with equipment and missiles among European
researchers and authorities, cooperate in nations, thereby reinforcing NATO's
crisis responses, and undergo external Integrated Air and Missile Defence.
audits.
• Launched by Germany following Russia's
○ Compliance Deadlines: Large platforms
invasion of Ukraine, the ESSI now includes 19
must comply with these regulations within
members like Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech
four months of the Act's agreement, which
Republic, Norway, Slovakia, and the UK.
occurred in April 2023.
More on News: EU General Data Protection
7.10 Kosovo-Serbia Conflict Regulation
About EU STANDARD CONTRACTUAL
Context: Recently, NATO deployed CLAUSES (SCCs):
peacekeeping troops to Kosovo to help establish
• These are standardized contractual clauses
peace in the Kosovo-Serbia Conflict.
issued by the European Commission.
About Kosovo-Serbia Conflict:
• They enable the transfer of personal data from
• The Kosovo-Serbia conflict arises from the European Economic Area (EEA) to non-
Kosovo's declaration of independence in EEA countries lacking sufficient data
2008, which Serbia does not acknowledge.
protection.
• Tensions result from historical, ethnic, and
political factors, causing sporadic clashes and
disputes. 7.12 European Union Migration Deal
• Kosovo is situated in Southeast Europe on the
Balkan Peninsula, between the Mediterranean Context: Recently, the European Union and
Sea and mountainous areas. Member States have reached an agreement to
• Serbia, a land-locked Balkan country, borders reform the bloc's migration policy through the
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, ‘New Pact on Migration and Asylum’.
Hungary, North Macedonia, Montenegro, More on News:
Romania, and Albania. • The reform includes speedier vetting of
○ It is situated at the crossroads of the irregular arrivals, creating border detention
Pannonian Basin and the Balkans. centres, and accelerated deportation for
rejected asylum applicants.

26
• The agreement awaits final approval from the
European Council and European Parliament,
expected in 2024, before becoming part of the
EU's legal framework.
Key Features of the New Pact on Migration and
Asylum:
• Screening Regulation: It envisions a pre-entry
procedure to swiftly examine an asylum
seeker's profile and collect basic information
such as nationality, age,fingerprints, and facial
image.
• Eurodac Regulation: It is a large-scale database
that will store the biometric evidence collected
during the screening process.
• Asylum Procedures Regulation: It sets two
possible steps for migrants: the traditional
asylum procedure, which usually takes several
months to complete, and a fast-tracked border
procedure, meant to last a maximum of 12
weeks.
• Asylum and Migration Management
Regulation: It establishes a system of
"mandatory solidarity" that will offer countries
three options to manage migration flows:
○ Relocate a certain number of asylum
seekers,
○ Pay a contribution for each claimant who
refuses to relocate.
○ Finance operational support.
27
About European Union:
• Group of 27 countries that operate as a cohesive
economic and political block.
• 19 of these countries use the euro as their official
currency.
• The EU has established a single market with
standardised laws across member states in areas
of mutual agreement.
7.13 Bletchley Declaration
Context: Recently, the “Bletchley Declaration”
was adopted by the European Union and 28
countries, including India, the United States, and
China.
About Bletchley Declaration:
• The summit was a two-day event held at the
historic Bletchley Park in the United
Kingdom, famous for its role in World War II
code-breaking.
• It aims to boost global efforts to cooperate on
artificial intelligence (AI) safety.
• It focuses on identifying common AI risks,
understanding them scientifically, and
developing international policies for risk
mitigation.
 8
India and Africa

repatriation of all individuals detained due

8.1 India-Egypt Relations
Context: The President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah El-
Sisi, recently visited India as the Chief Guest for
its 74th Republic Day.
About India-Egypt Ties:
• Diplomatic:
○ India and Egypt established diplomatic
relations in the 1950s, after Egypt's
independence.
○ 1961: India, Egypt, Yugoslavia, Indonesia,
and Ghana established the Non-Aligned
Movement (NAM).
• Defence:
○ The first joint military exercise between
India and Egypt, "Exercise Cyclone-I," was
held in January 2023.
Recent Developments:
• Egypt is facing 21% inflation, potentially
reducing India's exports and trade with the
country.
• Recently, Egypt bestowed the highest honour
of the land — the Order of the Nile to the
Prime Minister of India.
to the conflict in Yemen.
○ Taïz agreement: It includes the formation
of a joint committee with participation
from civil society and the UN.
8.3 Economic Community Of West
African States
Context: Recently, West African bloc ECOWAS
held discussions on Niger.
About ECOWAS:
• ECOWAS is a regional political and economic
union of 15 countries located in West Africa.
• It aims to achieve "collective self-sufficiency"
for its member states by creating a single large
trade bloc.
• The union was formed in 1975 through the
Treaty of Lagos, aiming to promote economic
integration in the region.
• Members: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde,
Cote d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria,
Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.

8.2 Stockholm Agreement

Context: Under the Stockholm Agreement,
numerous Yemeni war prisoners were reunited
with their families.
About Stockholm Agreement:
• It refers to a peace agreement reached in 2018
between the Yemeni government and Houthi
rebels, who have been engaged in a long-
standing conflict in Yemen.
• It was brokered by the United Nations and
signed in Stockholm, Sweden.
• It had three main components: 8.4 Kampala Declaration
○ Hudayah agreement: It included a
Context: Recently, 48 African countries agreed to
ceasefire in the city of Hodeidah and other
adopt the Kampala Ministerial Declaration on
clauses like no military reinforcements in
Migration, Environment and Climate Change.
the city and strengthened UN presence.
○ Prisoner exchange agreement: It aimed to About Kampala Declaration:
facilitate the release, transfer, or

28
• It aims to provide African states with a unified
position for the Africa Climate Summit and
the Conference of Parties (COP28).
• The Declaration is the first comprehensive,
action-oriented framework led by Member
States to address climate-induced mobility in
a practical and effective manner.

8.5 Red Sea

Context: Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.
About Red Sea:
• The Red Sea is a semi-enclosed, inlet of the
Indian Ocean between the continents of Africa
from Asia.
• It is the world’s northernmost tropical sea.
About Ben Gurion Canal Project:
• It is a Global 200 Ecoregion, and underlying it
is the Red Sea Rift, which makes it a part of the • It was envisaged in the 1960s to create an
Great Rift Valley. alternative route to the Suez Canal.
• The idea is to cut a canal through the Israeli-
• It is connected to the Arabian Sea and the controlled Negev Desert from the tip of the
Indian Ocean to the south through the Gulf of Gulf of Aqaba — the eastern arm of the Red
Aden and the narrow strait of Bab el Mandeb. Sea that juts into Israel’s southern tip and
• The northern portion of the Red Sea is south-western Jordan — to the Eastern
bifurcated by the Sinai Peninsula into the Gulf Mediterranean coast.
of Aqaba and the Gulf of Suez, where it is
connected to the Mediterranean Sea via the
famous Suez Canal.
• Bordering Countries: Yemen, Saudi Arabia,
Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, and Djibouti.
• Distinct Features: Due to seasonal blooms of a
red-colored cyanobacteria alga -
Trichodesmium erythraeum the sea is a
reddish-brown colour.
About Houthis:
● The Houthis are a large clan belonging to the
Zaidi Shia sect, with roots in Yemen’s
northwestern Sa’dah province.
● The Houthi Movement began in the 1990s
against the dictatorship of Yemeni President
Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Global 200 Ecoregion:
• The Global 200 is the list of ecoregions which
is identified by World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
as priorities for conservation.

29
 9
International Entities and Developments

9.1 Voice of Global South Summit 2023

Context: The Prime Minister of India recently inaugurated a virtual event, “Voice of the Global South
Summit.”

Global North Global South

• They are generally considered to be made up • Made up of countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
of countries in North America, Europe, and • Less developed, with lower per capita incomes and less
some countries in Asia. industrialisation.
• These countries are more developed, • Common attributes such as history of colonisation and a
industrialised and have higher per capita lacking role in the governance of multilateral institutions.
incomes.

About the Global South Summit:

• The summit unites Global South nations to
discuss shared concerns, including COVID-19,
climate change, terrorism, supply chains,
conflicts, and debt crises.
• Theme: "Unity of Voice, Unity of Purpose."
• Environment Ministers Session on “Balancing
Growth with Environment-Friendly Lifestyles
(LiFE)" is one of the eight ministerial sessions
under the Global South Summit."
About Brandt line:
• It is an imaginary boundary running from the Rio
Grande into the Gulf of Mexico(refer image),
across the Atlantic Ocean, through the
Mediterranean Sea, and over the vast expanses of
Central Asia to the Pacific Ocean.

30
India’s Prime Minister Remarks at the Global South Summit:

India-led Initiatives:
1. Aarogya Maitri Project: For essential medical aid to developing nations.
2. Global South Young Diplomats Forum: Connecting Young Foreign Ministries Officials.
3. Global South Centre of Excellence: To undertake research on scalable development solutions.
4. Global South Science and Technology Initiative: Enables sharing of expertise with nations.
5. Global South Scholarships: Enabling students to study in Indian educational institutions.

• It oversees the enforcement of sanctions

9.2 International Monetary Fund
About International Monetary Fund:
• The IMF was established in 1944 as part of the
Bretton Woods Agreement to promote
international monetary cooperation and
facilitate the balanced growth of international
trade.
• The IMF's primary purpose is to ensure the
stability of the international monetary system.
• Washington D.C (USA)
• Membership: 190 member countries.
• Each member country of the IMF is assigned a
quota based on its relative size in the world
economy.
• Reports by IMF:
○ Global Financial Stability Report.
○ World Economic Outlook.
○ Fiscal Monitor
9.3 United Nations
9.3.1 UNSC 1267 Committee
Context: The UNSC’s 1267 Committee on ISIL
and Al-Qaida Sanctions blacklisted Lashkar-e-
TaibaN leader Abdul Rehman Makki.
About 1267 Al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee:
• Established in 1999 under Resolution 1267 and
includes 15 Security Council members.
against designated individuals, entities, and
aircraft affiliated with the Taliban.
More on the news:
• Recently, China vetoed the UN proposal by
India and the U.S. to label Sajid Mir of
Pakistan-based Lashkar Taiba as a global
terrorist. The proposal had been moved under
the 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee.
UNSC Sanctions Committee:
• Article 41 of the United Nations Charter gives
the Security Council the authority to use a
variety of measures to enforce its decisions.
• The Council often establishes subsidiary organs
to implement measures, including “sanctions,”
overseen by a Committee.
• The Committee comprises 10 non-permanent
and 5 permanent UNSC members.
More on News:
Technical Hold:
• As per the rules, a proposed listing is adopted
through a "no-objections" procedure.
• If any Committee member, including all UN
Security Council members, places a hold or
objects to a listing, it cannot be adopted.
• The Committee aims to resolve such issues
within six months but may grant extensions.
• At the end of the six-month period, the
"holding" country must decide whether to

31

accept the listing or make a permanent
objection to it.
About United Nations Security Council (UNSC):
• UNSC is the United Nations (UN) organ whose
primary responsibility is the maintenance of
international peace and security.
• Membership:
○ Five Permanent Members: China, France,
Russia, United Kingdom, United States.
○ Ten non-permanent members are elected
by the UN General Assembly for a two-
year term.
○ Non-permanent members of the body are
selected for equitable geographic
representation: five from Africa or Asia,
one from Eastern Europe, two from Latin
America, and two from Western Europe or
other regions.
9.3.2 Intergovernmental Negotiations
Framework
About Intergovernmental Negotiations
Framework (IGN):
• A group of nation-states working within the
United Nations to further reform of the United
Nations Security Council (UNSC).
• The IGN is composed of the African Union, G4
nations (India, Brazil, Japan, and Germany),
Uniting for Consensus Group (UfC), L69
Group of Developing Countries, Arab League,
Caribbean Community (CARICOM)
9.3.3 United Nations Office for Outer
Space Affairs (UNOOSA)
Context: Recently, the United Nations appointed
an Indian-origin satellite expert Aarti Holla-
Maini as the Director of the UNOOSA.
About United Nations Office for Outer Space
Affairs (UNOOSA):
• The Office for Outer Space Affairs, part of the
United Nations Office in Vienna, promotes
international cooperation in the peaceful uses
of outer space.
• Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer
Space serves as the Secretariat.
• It maintains the Register of Objects Launched
into Outer Space.
9.3.4 United Nations Statistical
Commission
Context: Recently, India was elected to the United
Nations Statistical Commission for a four-year
term beginning January 1, 2024.
About UN Statistical Commission:
32
• The UN Statistical Commission is the highest
global statistical body, uniting Chief
Statisticians from member states worldwide.
• It oversees the United Nations Statistics
Division (UNSD) and operates as a Functional
Commission within the UN Economic and
Social Council.
• It was established in 1947 and is headquartered
in New York, USA.
• It has 24 member countries, each with a 4-year
term, elected by UN Economic and Social
Council for equitable geographical
representation.
• It serves as a global data hub for international
trade, national accounts, and social statistics,
while also promoting international standards
for data methods, classifications, and
definitions.
9.3.5 UNHCR
Context: Recently, the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) released
the "Global Trends: Forced Displacement in
2022" report.
Terms in News:
• Migrant: United Nations’ International
Organization for Migration (IOM) refers it as
“any person who has resided away from his or
her place of usual residence, whether within a
country or across an international border,
regardless of the person’s legal status; whether
the movement is involuntary or voluntary;
what the causes for the movement are; or, what
the length of the stay is.”
• Refugee: As defined by the 1951 Geneva
Convention, the term applies to “any person
who, owing to a well‐founded fear of
persecution for reasons of race, religion,
nationality, membership of a particular social
group or political opinion, is outside the
country of his or her nationality and is unable
or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return
to it”.
• Displaced Persons: Persons who have been
forced or obliged to flee or to leave their homes
or places of habitual residence, in particular as
a result of or in order to avoid the effects of
armed conflict, situations of generalized
violence, violations of human rights or
natural or human-made disasters.
• Asylum Seeker: According to UNHCR, the
term is used to define “someone whose request
for sanctuary has yet to be processed.”
About United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR):
• It is a global organisation dedicated to saving
lives, protecting rights, and building a better
future for refugees, forcibly displaced
communities and stateless people.
• Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
• 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967
Protocol are the key legal documents that form
the basis of UNHCR.
About United Nations Refugee Convention
1951:
• The definition of a refugee, the rights of those
who are granted asylum, and the obligations of
countries that provide asylum are all laid down
in a multilateral United Nations treaty.
• Under it, people who are fleeing persecution
due to their ethnicity, religion, nationality,
membership in a particular social group, or
political beliefs are granted certain rights.
Global Compact on Refugees (GCR), 2018.
• It is designed to promote responsibility-
sharing among host countries and
communities to better support refugees.
• Four objectives are to ease pressures on host
countries, strengthen refugee self-reliance,
make third-country solutions more accessible,
and support conditions in countries of origin
that allow refugees to return safely.
About UK-Rwanda Asylum Plan:
• It is a five-year trial plan, introduced in 2022.
• It aims to transport select asylum seekers to
Rwanda with one-way tickets, where they can
lodge their asylum claims.
• Those who meet the criteria may be granted
refugee status, enabling them to remain in
Rwanda.
• The Migration and Economic Development
Partnership (MEDP) was announced for the
transfer of asylum seekers not recognised by
the UK into Rwanda.
• Obligation of Rwanda: It is obliged to provide
accommodation for every individual and
protect them from ill-treatment and
refoulement.
• Obligation of UK: It will bear the
accommodation and transit costs.
• Discretion of Rwanda: Rwanda will be the
sole authority to recognise or not recognise
the refugee status of an individual. If an
individual is not recognised, they will be
moved to their country of origin.
33
About Principle of Non-Refoulement:
• Under international human rights law, the
principle of non-refoulement guarantees that
no one should be returned to a country where
they would face torture, cruel, inhuman, or
degrading treatment or punishment, and other
irreparable harm.
About Refoulement:
• The forcible return of refugees or asylum
seekers to a country where they are liable to be
subjected to persecution.
India and Refugee
• India lacks specific legislation to address the
problem of refugees.
• India is not a party to the 1951 Refugee
Convention and its 1967 Protocol, the key legal
documents pertaining to refugee protection.
9.3.6 Article 99 of the UN Charter
Context: Recently, the United Nations Secretary-
General Antonio Guterres has invoked Article 99
of the UN Charter to establish a ceasefire amid
Israel’s ongoing military attacks on the Gaza Strip.
About Article 99 of the UN Charter:
• It states that “The Secretary-General may
bring to the attention of the Security Council
any matter which, in his opinion may threaten
the maintenance of international peace and
security.”
• It is seen as a discretionary power.
• According to the UN, the President of the
Security Council is obliged to call a meeting of
the Council if the Secretary-General brings to
the attention of the Council any matter under
Article 99.
About Humanitarian ceasefire and
Humanitarian Pause:
• Humanitarian Pause: The United Nations
defines a “humanitarian pause” as a
“temporary cessation of hostilities purely for
humanitarian purposes”.
• Humanitarian Ceasefire: The UN defines it as
a “suspension of fighting agreed upon by the
parties to a conflict, typically as part of a
political process”, with the goal being to “allow
parties to engage in dialogue, including the
possibility of reaching a permanent political
settlement.”
9.4 G-20 ○ Global Representation: It offers the AU a
platform for global representation and
Context: Recently, the 18th G20 Summit was influence in international economic policies
successfully concluded in New Delhi with India and decisions.
handing over the presidency to Brazil. ○ Trade and Investment: The AU can
Key Outcomes of the G-20 Summit: advocate for fairer trade practices and
increased investment in African
● Adoption of the G20 New Delhi Leaders' Joint
economies.
Declaration.
About African Union (AU):
● Launch of the Global Biofuel Alliance.
• It is an intergovernmental organisation
● MOU to establish India Middle East Europe
consisting of 55 member states in Africa.
Economic Corridor.
• Established in 2002, as the successor to the
● Inclusion of the African Union as a permanent
Organisation of African Unity (OAU),
member of the G20.
founded in 1963.
Key Deliverables Under India’s G20 • Headquartered: Addis Ababa.
Presidency:
• Setting up of Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA):
● India-Middle East-Europe Economic ○ India, Singapore, Bangladesh, Italy, USA,
Corridor: Brazil, Argentina, Mauritius and UAE,
• It aims to integrate transport corridors between launched the Global Biofuel Alliance.
Asia, the Arabian Gulf, and Europe. ○ It is an international initiative aimed at
• Participants: India, the US, Saudi Arabia, the promoting the development and
European Union, the UAE, France, Germany deployment of biofuels as a low-carbon
and Italy. pathway to sustainable energy.
• The project is a part of the Partnership for • Fostering Digital Ecosystems: Global
Global Infrastructure Investment (PGII). Initiative on Digital Health (GIDH):
• It offers an alternative to China's BRI, focusing ○ Recently, India, in partnership with the
on transparency and climate-resilient World Health Organization (WHO),
infrastructure. launched the Global Initiative on Digital
Health during the G-20 summit.
○ It is aimed at data convergence, the
interface of health platforms, and
investments in the digital health space
around the globe.
○ It will include an investment tracker, to
understand who needs what kind of
products and services and a library of
existing digital health platforms.
○ It will aid in universal health convergence
and improve healthcare service delivery.
• G-20 New Delhi Leaders’ Joint Declaration:
About Partnership for Global Infrastructure ○ Ukraine War: All states must act in
Investment (PGII): accordance with the UN Charter and
• PGII is a west-led initiative to fund global refrain from use of force.
infrastructure projects, seen as a response to ○ Gender Equality: Setting of a working
China's BRI. group on women’s empowerment to
• Launched officially during the G7 summit in prioritise gender equality, and leadership.
Germany in 2022. ○ Food Security: Leaders aimed to eliminate
• Aims to mobilise nearly $600 billion from the hunger and malnutrition and address
G7 by 2027 for critical infrastructure. rising commodity prices, and fair trade in
• Addition of African Union as a new G20 agriculture.
Permanent Member: ○ Economies & Markets: Commitment to
○ G20's Inclusivity Boost: This will make protect the vulnerable through equitable
G20 more inclusive and deepen growth.
cooperation with Africa. ○ Global Value Chains: A framework for
mapping global value chains to identify

34
 risks and build resilience. It reaffirms
commitment to international tax reforms,
including profit allocation and global
minimum taxation. It also outlines a
roadmap for implementing
recommendations from the G20
Independent Review of MDBs’ Capital
Adequacy Frameworks.
○ Technology: A roadmap to support a
coordinated policy and regulatory
framework for crypto-assets.
○ Climate Change: It aims to triple renewable
energy capacity by 2030. It recognizes the
need for approximately USD 6 trillion in the
pre-2030 period to support developing
countries in implementing their Nationally
○ Determined Contributions (NDCs) for
climate action.
○ UNSC Reforms: Agreement on UNGA
75/1 for the first time in G20.
○ Agricultural Transparency: It includes
measures to strengthen the Agricultural
Market Information System (AMIS) and
the Group on Earth Observations Global
Agricultural Monitoring (GEOGLAM) to
improve transparency and mitigate food
price volatility.

More on News:
About Jaipur Declaration and UIC:
• The 'Jaipur Declaration' sets an agenda for UIC to explore innovative approaches in pursuit of global
railway safety and security goals.
• Theme: “Railway Security Strategy: Responses and Vision for Future.”
• UIC (HQ- Paris, France) was established in 1922 as a worldwide professional association
representing the railway sector for research, development, and promotion of rail transport.
About Y20:
• Youth 20 (Y20) is an official G20 forum enabling youth dialogue, idea exchange, and consensus-
building on global issues.
About G-20 Global DPI Summit:
• Theme: “DPI for Ease of Living, Ease of Doing Business, and Ease of Governance.”
• India signed a MoU with four countries, namely Armenia, Sierra Leone, Suriname, Antigua and
Barbuda, on sharing INDIA STACK.
• India introduced the 'One Future Alliance’' an inclusive initiative to unite nations and stakeholders
in shaping the future of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for global benefit.
About Jaipur Call for Action for MSMEs:
• G20 ministers issued the 'Jaipur Call for Action' to improve access to information for MSMEs.
• Request the International Trade Center (ITC), Geneva, to develop an implementation plan for
upgrading its Global Trade Helpdesk to address MSMEs' informational needs, in consultation with
UNCTAD and WTO.
• Digitalization of trade documents, a G20 Generic Mapping Framework for Global Value Chains.
About Gandhinagar Implementation Roadmap (GIR) & Gandhinagar Information Platform (GIP) for
Priority Landscapes:
• GIR and GIP will help restore land impacted by forest fires and mining, and reinforce the
implementation of the G20 Global Land Initiative (GLI).
• This will support achieving the G20 ambition of reducing land degradation by 50% by 2040.
About Chennai High-Level Principles (HLPs) for a Sustainable and Resilient Blue/Ocean-based
Economy:
• HLPs will address sustainable economic growth, marine environment protection, social equity, gender
equality, and human development.
About G-20 2023 Financial Inclusion Action Plan (FIAP):
• The new FIAP roadmap aims to rapidly advance financial inclusion for individuals and MSMEs.
• India will lead the implementation of the new FIAP for the next three years starting from 2024.
About Millet and Other Ancient Grains International Research Initiative (MAHARISHI) :
• It aims to enhance research and awareness on agro-biodiversity, food security, and nutrition, aligning
with the UN General Assembly's International Year of Millets 2023 (IYoM 2023) programme.

35
 About G20
• Founded in 1999 by finance heads of seven countries: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, U.K.,
and U.S.A., with the uniting factor being the 1997-98 financial crisis.
• The first annual meeting was held in Berlin, Germany, in 1999, and it was elevated to the level of
heads of government/state in 2008.
• Members represent over 80% of global GDP, 75% of trade, and 60% of the population.
• Members: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy,
Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the U.K., the U.S.
and the European Union + African Union.
Scope of the G20:
• Originally centered on macroeconomics, its scope broadened to include trade, climate change,
sustainable development, health, and other areas.
Structure of G-20:
• Presidency: The G-20 Presidency directs the G-20 agenda for a year and hosts the summit.
• Finance Track led by Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors.
• Sherpa Track coordinated by Sherpas, personal emissaries of leaders.
• Thematically oriented groups with representatives from member countries and international
organisations discuss relevant topics.
• Engagement Groups: Involve civil societies, parliamentarians, think tanks, women, youth, labour,
businesses, and researchers from G-20 countries.
• Secretariat: G-20 doesn't have a permanent secretariat, operations are facilitated by the respective
presidency and Troika support.
• Troika: Comprise previous, current, and incoming Presidency, providing guidance and support
during the G-20 Presidency.

• The first summit, held in 1975 in France,

9.5 G-7
9.5.1 49th G7 Summit
Context: Recently, the Prime Minister attended
the 49th G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan.
Key Highlights of the 49th G-7 Summit:
• Vision of Nuclear Disarmament: Through
‘Hiroshima Vision on Nuclear Disarmament’,
G-7 countries expressed commitment to
achieving a world without nuclear weapons.
• Commitment to the Paris Agreement: G-7
nations pledged commitment to the Paris
Climate Agreement and reversing biodiversity
loss by 2030.
• Strengthening the Global Health
Architecture: G-7 countries made a strong
commitment to developing and strengthening
the global health architecture (GHA) with the
World Health Organisation (WHO) at its core
for future public health emergencies.
About G7:
• The Group of Seven is an informal group of
leading industrialised nations.
• It was founded as the G6 in 1975 and became
the G7 with the addition of Canada in 1976.
convened the original Group of Six to address
a recession caused by an Arab oil embargo.
• Membership: Canada, France, Germany, Italy,
Japan, the United Kingdom and the United
States.
• Russia officially became a member of the G7 in
1998 and was subsequently suspended in 2014
due to its annexation of Crimea.
• Non-member countries and international
organisations may be invited to participate in
G7 meetings alongside G7 members.
• G7 nations comprise 10% of global population,
31% of world GDP, and 21% of CO2 emissions.
• The G7 lacks a formal charter or secretariat; its
presidency rotates annually.
• "Sherpas," personal aides to state and
government heads, primarily prepare for the
summit, working closely to ensure a successful
G7 leaders' meeting.
More on News: Group of 77 (G77)
• The Group of 77 (G77) was established in
1964.
• It currently comprises 134 developing
nations.
• It represents the largest coalition of countries
and holds a rotating presidency.

36
 • India was the first nation to preside over the
G77 in New York.
• China is not officially a member of the G77.
9.5.2 Clean Energy Transition
Context: India is seen as the next candidate for a
JET Partnership after South Africa, Indonesia,
and Vietnam.
About Just Energy Transition Partnership
(JETP):
• JETP is an initiative of the G7 countries.
• It aims to assist major developing economies in
the transition from coal and achieve Paris
climate objectives, reduce power sector
emissions, decrease coal use, and expand
renewable energy.
9.6 Global Compact On Refugees
About Global Compact on Refugees:
• Global Compact on Refugees is a non-binding
international agreement launched by the New
York Declaration under the auspices of the
United Nations.
• It promotes equitable responsibility-sharing
for refugee situations, emphasizing the need
for international cooperation.
9.7 International Criminal Court
Context: Recently, the International Criminal
Court issued an arrest warrant against Vladimir
Putin over Ukraine's ‘war crimes.’
About the International Criminal Court (ICC):
• ICC is an inter-governmental organization and
tribunal headquartered in Hague, Netherlands.
• It is governed by an international treaty called
“The Rome Statute,” which grants ICC
jurisdiction over “Crimes of Genocide, Crimes
against Humanity, War Crimes, Crimes of
Aggression”.
• The ICC lacks Universal Territorial Jurisdiction
and can only investigate and prosecute crimes
within member states or crimes committed by
their nationals.
• It's NOT a UN organization but cooperates
with the UN.
• The UN Security Council can refer a situation
to the ICC to grant it jurisdiction when it's not
within the Court's mandate.
• The Court, lacking its own police force,
depends on State cooperation for the arrest
and surrender of suspects.
• There are 123 countries party to the Rome
Statute.
37
○ Countries that never signed the treaty:
India, China, Iraq, North Korea, Saudi
Arabia, etc.
Countries that signed but did not ratify the treaty:
Egypt, Iran, Israel, Russia, United States, etc.
9.8 Shanghai Cooperation
Organisation
Context: Recently, India hosted a conference on
‘Shared Buddhist Heritage’ under the ambit of
the
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
More on news:
• Iran became a full member of the Shanghai
Cooperation Organization at its 23rd Summit.
• The New Delhi Declaration was signed by
member nations which called for international
collaboration to counter terrorist, separatist,
and extremist activities.
About Shared Buddhist Heritage Conference:
• Nodal Agency: Ministry of Culture and
Ministry of External Affairs.
• It aims to re-establish transcultural ties and
discover shared elements among Buddhist
art, archaeological sites, and antiquities in
museums across SCO countries.
About Shanghai Cooperation Organization
(SCO):
• SCO is a permanent intergovernmental
organisation established in Shanghai (China)
by Kazakhstan, China, the Kyrgyz Republic,
the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, and
Uzbekistan.
• It was preceded by the Shanghai Five
mechanism.
• The SCO Charter was signed during the St.
Petersburg SCO Heads of State meeting in
2002 and entered into force in 2003.
• Official languages: Russian and Chinese.
• Member Countries: India, Kazakhstan, China,
Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Russia,
Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Iran.
• Observer States: Afghanistan, Belarus, and
Mongolia.
• Dialogue Partners: Azerbaijan, Armenia,
Cambodia, Nepal, Turkey, and Sri Lanka.
Objectives
• Mutual trust, Cooperation in politics, trade,
economy, research, technology and culture,
energy, transport, tourism, environmental
 protection, healthcare, peace, security, and
stability.
Structure of SCO:
• Heads of State Council: The supreme SCO
body which decides its internal functioning
and its interaction with other States &
international organisations.
• Heads of Government Council: Approves the
budget and addresses economic matters
within the SCO.
• Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs:
Considers issues related to day-to-day
activities.
• Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS):
Established to combat terrorism, separatism,
and extremism.
9.9 BIMSTEC
Context: The upcoming Bay of Bengal Initiative
for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic
Cooperation (BIMSTEC) summit will adopt the
Bangkok Vision 2030 later this year.
Background of BIMSTEC:
• Established in 1997 as BIST-EC with the
Bangkok Declaration, it had initial members
including Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and
Thailand.
• It became BIMST-EC (Bangladesh, India,
Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand Economic
Cooperation) with Myanmar's inclusion in late
1997. Nepal and Bhutan joined in 2004, leading
to its current name.
About BIMSTEC:
• BIMSTEC is a multilateral, regional
organisation fostering shared growth and
cooperation among Bay of Bengal countries.
• Secretariat: Dhaka, Bangladesh.
• BIMSTEC has seven members: five from South
Asia (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri
Lanka) and two from Southeast Asia
(Myanmar, Thailand).
About Bangkok Vision 2030:
• The Bangkok Vision 2030 aims to guide
BIMSTEC towards a prosperous, resilient,
and open region by 2030.
• The vision's goals align with the United
Nations' Sustainable Development Goals
and Thailand's bio-circular-green economic
model.
More on News: BIMSTEC Energy Centre
38
• Recently, India hosted the inaugural meeting
of the BIMSTEC Energy Centre (BEC)
Governing Board.:
• BIMSTEC Energy Centre (BEC) will be set up
at Central Power Research Institute (CPRI) in
Bengaluru.
9.10 World Trade Organisation
Context: Recently, Japan became the latest
country to join the Multi-Party Interim Appeal
Arbitration Arrangement (MPIA).
About Multi-Party Interim Appeal Arbitration
Arrangement (MPIA):
• MPIA, established in 2020, provides an
alternative method for settling WTO disputes.
• It is available to WTO members under Article
25 of the WTO Dispute Settlement
Understanding.
• Any WTO member, including India (which
has not joined yet), can become a member of
MPIA by notifying the Dispute Settlement
Body, consisting of representatives from all
WTO members.
• The WTO's dispute settlement process has
been affected since 2018 due to the USA's
refusal to appoint members to the Appellate
Body.
About Five Interested Parties (FIP):
• FIP is a group of countries that were chosen to
overcome the initial deadlocks at WTO.
• They are the USA, EU, Australia, Brazil, and
India.
About Investment Facilitation Agreement
(IFA):
● The IFA is a proposed WTO agreement to ease
foreign investment.
● It started in 2017 as the "Joint Initiative on
Investment Facilitation for Development" by
developing and least developed nations.
● Supported by 100+ countries (excluding
India), the IFA aims to establish binding rules
for promoting investment.
About Agreement on Government Procurement
(GPA):
• The GPA is a binding plurilateral agreement
within the WTO framework.
• It aims to open government procurement
markets among its parties.
• It has 21 parties (including the European
Union and its 27 member states as one party).
• India is not a member of the GPA but is one of
its observers.
9.11 BRICS
Context: Recently, during the 15th BRICS
Summit, leaders agreed to expand the group by
admitting new members.
More on News.
• Theme: “BRICS and Africa: Partnership for
mutually accelerated growth, sustainable
development and inclusive multilateralism”.
• Johannesburg Declaration II: Focuses on
inclusive multilateralism, peaceful
development, sustainable growth, etc.
• Argentina, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia,
Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates are to be
included as new members in BRICS grouping.
• However, Argentina withdrew its plans to join
BRICS.
About BRICS:
• BRICS began in 2001 as BRIC (Brazil, Russia,
India, China), an acronym coined by Goldman
Sachs, with South Africa joining in 2010.
• The first BRIC summit was held in
Yekaterinburg (Russia) in 2009.
• Inclusion of South Africa was done at the BRIC
Foreign Ministers’ meeting in New York in
2010.
39
BRICS Initiatives:
• New Development Bank or BRICS bank- It is
a multilateral development bank established
by BRICS during the Summit held in Fortaleza
in 2014.
○ The NDB inaugurated its Indian Regional
Office (IRO) in Gujarat International
Finance TecCity (GIFT City) to address
infrastructure and sustainable
development needs in India and
Bangladesh.
• Contingent Reserve Arrangement- It's a
framework for providing liquidity support in
response to short-term balance of payments
pressures.
• A BRICS payment system as an alternative to
the SWIFT payment system.
9.12 Asian Development Bank
About Asian Development Bank (ADB):
• It is a multilateral development bank that
assists members, and partners, by providing
loans, technical assistance, to promote socio-
economic development.
• Since its establishment in 1966 with 31
members, the Asian Development Bank has
expanded to 68 members, including 49 from
Asia and the Pacific and 19 from outside the
region.
• India joined as a member in 1966.
• Manila, Philippines
• Key Reports:
○ Asian Development Outlook
○ Asian Economic Integration Report
○ Key Indicators for Asia and the Pacific.
More on News:
About Innovative Finance Facility for Climate
in Asia and the Pacific (IF-CAP):
• Recently, Asian Development Bank launched
the Innovative Finance Facility for Climate in
Asia and the Pacific (IF-CAP).
• IF-CAP is a multi-donor financing
partnership aiming to increase climate change
action funding in Asia and the Pacific.
• Its initial including partners include Denmark,
Japan, Republic of Korea, Sweden, the United
Kingdom, and the United States.
9.12.1 Country Partnership Strategy About the International Maritime
Context: Recently, the Asian Development Bank Organization (IMO):
(ADB) introduced a new country partnership
• The IMO, a UN-specialized agency, sets
strategy (CPS) for India.
global standards for the safety, security, and
About Country Partnership Strategy: environmental performance of international
• The Country Partnership Strategy is ADB's key shipping.
platform for country-level development • Established in 1948 as the Inter-
operations. Governmental Maritime Consultative
• The CPS 2023-2027 will support ADB's Organisation (IMCO), it became a UN-
Strategy 2030's seven priorities. specialized agency in 1959 and was renamed
• Under Strategy 2030, ADB strives for a the International Maritime Organisation
prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable (IMO) in 1982.
Asia and the Pacific while continuing efforts to • Membership: 174 Member States.
eliminate extreme poverty. Headquarters: London.
• Cost-sharing arrangements for the CPS period
involve ADB and domestic cost-sharing at a 9.14.2 Chicago Convention
ratio of 70:30 for the loan portfolio. Context: India recently approved the ratification
of three Chicago Convention amendment
9.13 World Health Organization protocols.
Context: Completion of 75 Years of WHO. Ratified Protocols:
● Protocol to insert Article 3: Prohibits the use of
About World Health Organisation (WHO):
weapons against Civil Aircraft in flight.
• WHO is a UN Specialised agency responsible
● Protocol to amend Article 50 (a): Increases the
for global public health, comprising 194
ICAO's Council's strength from 36 to 40.
member states and headquartered in Geneva,
Switzerland with six regional offices. ● Protocol to amend Article 56: Raises the Air
Navigation Commission's strength from 18 to
• A state becomes a full WHO member by
21.
ratifying the WHO Constitution treaty.
• The World Health Assembly (WHA) is the About International Civil Aviation
legislative and supreme decision-making Organization- ICAO
body of WHO, consisting of health ministers • In 1947, the Chicago Convention established
from member states. the International Civil Aviation
• The WHA selects the WHO Director-General Organization (ICAO), a specialised UN
(currently Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus agency.
from Ethiopia). • Its purpose is to coordinate principles and
• WHO is financed by contributions from techniques for international air transport.
member states and outside donors. • Membership: 193 Members (India).
• India joined the WHO Constitution in 1948. • Headquarters: Montreal, Canada
• ICAO collaborates with the UN Economic
9.14 Short News and Social Council.
• It follows a structured "Amendment Process"
9.14.1 International Code for Safety of to develop international aviation Standards
Ships and Recommended Practices (SARPs) and
Context: The International Maritime Organization Procedures for Air Navigation Services
has adopted a mandatory International Code for (PANS).
Safety of Ships carrying Industrial Personnel. • ICAO is not an international aviation
About International Code for Safety of Ships: regulator.
• The Code will take effect on July 1, 2024, 9.14.3 International Organization of
allowing cargo ships and high-speed cargo
Migration (IOM)
craft to transport and house offshore industrial
Context: Amy Pope from the U.S. has been elected
personnel.
as the first female Director General of the
International Organization for Migration (IOM).
About IOM:

40
• Founded in 1951, IOM is the principal
intergovernmental migration organisation,
advocating for migration that is humane and
beneficial to both migrants and society.
• It adheres to the principles of the UN Charter,
including the upholding of human rights for
all.
● Report: World Migration Report is published
annually.
● Members: It has 175 member states. India is a
member of IOM.
9.14.4 Universal Postal Union
Context: Recently, the Cabinet approved the
establishment of a regional office of the UPU in
New Delhi.
About Universal Postal Union:
• Founded in 1874, the UPU is the world's
second oldest international organisation,
headquartered in Berne, Switzerland, with 192
member countries, including India.
• It is the primary forum for cooperation
between postal entities and it sets
Doing Business Project
• It focuses on the perspective of specific
individual firms only.
• Some parameters rely on statutory laws and
regulations (de jure info), while others depend
on practical implementation (de facto info).
• The data and calculation process were largely
opaque.
• It only included the major business city in an
economy.
41
international mail exchange rules and
recommends ways to boost mail, parcel, and
financial service volumes.
9.14.5 Business Ready Project
Context: Recently, World Bank Group launched
the Business Ready (B-Ready) Project.
About Business Ready Project:
• "Business Ready" represents a balanced and
transparent approach to assess a country's
business and investment climate, preparing it
for a dynamic private sector.
• The assessment will cover ten areas
throughout a firm's life cycle: business entry,
location, utility services, labor, financial
services, international trade, taxation, dispute
resolution, market competition, and business
insolvency.
• The World Bank discontinued the Doing
Business report in 2021 due to a probe
revealing alterations in rankings for China,
Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Azerbaijan.
Business Ready Project
• It focuses on the overall state of private sector
development.
• Aims to gather both statutory (de jure)
information and practical (de facto)
measurements for all parameters.
• It aims to publish all collected data and
calculation methods for transparency.
• No limitations, expected to include a broad
range of cities in an economy.
 10
Initiatives & Agreements
comprehensive legal framework for the
10.1 NEW START Treaty governance and use of the world's oceans.
• Officially known as the treaty on “Biodiversity
Context: Due to the Ukraine conflict, Russia is Beyond National Jurisdiction” (BBNJ).
suspending its involvement in the New START • It encompasses the high seas which extends
treaty. beyond exclusive economic zones or national
About NEW START Treaty: waters.
● START stands for "Strategic Arms Reduction • It was negotiated under UNCLOS of 1982
Treaty." which governs the rights of countries
● Originally known as START-I, it was signed regarding marine resources.
between the U.S. and the USSR in 1991, • It aims to prevent species extinctions caused
becoming effective in 1994. by overfishing, oil extraction, deep-sea
● The NEW START Treaty was created to mining, and other impactful activities on the
replace the original START Treaty, which high seas.
lapsed in 2009.
Key Provisions:
• Deployment of Strategic Nuclear Warheads:
The Treaty limits the USA and Russia to 1,550
strategic nuclear warheads and 700 long-
range missiles and bombers combined.
• On-Site Inspections: It permits 18 short-notice
(32 hours) on-site inspections of strategic
nuclear sites annually to verify compliance
with the limits.
• Updation of Stockpile: It requires both parties
to provide notifications within five days of
any changes or updates to their stockpile.
• Key Features
10.2 The High Seas Treaty ○ It mandates environmental impact studies
for activities in international waters.
Context: Recently, the world’s first international ○ The treaty sets principles for sharing
treaty to protect the high seas was adopted by the benefits from scientific research on
United Nations. international waters' marine genetic
About High Seas Treaty: resources (MGR).
• The High Seas Treaty is a legally binding
international agreement that provides a

42
 About “The High Seas”:
• The 1958 Geneva Convention defines high seas as the parts of the ocean beyond a country's
Exclusive Economic Zone.
• High Seas continues beyond the Exclusive Economic Zone, which extends up to 200 nautical miles
from the coast and no country is responsible for managing or protecting its resources.
About Exclusive Economic Zones:
• EEZs define a coastal nation's jurisdiction over oceanic resources, both living and non-living, within
a certain distance.
• It extends to 200 nautical miles beyond a nation's territorial sea.
About UNCLOS:
• The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, adopted in 1982, is commonly referred to
as 'Law of the Sea.'
• The convention establishes global rules for ocean use and resource management, serving as a
framework for developing specific areas of maritime law.
• UNCLOS defines countries' ocean rights and duties, sovereignty claims, and marine resource
legality.
• It outlines general rules for various ocean activities like navigation, scientific research, and deep-
sea mining.

2004 and is managed by the United Nations

10.3 India, Brazil, and South Africa - (UN) Office for South-South Cooperation
IBSA (UNOSSC).

About IBSA: 10.4 Vienna Convention

• IBSA is a unique forum uniting India, Brazil,
and South Africa, the three major economies
and democracies from different continents.
• It was named IBSA Dialogue Forum in 2003
through the Brasilia Declaration.
• IBSA neither has headquarters nor a
permanent executive secretariat.
• IBSAMAR (IBSA Maritime Exercise) is part of
IBSA trilateral defense cooperation.
• The IBSA Facility for Poverty and Hunger
Alleviation (IBSA Fund) was established in
About Vienna Convention:
• The term "Vienna Convention" typically
denotes various treaties signed in Vienna that
relate to harmonizing and formalizing
international diplomatic procedures.
• The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic
Relations, 1961, establishes a comprehensive
framework for the establishment, maintenance,
and termination of diplomatic relations
between independent sovereign states,

43
 according to the UN's Audiovisual Library of
International Law.
• The Convention codifies “Diplomatic
Immunity”, safeguarding diplomats'
functions from coercion or harassment by the
host country.
• It affirms the concept of “inviolability” of a
diplomatic mission.
• It came into force in 1964 and is universally
ratified, with Palau and South Sudan being
exceptions.
• Article 22 of the Vienna Convention deals
with obligation with regard to the premises of
the diplomatic mission.
○ Article 22 (2): “Concept of Inviolability”
states that the receiving state is obligated to
safeguard the mission's premises, prevent
intrusion or damage, and uphold the
mission's peace and dignity.
10.5 Doha Political Declaration
Context: Recently, the Doha Political Declaration
was adopted at the 5th UN Conference on the
Least Developed Countries (LDC).
About Doha Political Declaration:
• The Doha Political Declaration is a key
outcome of the 2nd LDC5 conference held
under the theme "From Potential to Prosperity"
in Qatar.
• It welcomed the Doha Programme of Action
(DPoA).
• The Doha Programme of Action (DPoA) is a 10-
year plan to help the 46 most vulnerable
nations achieve the UN's Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs).
About Least Developed Countries:
• They are low-income countries and are
highly vulnerable to economic and
environmental shocks.
• The list of LDCs, currently comprising 46
countries, undergoes a triennial review by the
UN's Committee for Development Policy
(CDP).
• The UN introduced the LDC Classification in
1971 to identify highly disadvantaged
countries in their development.
• Bhutan became the 7th Country to graduate
from the LDC list.
• To be eligible for graduation, a country must
surpass thresholds in two out of three criteria
for two consecutive triennial reviews.
44
10.6 OECD
About Organisation for Economic Cooperation
and Development (OECD):
• OECD originated in 1948, as the Organisation
for European Economic Co-operation (OEEC)
was renamed as the OECD in 1961 when the
USA and Canada joined to reflect a broader
membership.
• Most OECD members are high-income
economies with a very high Human
Development Index (HDI), they are also
democratic countries that support free-market
economies and are regarded as developed
countries.
• The Organization for Economic Co-operation
and Development is known as a statistical
agency, as it publishes comparable statistics
on a wide number of subjects.
• It is an official United Nations Observer.
• India is not a member of OECD.
• India became the 27th member of the
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development’s Development Centre.
• OECD Reports:
○ Organisation for Economic Co-operation
and Development Economic Outlook.
○ Organisation for Economic Co-operation
and Development Communication
Outlook.
○ Organisation for Economic Co-operation
and Development Internet Economy
Outlook.
• OECD Members:
○ 36 member countries along with emerging
countries like Mexico, Chile and Turkey.
○ The European Commission participates in
the work of the Organisation for Economic
Co-operation and Development alongside
the EU member states.
• OECD Specialised Bodies:
○ Africa Partnership Forum (APF)
○ Business and Industry Advisory
Committee (BIAC)
○ Development Assistance Committee (DEC)
○ OECD Development Centre
○ International Transport Forum (ITF)
○ International Energy Agency (IEA)
○ Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA)
○ Multilateral Organisation Performance
Assessment Network (MOPAN)
○ Partnership for Democratic Governance
(PDG)
○ Sahel and West Africa Club Trade Union
Advisory Committee (TUAC)
10.6.1 Inclusive Forum on Carbon
Mitigation Approaches (IFCMA)
Context: IFCMA, a new OECD forum, had its
inaugural meeting with India's participation
recently.
About IFCMA:
• IFCMA aims to boost global emission
reduction efforts by evaluating countries'
mitigation policies, estimating emissions, and
developing assessment methodologies.
10.7 International Financial
Architecture
Context: Recently, IMF urged G20 nations to
strengthen the International Financial
Architecture (IFA).
About International Financial Infrastructure:
• IFA stands for 'collective international
governance for safeguarding the global
monetary and financial systems.'
• It includes- Lender Countries and Groups such
as G7, G20; IMF, World Bank, WTO, BIS, OECD
etc
• IFA's objective is to foster economic growth
with financial stability by reducing the
likelihood and impact of crises and preventing
global economic contagion.
The current IFA evolved from various phases,
beginning with the introduction of the Gold
Standard in the 1870s.
Terms in News:
• Petrodollars: US dollars earned by Oil-
Exporting Countries for Crude Oil sales.
• Eurodollars: US dollar deposits held in
foreign commercial banks outside the USA.
10.8 International Civil Aviation
Organisation (ICAO)
Context: India’s proposal to join ICAOs Carbon
Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for
International Aviation (CORSIA) from 2027.
About International Civil Aviation
Organisation's (ICAO):
• It is a specialized agency of the United
Nations created in 1944.
• Objective: To promote safe, secure, and
efficient air transportation around the world.
• Headquarters: Montreal, Canada
45
About CORSIA:
• It is established by the ICAO to address the
growth in CO2 emissions from international
aviation.
• Objective: To keep net CO2 emissions at 2020
levels using carbon offsetting, credits, and
sustainable aviation fuel.
10.9 Third FIPIC Summit
Context: Recently, the 3rd India-Pacific Islands
Cooperation (FIPIC) Summit was held in Papua
New Guinea.
About Forum for India-Pacific Islands
Cooperation (FIPIC):
• FIPIC, a multinational group of India and 14
Pacific Island nations, was initiated during the
Prime-minister's visit to Fiji in 2014.
• Members: Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall
Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Samoa,
Solomon Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea,
Tonga,Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
Fiji’s Indenture System:
• In the 1880s, Indian indentured labourers
were brought to Fiji to work on sugarcane
plantations.
• Advocacy by C.F. Andrews, a close associate
of Mahatma Gandhi, eventually led to the
abolition of the indenture system in Fiji in
1915-17.
10.10 Mineral Security Partnership
(MSP)
Context: India has joined the Mineral Security
Partnership (MSP) to promote investment in
global critical mineral supply chains, both public
and private.
About Mineral Security Partnership (MSP):
• A global initiative, announced by the US and
key partner nations, aims to strengthen critical
mineral supply chains.
• The initiative primarily targets critical mineral
supply chains, including cobalt, nickel,
lithium, and 17 "rare earth" minerals.
• Member Countries: US, Australia, Canada,
Finland, France, Germany, Japan, the Republic
of Korea, Sweden, UK, the European
Commission, Italy, India.
 More on News:
About Critical Minerals:
• A critical mineral is a mineral resource that is essential to the economy, has high economic
vulnerability, and has high global supply chain risk.
• Individual Countries create their own lists of critical minerals based on industrial importance and
supply risk assessments.
• Major critical minerals include graphite, lithium, and cobalt. Others, like Rare Earth (RE) minerals
and metals such as lithium, gallium, tellurium, and indium, are also critical.
• Major critical mineral producers include China, Congo, Chile, Indonesia, South Africa, and
Australia. China holds global dominance in processing.
About Rare Earth (RE):
• Rare Earth (RE) comprises 17 elements which are classified as light RE elements (LREE) and heavy
RE elements (HREE).
○ Uses: computer hard drives, cellular telephones, flat-screen monitors and televisions, and electric
and hybrid vehicles.
• Some REEs are available in India — such as Lanthanum, Cerium, Neodymium, Praseodymium and
Samarium etc.
• Others such as Dysprosium, Terbium, and Europium, which are classified as HREEs, are not
available in Indian deposits in extractable quantities.

Supply Chain Agreement (Pillar II):

10.11 Indo-Pacific Economic
Framework for Prosperity (IPEF)
Context: Recently, India signed the Supply Chain
Resilience Agreement of the Indo-Pacific
Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) at a
meeting in San Francisco, US.
About Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for
Prosperity (IPEF)
• IPEF was launched in 2022 jointly by the USA
and other partner countries of the Indo-Pacific
region in Tokyo.
• Its objective is to enhance economic
engagement among partner nations, with the
aim of promoting growth, peace, and
prosperity in the region.
• Members: Australia, Brunei, Fiji, India,
Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia,
New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore,
Thailand, Vietnam, and the USA.
• Trade, Supply Chains, Clean Economy and
Fair Economy are the four pillars under IPEF.
Key Highlights of the Pillars:
Trade (Pillar I):
• Trade will consider emerging technology, the
digital economy, labour commitments,
environmental factors, trade facilitation,
transparent regulations, corporate
responsibility, and standards for cross-border
data flows and data localization.
• IPEF Supply Chain Resilience Agreement:
IPEF partners aim to enhance their collective
understanding of supply chain risks, improve
crisis response, and promote cooperation to
ensure national security and public safety in
critical sectors.
• Potential Benefits of the Agreement: It will
decrease the dependency on China and
mitigate risks of economic disruptions from
supply chain shocks.
• Other benefits: These include shifting
production centres in critical sectors, Supply
chain diversification, mobilisation of
investments, deeper integration of India in
global value chains, support to MSMEs, and
creation of a seamless regional trade
ecosystem.
• Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for
Prosperity Supply Chain Council: This
council will be established to oversee the
agreement, with annual meetings and
members reporting on its implementation
progress.
○ The block would also set up The Indo-
Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity
Supply Chain Crisis Response Network
and The IPEF Labour Rights Advisory
Board.

46
Clean Economy Agreement (Pillar III)):
• Climate Objectives and Net-Zero Emission
Economies: Pursuing shared climate objectives
and pathways to net-zero emission economies.
• Clean Economy Investor Forum: Annual
convening of the IPEF Clean Economy
Investor Forum, starting in Singapore in the
first half of 2024, to catalyze investment for
sustainable infrastructure and climate
technology.
• Catalytic Capital Fund: Establishment of the
IPEF Catalytic Capital Fund administered by
the Private Infrastructure Development Group
to expand the pipeline of bankable climate-
related infrastructure projects.
Fair Economy Agreement (Pillar IV):
• Extension of Good Governance: Enhancing
transparency, rule of law, and accountability in
their economies to improve the trade and
investment environment in the Indo-Pacific
region.
• Capacity Building Framework (CBF): Establish
a new Capacity Building Framework (CBF) to
enhance each other's capabilities to effectively
implement all aspects of the proposed
agreement.
• Annual Coordination Meetings: The IPEF
partners would also hold annual coordination
meetings to discuss the implementation of
commitments, challenges in implementation,
and any technical assistance needs.
10.12 World Food Programme
Context: Recently, India and WFP signed an
MOU for sending 10,000 metric tonnes of wheat to
Afghanistan.
About World Food Programme:
• The World Food Programme is an international
organisation within the United Nations that
provides food assistance worldwide.
• It was founded by the Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO) and United Nations
General Assembly (UNGA) in 1961 and
headquartered in Rome, Italy.
• It provides food assistance to people during
emergencies, such as natural disasters, conflicts,
and other crises.
• Report: Global Report on Food Crisis.
10.13 Headquarters Agreement
Context: Recently, Union Cabinet gave its
approval for ratification of the Headquarters
Agreement (HQA) between Government of India
(Gol) and Coalition for Disaster Resilient
Infrastructure (CDRI).
47
About the Headquarters Agreement:
• It will grant CDRI an independent,
international legal status for more efficient
global functioning.
• Headquarters Agreement will facilitate grant
of exemptions, immunities and privileges as
contemplated under Section- 3 of the United
Nations (Privileges & Immunities) Act, 1947.
• The headquarters agreement basically gives
CDRI a recognition of a global organisation
due to which it will help in increasing the
international work of CDRI.
More on News:
Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure
(CDRI):
• CDRI is a global partnership of national
governments, UN agencies and programmes,
multilateral development banks and financing
mechanisms, the private sector, academic and
knowledge institutions.
• It was launched by India during the United
Nations Climate Action Summit in 2019, at
New York.
• It aims to promote the resilience of
infrastructure systems to climate and disaster
risks, thereby ensuring sustainable
development.
• Since its launch, 31 Countries, 6 International
Organizations and 2 private sector
organisations have become members of CDRI.
10.14 International Fund of
Agricultural Development
Context: IFAD and Japan launched the Enhanced
Linkages between Private Sector and Small-scale
Producers initiative (ELPS).
About International Fund of Agricultural
Development (IFAD):
• IFAD, established in 1977, is a UN-specialized
agency and international financial institution.
• It aims to transform rural economies and food
systems to be more inclusive, productive,
resilient, and sustainable.
● It has 177 members, and its membership is
open to any state that is a member of the
United Nations, any of its specialized
agencies, or the International Atomic Energy
Agency.
• India is also a member of IFAD.
• It is funded through voluntary contributions
from member states.
• It is led by a President with a four-year term.
• It partners with UN agencies FAO and WFP,
providing support to the Committee on World
Food Security (CFS), established in 1974 for
food security and nutrition.
10.15 Clean Energy Ministerial
Context:Recently, India hosted the 4th Clean
Energy Ministerial and 8th Mission Innovation
meeting.
About Clean Energy Ministerial:
• CEM is a global forum promoting policies and
programs for clean energy technology,
fostering the transition to a clean energy
economy.
• Membership: 29 members including India.
• CEM's activities, coordinated by an
Independent Secretariat at the International
Energy Agency in Paris, operate under three
main pillars: CEM Ministerial, CEM Work
Programme, and CEM Secretariat.
About Mission Innovation:
• It is a global initiative that aims to make clean
energy affordable, attractive, and accessible,
with its first phase launched alongside the
Paris Agreement in 2015.
• The initiative comprises 23 countries plus the
EU, with India as a founding member.
10.16 Group of Global Crisis Response
Group (GCRG)
Context:Recently, India joined the United
Nation's Group of Global Crisis Response
Group (GCRG).
About Group of Global Crisis Response Group
(GCRG):
• Established in 2022 by the UN Secretary-
General, the GCRG addresses critical global
issues in food security, energy, and finance,
coordinating international responses to these
interlinked crises.
• The Champions Group, consisting of the
Heads of State or Government from
Bangladesh, Barbados, Denmark, Germany,
Indonesia, and Senegal, oversees it.
• It will assist decision-makers in mobilizing
solutions and strategizing support for
vulnerable countries.
10.17 World Coffee Conference
Context: Recently, the 5th World Coffee
Conference was held in Bengaluru.
48
More on news:
• World Coffee Conference is organized by the
International Coffee Organization (ICO).
• It is being held for the first time in an Asian
Coffee producing country.
About International Coffee Organization:
• Established in 1963, under the United Nations,
it is the only intergovernmental organization
for coffee in the world.
• Headquartered in London.
• It administers the International Coffee
Agreement (ICA), fostering development
cooperation and enhancing the global coffee
value chain's sustainability.
• Membership: 43 Exporting Members
(including India) and 6 importing nations.
10.18 Asia Pacific Economic
Cooperation (APEC) Forum
Context: Recently, the APEC meeting was held in
San Francisco, United States.
About Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
(APEC):
• It is a regional economic forum that was
established in 1989.
• It aims to “leverage the growing
interdependence of the Asia-Pacific and create
greater prosperity for the region's people
through regional economic integration.”
• It operates based on non-binding commitments
with decisions reached by consensus and
commitments undertaken voluntarily.
• India is not a member.
• The 21 members of APEC are termed
“economies” (rather than countries or member
states) because trade and economic issues are
the focus of the grouping.
10.19 Trade Agreements
About Free Trade Agreement (FTA):
Types of Trade Agreements:
1. Free Trade Agreement:
● A FTA is a treaty between two or more
countries that aims to eliminate trade
tariffs.
● These agreements are developed between
countries as per international trade laws.
● They help to create an open yet competitive
international marketplace by reducing the
barriers to imports and exports between
countries.
2. Preferential Trade Agreement:
● When two or more partners allow
preferential entry of certain products, it is a
preferential trade agreement.
● In such agreements, the partners generally
lift any duties on such products. It is crucial
to note that all interested parties must agree
to preferential access.
3. Comprehensive Economic Partnership
Agreement:
● It deals with the regulatory aspects of trade
and has many inclusions concerning trade
negotiations.
● It also includes trade negotiations on
investment, service provisioning, and
other areas of potential economic
partnership. India maintains CEPA with
Japan and South Korea.
4. Framework Agreement:
● This form of agreement lays the framework
and scope of potential agreements between
partner nations. This provides scope for
future liberalisation.
5. Rules of origin:
● These are the criteria needed to determine
the national source of a product.
● Their importance is derived from the fact
that duties and restrictions in several
cases depend on the source of imports.
49
Rules of origin (ROO) are used:
• To implement measures and instruments of
commercial policy such as anti-dumping
duties and safeguard measures.
• To determine whether imported products shall
receive most-favoured-nation (MFN)
treatment or preferential treatment.
• For the purpose of trade statistics.
• For the application of labelling and marking
requirements.
• For government procurement.
• Provision of RO in GATT:
○ Lack of specialized rules: GATT has no
specific rules governing the determination
of the country of origin of goods in
international commerce.
○ Each contracting party is free to determine
its own origin rules, and could even
maintain several different rules of origin
depending on the purpose of the particular
regulation.
6. Most-Favoured-Nation (MFN):
● The MFN principle obliges WTO member
countries to provide the same favourable
tariff and regulatory treatment to "like
products" from all other members during
import or export.
 11
Security Matters at a Glance

11.1 FATF
Context: Recently, FATF suspended Russia's
membership over the Ukraine War.
About Financial Action Task Force (FATF):
• FATF is the global money laundering and
terrorist financing watchdog.
• Set up in 1989 out of a G-7 meeting in Paris.
• FATF Plenary is the decision-making body
which meets three times per year.
• Members: It is a 39-member body that
represents major financial centers and also
features the European Union and the Gulf
Cooperation Council.
• India joined with “Observer” status in 2006
and became a full member in 2010.
FATF’s “Grey List and Blacklist”:
• Black List: Countries known as Non-
Cooperative Countries or Territories (NCCTs)
are put on the blacklist, as they are involved in
Terror Funding and Money Laundering
activities.
• Grey List: Countries that are considered safe
haven for supporting terror funding and
money laundering are put in the FATF grey
list. This inclusion serves as a warning to the
country that it may enter the blacklist.
11.2 Operation Inteflex
About Operation Interflex:
• Operation Interflex, a component of the UK's
£2.3 billion military aid commitment to
Ukraine, involves training Ukraine's military
alongside countries like Canada, New
Zealand, Australia, Norway, Denmark,
Finland, Sweden, Lithuania, and the
Netherlands.
11.3 Stockholm International Peace
Research Institute (SIPRI)
Context: According to SIPRI, China's nuclear
arsenal grew from 350 warheads in 2022 to 410 in
2023 and is projected to continue expanding.
Key findings in SIPRI Yearbook 2023:
• India's Nuclear Triad completed with two
ballistic missile nuclear submarines.
○ Ballistic missile upgrades involve a
submarine-launched intermediate-range
missile and the forthcoming 'Agni Prime'
with a 1,000 km-2,000 km range.
• Deployed Nuclear Warheads: USA > Russia >
France > UK.
• Total Inventory of Warheads: Russia > USA >
China.
About SIPRI:
• Established in 1966, SIPRI in Stockholm,
Sweden, offers data, analysis, and
recommendations from open sources to
policymakers, researchers, media, and the
public.
• It is an independent international institute
focused on conflict, armaments, arms control,
and disarmament research.
11.4 Combined Maritime Forces (CMF)
Context: Recently, USA withdrew its participation
from CMF.
About Combined Maritime Forces:
• Headquartered in Bahrain, the CMF is a
multinational maritime partnership, including
India, focusing on counter-narcotics, counter-
smuggling, piracy suppression, and training.
• It responds to environmental and humanitarian
incidents and includes task forces for maritime
security operations both outside and inside the
Arabian Gulf and in the Red Sea.
● It is commanded by a US Navy Vice Admiral.

50
11.5 NAFIS
Context: Recently, MHA instructed central law
enforcement agencies to access and share their
records with the national fingerprint database,
NAFIS.
About National Automated Fingerprint
Identification System (NAFIS):
• NAFIS is a web-based central repository for
criminal fingerprint data collected from
Indian states and Union territories.
• It aims to improve the ability of agencies to
identify criminals and expedite
investigations by utilising the extensive
fingerprint data in the database.
• Conceptualised by NCRB and is managed by
the Central Fingerprint Bureau at NCRB.
• It assigns a unique 10-digit National
Fingerprint Number (NFN) to each person
arrested for a crime.
• The NFN is a lifelong identifier, linking
different crimes registered under various FIRs
to the same NFN in the Crime and Criminal
Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS)
database.
National Crime Records Bureau (NRCB)
• Established in 1986 and headquartered in
Delhi, is a government agency responsible
for collecting and analysing crime data based
on the Indian Penal Code and Special and
Local Laws.
• It operates under the Ministry of Home
Affairs.
11.6 Nuclear Liability Issue
Context: India-France talks on six Jaitapur
nuclear reactors in Maharashtra stall over nuclear
liability issues.
About Nuclear Liability:
• Nuclear liability refers to the legal
responsibility of operators of nuclear facilities
for any damage or harm caused to third parties
or the environment as a result of a nuclear
accident.
• The liability of the operator may include
compensation for damages, including
property damage, personal injury, and
environmental damage.
About Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act
2010:
• The law was enacted to ensure swift, no-fault
liability compensation for victims of nuclear
incidents and ensure compliance with the
51
Convention on Supplementary Compensation
for Nuclear Damage.
• The objective of the Convention on
Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear
Damage 1997 (CSC) is to create a global
liability framework and boost compensation
for nuclear accident victims.
• India became a state party to the CSC by
ratifying it in 2016.
11.7 Cyber Security Initiatives
Cyber Security Initiatives in News:
• Budapest Convention on Cybercrime (2001): It
harmonises national laws, improves
investigative techniques, and enhances
cooperation among nations to address
cybercrime.
○ India is not a signatory to this convention.
• Global Centre for Cyber Security: It is an
initiative of the World Economic Forum that
aims to establish the first global platform for
governments, businesses, experts and law
enforcement agencies to collaborate on cyber
security challenges.
• Paris Call: At the UNESCO Internet
Governance Forum (IGF) meeting convened in
Paris, “The Paris Call for Trust and Security in
Cyberspace” was commenced, aimed at
developing common principles for securing
cyberspace.
11.8 Unlawful Activities (Prevention)
Act 1967
Context: Recently, the Unlawful Activities
(Prevention) Act (UAPA) has been invoked
against the news portal “NewsClick”.
About UAPA:
• The UAPA, enacted in 1967, is an anti-terrorism
law designed to prevent and address activities
that threaten the sovereignty and integrity of
India.
• Unlawful Activity refers to any action taken by
an individual or association intended to
disrupt the territorial integrity and
sovereignty in India.
• This Act extends to the whole of India and the
provisions of this Act apply to:
○ Citizens of India outside India.
○ Persons in the service of the Government,
wherever they may be.
○ Persons on ships and aircrafts, registered in
India, wherever they may be.
• Following Amendments were made in the
Act:
○ The UAPA now broadens the "terrorist act"
definition to cover offenses jeopardizing
economic security. Also, the government
can designate an individual as a "terrorist"
and add their name to Schedule IV
without due process.
● The central government has recently established
the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal
Court under powers conferred by section 5 of
the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act,
1967.
11.9 PMLA
Context: The Supreme Court ruled that under the
Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), a
person cannot face criminal conspiracy charges
unless the conspiracy pertains to a crime explicitly
listed in the Act's Schedule.
About PMLA 2002:
• It is a criminal law enacted to prevent money
laundering and to provide for confiscation of
property derived from, or involved in, money
laundering and for matters connected
therewith or incidental thereto.
• The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has been
given the responsibility to enforce the
provisions of the PMLA by investigating to
trace the assets derived from proceeds of crime,
to attach the property provisionally and to
ensure prosecution of the offenders and
confiscation of the property by the Special
court.
List of Offences
• Under PMLA, the commission of any offense
(mentioned in Part A and Part C of the
Schedule of PMLA) will attract the provisions
of PMLA.
• Part A: It enlists offenses under various acts
such as the Indian Penal Code, Narcotics
Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act,
Prevention of Corruption Act, Antiquities
and Art Treasures Act, Copyright Act,
Trademark Act, Wildlife Protection Act, and
Information Technology Act.
• Part C: It deals with trans-border crimes and
reflects the dedication to tackling money
laundering across global boundaries.
11.10 Inter-Services Organisation Bill
Context: Recently, the Inter-Services Organisation
(Command, Control & Discipline) Bill, 2023 was
passed.
52
Highlights of the Bill:
• It seeks to grant commanders and officers of
Inter - Services Organisations (ISOs)
disciplinary and administrative authority
over personnel from different forces within
these establishments.
• Currently, armed forces personnel are
governed in accordance with the provisions
contained in their specific Service Acts – Army
Act 1950, Navy Act 1957 and Air Force Act
1950.
• It enables the Commander-in-Chief or Officer-
in-Command of an ISO to command and
control personnel, ensuring discipline and the
proper discharge of duties.
• The Superintendence of an ISO will be vested
in the Central Government, the government
will issue directions on grounds of national
security, general administration, or public
interest.
11.11 INTERPOL
About INTERPOL:
• The International Criminal Police Organisation
is an intergovernmental organisation with 195
member countries.
• Its goal is to help police in all member countries
work together to make the world a safer place.
• It enables members to share and access data on
crimes and criminals and offers a range of
technical and operational support.
• India joined Interpol in 1949.
Notices by Interpol:
• Red Notice (Wanted Persons): A Red Notice
is a request to law enforcement worldwide
to locate and provisionally arrest a person
pending extradition, surrender, or similar
legal action.
• Yellow: Missing persons
• Blue: Additional information
• Black Notice: Unidentified bodies
• Green Notice: Warnings and intelligence
• Orange notice: Imminent threat
• Purple Notice: Modus operandi
11.12 United Nations Convention
against Transnational Organised
Crimes (UNTOC)
Context: Recently, a conference was held in
Palermo, Italy, to mark the 20th anniversary of the
United Nations Convention against Transnational
Organised Crimes (UNTOC).
About UNTOC:
• UNTOC is a global legally binding instrument
adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2000
and enforced in 2003.
• It's the first comprehensive treaty to combat
transnational organized crime, including
human trafficking, migrant smuggling, and
illicit firearms trafficking.
• Currently, 191 parties, including India (joined
in 2002 and ratified in 2011), are part of the
Convention.
• The Central Bureau of Investigation serves as
India's national Nodal Authority.
• India also enacted the Criminal Law
Amendment Act in 2013, specifically defining
human trafficking.
11.13 Project Dantak and Project
Beacon
Context: Recently, the Prime Minister
highlighted the Project Dantak by the Border
Roads Organisation.
About Project Dantak:
53
● Project Dantak, established in 1961, is an
infrastructure development project undertaken
by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) of
India.
About Project Beacon:
• Project Beacon, led by the BRO, manages
critical road infrastructure development and
maintenance in key Kashmir areas
Border Roads Organisation (BRO):
● The BRO was established in 1960 to strengthen
India's borders and build infrastructure in its
northern and northeastern regions.
● The organization operates in twenty-one
states, one UT (Andaman and Nicobar
Islands), and abroad in Afghanistan, Bhutan,
Myanmar, and Sri Lanka.
11.14 Global Terrorism Index 2023
• The Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP)
published the tenth Global Terrorism Index
(GTI) report.
 12
Other Notable News
12.1 Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD)
Context: Recently, the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya
Divas Convention was organised in Indore.
About 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas:
• Theme: "Diaspora: Reliable partners for
India’s progress in Amrit Kaal.”
• A commemorative Postal Stamp, 'Surakshit
Jaayen, Prashikshit Jaayen,' was released to
highlight safe, legal, orderly, and skilled
migration.
• India and the U.K. launched the Young
Professionals Scheme as part of Pravasi
Bharatiya Divas.
About Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD):
• 9th January is a celebratory day since 2003.
• It commemorates the return of Mahatma
Gandhi from South Africa on 9 January 1915.
• Organized by Ministry of External Affairs in
collab with the Confederation of Indian
Industry.
• Since 2015, PBD Convention has been
organized once every 2 years.
• It honors the overseas Indian community's
contribution to India's growth and provides a
platform for them to engage with India's
government and people.
Young Professionals Scheme:
● Originated from a 2021 Migration and
Mobility MoU.
● It allows 3,000 degree-holders aged 18-30 to
work in each other's countries for two years.
● Under Ministry of External Affairs.
12.2 Migration and Mobility
Agreement
Context: India to sign a "Comprehensive
Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement"
(MMPA) with Austria.
About Migration and Mobility Agreement:
• The agreement aims to combat illegal
migration and regulate multiple entry visas
for professional and student exchanges,
involving a review by a Joint Working Group.
• It facilitates mobility and employment
opportunities for fostering the exchange of
skills and talents.
54
12.3 India’s All Women Contingent
Context: India is deploying an all-women
contingent to Sudan's Abyei for UN
peacekeeping missions for a UN mission.
About U.N. Peacekeeping Mission:
• UN Peacekeeping is a global UN initiative for
worldwide peace and security.
• The UN Security Council decides on
peacekeeping missions, while the UN
Secretariat develops and executes mission
strategies.
• It helps countries move from conflict to peace,
starting in 1948 with military observers in West
Asia monitoring the Israel-Arab Armistice
Agreement.
• In 2007, India became the first country to
deploy an all-women contingent to a UN
peacekeeping mission.
About Principles of UN’s Peacekeeping
Missions:
• Consent of the Parties
• Impartiality
• Non-use of Force except in self-defense
and defense mandate.
About Abyei Region:
• Abyei Area is on the border between South
Sudan-Sudan which has been accorded
"Special Administrative Status" by the Abyei
Protocol of 2004 in the Comprehensive Peace
Agreement (CPA) that ended the Second
Sudanese Civil war.
 More on News:
About All-Women Contingent:
● It provides aid to women and children in highly operational and challenging terrains under the UN
flag.
About Principles of UN’s Peacekeeping Missions:
• Consent of the Parties
• Impartiality
• Non-use of Force except in self-defense and defense mandate.
About Blue Helmets:
• Blue Helmets are U.N. military personnel promoting stability and peace, known for their iconic blue
helmets.
• They are members of their national armies but operate under U.N. command.
About UNISFA:
• UNISFA (UN Interim Security Force for Abyei) was formed by the UNSC in 2011 to address the crisis
in Sudan's Abyei Area.
About Armistice Agreements 1949:
• Signed between Israel and Arab States: Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria.
• Iraq didn't conclude the agreement as it didn't have a common border with Israel.
• This agreement put an end to the Arab-Israel War of 1948.
• It terminated open hostilities, set out demarcation lines, and enabled the exchange of prisoners of war.
• First Port Call: Refers to the first port that the
12.4 First Port Call in India ship stops at on its voyage.

Context: The Royal Navy's 'HMS Tamar patrol
vessel, permanently deployed in the Indo-Pacific,
made its inaugural port call in India.
Related Developments:
• India and U.K. have signed a White Shipping
agreement which enables information sharing
across the whole of the IOR.
• In 2021, the U.K. posted its first liaison officer
at the Indian Navy’s Information Fusion
Centre for Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) in
Gurugram for better maritime awareness.
• More on News:
Operations
12.5 Disaster Relief Diplomacy
• Under Operation Dost, India has provided life-
saving Humanitarian Medical Assistance to
quake-hit Turkey and Syria.
• Operations Castor and Rainbow were initiated
in 2004 to aid the tsunami-affected Maldives
and Sri Lanka.
• Under the Vaccine Maitri initiative, India
provided COVID-19 vaccines to approximately
94 countries.
Factors Prompting Evacuation

Operation Ajay 2023 Israel-Hamas Conflict

Operation Kaveri 2023 Sudan Conflict

Operation Dost 2023 Turkey-Syria Earthquake

Operations Karuna 2023 Cyclone hit Myanmar

Operation Ganga 2022 Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Vande Bharat 2020 Covid-19 Pandemic

Operation Samudra Setu 2020 Covid-19 Pandemic

Evacuation from Brussels 2016 Terrorist Strikes

Operation Raahat 2015 Yemen Conflict

55
 Operation Maitri 2015
Operation Safe Homecoming 2011
Operation Sukoon 2006
1990 Kuwait Airlift 1990
12.6 8th Raisina Dialogue
Context: Italian PM Giorgia Meloni was the chief
guest at the 8th Raisina Dialogue.
About Raisina Dialogue:
• It is India’s premier conference on geopolitics
and geoeconomics.
• Theme of 8th Dialogue: "Provocation,
Uncertainty, Turbulence: Lighthouse in the
Tempest.”
• The Dialogue features a multi-stakeholder
format involving heads of state, ministers,
local officials, and thought leaders from the
private sector, media, and academia.
• It is hosted by the Observer Research
Foundation in partnership with the Ministry
of External Affairs, Government of India.
12.7 Summit for Democracy
Context: US President Biden co-hosted the
second Summit for Democracy along with Costa
Rica, the Netherlands, Korea, and Zambia.
About Summit for Democracy:
• It is a USA-led initiative hosted for the first
time in 2021.
• It aims to demonstrate how open, rights-
respecting societies can collaboratively
address current challenges like the COVID-19
pandemic, climate crisis, and inequality.
12.8 Fab 4 or Chip 4 Alliance
Context: Recently, the USA-led Fab 4
Semiconductor Alliance held its first meeting.
About FAB 4 Alliance:
• It's a semiconductor alliance comprising
Taiwan, the United States, Japan, and South
Korea.
• The FAB 4 alliance, proposed by the US in
2022, aims to bolster semiconductor supply
chain security and resilience, with a focus on
reducing dependence on Chinese-made chips.
56
Earthquake in Nepal
Libya Conflict
Conflict in Lebanon
Invasion of Kuwait by Iraq
12.9 United Nations Democracy Fund
Context: India has contributed USD 150,000 to the
United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF).
About United Nations Democracy Fund
(UNDEF):
• UNDEF, established in 2005 by UN Secretary-
General Kofi A. Annan, is a UN General Trust
Fund dedicated to supporting democratisation
efforts globally.
• India is a founding partner and the third-
largest contributor of UNDEF.
12.10 Language Friendship Bridge
Context: The Indian Council for Cultural
Relations (ICCR) has launched 'The Language
Friendship Bridge' project.
About Language Friendship Bridge:
• It aims to broaden India's cultural influence in
historically linked neighbouring countries.
• It intends to form a group of language experts
focusing on languages from Myanmar, Sri
Lanka, Uzbekistan, and Indonesia to enhance
interpersonal exchanges.
• Focus Languages:
○ Kazakh, Uzbek, Bhutanese, Ghoti (spoken
in Tibet), Burmese, Khmer (spoken in
Cambodia), Thai, Sinhalese, and Bahasa
(spoken in both Indonesia and Malaysia).
About Indian Council for Cultural Relations
(ICCR):
● It was founded in 1950 by Maulana Abul
Kalam Azad.
● Objective: To actively participate in the
formulation and implementation of policies
and programmes pertaining to India’s external
cultural relations.
12.11 PRET Initiative
Context: The World Health Organisation (WHO)
has launched the PRET Initiative.
About PRET Initiative:
• PRET stands for ‘The Preparedness and
Resilience for Emerging Threats (PRET).’
• It functions under the International Health
Regulations (IHR) 2005, a key legal framework
for handling public health emergencies.
• It aims to provide guidance for integrated
planning for response to any respiratory
pathogen, such as influenza or coronaviruses.
About International Pathogen Surveillance
Network (IPSN):
• It is a global network of pathogen genomic
actors hosted by the WHO Hub for Pandemic
and Epidemic Intelligence.
• Its goal is to expedite the use of pathogen
genomics and enhance public health
decision-making
• It supports disease surveillance, detecting
and characterizing new disease threats before
they reach epidemic or pandemic levels.
12.12 Samosa Caucus
Context: Recently, in a speech to the joint sitting
of the United States Congress, the Prime Minister
mentioned the "Samosa Caucus."
About Samosa Caucus:
• Samosa Caucus is the name given to an
informal grouping of Indian-origin
Americans in the US Congress.
• It signifies the rise of the Indian-origin
community from professional roles to
political prominence with direct access to
power.
12.13 Oslo Forum
Context: Taliban representatives held talks with
Indian and Pakistani special envoys during a
Norwegian-led peace conference in Oslo.
About Oslo Forum:
• The Oslo Forum brings together senior conflict
mediators, decision-makers, and others for
informal and discreet retreats to share
experiences, address challenges, and discuss
mediation practice.
• The Forum is co-hosted by the Royal
Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD).
• All discussions are confidential and take place
under the Chatham House Rule.
About “Chatham House Rule”:
• It's a guideline for inclusive and open
dialogue in meetings, events, and discussions,
where participants share information without
revealing their identity or affiliation.
57
12.14 Atlantic Declaration
Context: The United States and Britain unveiled
the 'Atlantic Declaration,' a new strategic pact
aimed at countering Russia, China, and economic
instability.
About the Atlantic Declaration:
• A Framework for a “Twenty-First Century
U.S.-UK Economic Partnership” that outlines
the commitment to strengthen the economic
alliance to address global challenges.
12.15 USA's UNESCO Membership
Context: Recently, the United States became the
194th member state of UNESCO.
More on news:
• The USA withdrew from UNESCO in 2017
following the granting of Palestine as a
sovereign state by the UN.
About UNESCO:
• UNESCO is the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization,
established in 1945.
• It promotes peace and security through
international cooperation in education,
sciences, culture, communication, and
information.
• UNESCO's programmes support the
attainment of the Sustainable Development
Goals outlined in the 2030 Agenda.
• Members: 194 Members; 12 Associate
Members.
• Paris, France
UNESCO Governance:
• The UNESCO General Conference, composed
of Member States' representatives, convenes
biennially.
○ Voting: One vote per country, irrespective
of size or budget contribution.
• Executive Board oversees UNESCO's overall
management.
○ Composition: Fifty-eight members elected
by the General Conference for a term of 4
years.
12.16 Nuclear Liability
Context: The construction of six nuclear reactors
in Jaitapur has led to Indian and French officials
encountering issues related to nuclear liability,
with no breakthrough so far.
About Nuclear Liability:
• Nuclear liability refers to the legal
responsibility of operators of nuclear facilities
for any damage or harm caused to third parties
or the environment as a result of a nuclear
accident.
• The liability of the operator may include
compensation for damages, including property
damage, personal injury, and environmental
damage.
Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act 2010
(CLNDA):
• India enacted a no-fault liability regime to
compensate victims of nuclear incidents,
aligning with the CSC of 1997.
• India ratified the CSC in 2016.
• Section 17(b) of CLNDA:
○ It introduces the concept of supplier
liability.
○ It states that the operator of the nuclear
plant shall have the right of recourse where
the “nuclear incident has resulted as a
consequence of an act of supplier or his
employee, which includes supply of
equipment or material with patent or latent
defects or sub standard services”.
Convention on Supplementary Compensation
(CSC):
• CSC, the international nuclear liability
regime, aims to establish a worldwide
liability regime and increase the amount of
compensation available to the victims of
nuclear accidents.
• It was adopted in 1997 with the aim of
establishing a minimum national
compensation amount.
12.17 London Conference
Context: Recently, the Ukraine Recovery
Conference was held in London.
Key Points about the London Conference:
• It is a fundraising forum to build the war torn
Ukraine.
• The British Prime Minister announced a new
framework for war risk insurance, aimed at
helping businesses invest in Ukraine.
• Ukraine’s allies pledged several billion dollars
in non-military aid to rebuild its war-ravaged
infrastructure, fight corruption and help pave
the country’s road to membership in the
European Union.
58
12.18 India-Indonesia EFD
Context: Recently, India and Indonesia
announced the launch of the “India – Indonesia
Economic and Financial Dialogue”.
About Economic and Financial Dialogue(EFD):
• It will deepen the bilateral relationship
between India and Indonesia, but also
contribute to the broader economic and
financial stability of Southeast Asia and the
world.
12.19 Washington Declaration
Context: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol
signed the "Washington Declaration," marking 70
years of U.S.-South Korea relations.
About Washington Declaration:
• The “Washington Declaration” is part of a
nuclear deterrence strategy.
• According to declaration an American nuclear
ballistic submarine would be deployed on the
Korean peninsula.
• The declaration reaffirmed South Korea's
commitment to the non-proliferation treaty.
• It also mandates the U.S. President as the only
‘sole authority’ to use the nuclear arsenal of
the U.S. in the event of a nuclear confrontation.
About Extended nuclear deterrence:
• The US guaranteed Cold War allies'
security with nuclear deterrence against
Soviet attacks, a policy still extending a
nuclear umbrella to Indo-Pacific allies like
Japan and South Korea in the post-Soviet
global order.
12.20 Amazon Cooperation Treaty
Organization
Context: Recently, the meeting of the Amazon
Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) began
in Belem, Brazil.
About Amazon Cooperation Treaty
Organization (ACTO:
• ACTO is an intergovernmental organization
aimed at the promotion of sustainable
development of the Amazon Basin.
• Member Countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia,
Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and
Venezuela.
• 2004: ACTO was responsible for the Manaus
Declaration, a treaty designed to coordinate
the development of rainforest.
12.21 Munich Security Conference
Context: At the recent Munich Security
Conference, the British Prime Minister pledged
UK support for any country willing to supply
planes to Ukraine.
About Munich Security Conference (MSC):
• Starting in 1963, the conference expanded its
scope beyond military matters to encompass
issues like climate change and migration.
• Objective: The goal is to foster trust and
support peaceful conflict resolution through
ongoing informal dialogue in the international
security community.
12.22 International Organization of
Legal Metrology
Context: Recently, India became an OIML
certificate-issuing authority.
About OIML-Certificate System:
• The OIML-Certificate system involves issuing,
registering, and utilizing OIML certificates and
related test reports for measuring instruments
like thermometers and clinical thermometers.
• It will increase India's exports, earning of
foreign exchange, enhance generation of
employment.
About OIML:
• OIML established in 1955, creates model
regulations, standards, and related documents
for legal metrology authorities and industry
use.
• Member States: 64
12.23 L.69 Grouping
Context: Recently, India hosted the L.69 meeting,
which called for reform of the UN Security
Council.
About L.69 Grouping:
• L.69 is a pro-reform coalition comprising
developing countries from Africa, Latin
America, the Caribbean, Asia, and the Pacific.
• Grouping is unified by the goal of
comprehensive UNSC reform and bolstering
multilateralism.
• India is a prominent member of the L.69 group.
12.24 UNCITRAL
Context: Recently, India hosted inaugural
UNCITRAL South Asia Conference.
About UNCITRAL:
59
• United Nations Commission on International
Trade Law (UNCITRAL) established in 1966, is
a subsidiary of the UN General Assembly,
tasked with harmonizing and unifying
international trade law.
• Comprising 70 Member States elected by the
General Assembly for six-year terms, with
India's membership extending until 2028.
• UNCITRAL, separate from the WTO, focuses
on laws for private parties in international
transactions, unlike the WTO, which handles
trade policy issues and "state-to-state" matters.
12.25 Global Security Initiative
Context: Recently, Nepal rejected calls from China
to join the ‘Global Security Initiative (GSI)’.
About Global Security Initiative:
• It is a new Chinese initiative that seeks to
challenge the Western-led global governance
system and de-legitimize the United States' role
in Asia.
12.26 UK 'Safe States' List
Context: India is likely to be classified as a "safe
state" by the UK, barring illegal travellers from
seeking asylum in Britain.
About the Safe State list:
• Section 80AA: To be added to the UK's "safe
states" list , the Home Secretary must believe
there's no general risk of persecution for its
nationals and that deportations won't violate
human rights obligations.
12.27 Indo--Pacific Maritime Domain
Awareness (IPMDA) Initiative
About Indo - Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness
(IPMDA) initiative:
● Announced by the Quad (India, Japan,
Australia and the USA) countries in 2022.
● It is a technology and training initiative
to enhance maritime domain awareness in
the Indo-Pacific region.
● It aims to monitor "dark shipping" and
enhance real-time maritime tracking in
partner regions like the Pacific Islands,
Southeast Asia, and the Indian Ocean.
Dark Ships:
• Dark Ships are vessels with their Automatic
Identification System (AIS), a transponder
system- switched off so as not to be
detectable.
 More on News: Indo Pacific Regional Dialogue
2023:
• Recently, the “Indo-Pacific Regional
Dialogue 2023” (IPRD-2023), a regional
strategic dialogue of the Indian Navy,
commenced in New Delhi.
• IPRD-2023 was organised by the Indian Navy
in association with the National Maritime
Foundation (NMF).
• Theme: Geopolitical Impacts upon Indo-
Pacific Maritime Trade and Connectivity.
• The National Maritime Foundation (NMF) is
one of India’s maritime think-tank that
concentrates its research upon issues relevant
to India’s maritime interests.
12.28 UNIDROIT
Recently, India's Candidate Uma Sekhar was
elected to the governing council of the Rome-
based International Institute for the Unification
of Private Law (UNIDROIT) for 2024-28.
About UNIDROIT:
• It is an intergovernmental organisation that
addresses international legal matters, focusing
on modernising commercial and private laws
within international legal frameworks.
• Founded in 1926 as a League of Nations
auxiliary body, it was re-established in 1940
under the UNIDROIT Statute following the
League's dissolution.
• UNIDROIT’s 65 Member States represent
various legal, economic and political systems
as well as different cultural backgrounds.
• India has been a member of UNIDROIT since
1950.
12.29 International Maritime
Organisation
Context: India was re-elected to the International
Maritime Organisation (IMO) Council for 2024-
25.
About IMO:
• It is the United Nations specialised agency
responsible for the safety and security of
shipping and preventing marine and
atmospheric pollution by ships.
• In 1948 an international conference in Geneva
adopted a convention formally establishing
IMO; it entered into force in 1958.
• IMO currently has 175 Member States and
three Associate Members.
○ India ratified and joined it as a member-
state in 1959.
60
• Assembly is the highest Governing Body of
the Organization, it consists of all Member
States and meets once every two years in
regular sessions.
• The Council is elected by the Assembly for
two-year terms beginning after each regular
session of the Assembly.
• The Council is the Executive Organ of IMO
and is responsible for supervising the work of
the Organization.
12.30 Tax Inspectors without Borders
(TIWB) Programme
Context: India will assist Saint Lucia in
enhancing its tax administration through the
TIWB program as a partner country..
About TIWB Program:
• Launched by Organisation for Economic Co-
operation and Development (OECD) &
United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP) in 2016.
• It is a capacity-building programme where
partner administrations help the country by
sharing the technical, skills, know-how, and
best audit practices with its tax auditors.
Saint Lucia: It is an Island country of the West
Indies in the eastern Caribbean.
12.31 Hydrographic Survey Agreement
Context: Recently, Maldives outlined that it will
not renew the Hydrographic Survey agreement
made with India.
More on News:
• As per Hydrographic Survey agreement terms,
one party can decide not to renew the current
agreement six months before it expires.
About Hydrographic Survey Agreement:
• It was signed in 2019 and it allowed India to
conduct a comprehensive study of the island
nation’s territorial waters, which includes
reefs, lagoons, coastlines, ocean currents, and
tide levels.
12.32 Debt for Nature Swap
Context: Recently, Gabon announced a $500
million debt-for-nature swap.
About Debt for Nature Swap:
• It allows heavily indebted developing
countries to seek help from financial
institutions in the developed world with
paying off their debt if they agree to spend on
conservation of natural resources.
• Gabon’s debt has been restructured under a
Blue Bond in the world’s second largest debt
for nature swap.
• World’s largest debt swap to conserve oceans
was signed by Ecuador.
12.33 Global Peace Index
Context: Recently, the Global Peace Index 2023
released the list of most peaceful countries in the
world.
About Global Peace Index:
• The GPI ranked 163 independent states and
territories according to their level of
peacefulness.
• Released by: Institute for Economics and Peace
(IEP)
• Measurement Domains:
○ Societal safety and security
○ Ongoing domestic and international
conflict
○ Militarisation
Key Findings:
• Iceland is the most peaceful country,
accompanied at the top by Denmark, Ireland,
New Zealand, and Austria.
• Afghanistan is the least peaceful country,
followed by Yemen, Syria, South Sudan, and
the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
• India has occupied the 126th spot in the
rankings.
61
12.34 RISE Initiative
Context: Recently, the World Bank and Japan
launched the Resilient and Inclusive Supply-
chain Enhancement (RISE) initiative in Morocco.
About RISE:
• RISE focuses on addressing job creation and
climate change challenges.
• It assists emerging markets and developing
countries in expanding clean-energy product
manufacturing and mineral industry
participation.
• This initiative highlights the significance of
international cooperation in boosting economic
growth and strengthening clean energy and
critical minerals supply chains.
12.35 AUKUS
About AUKUS:
• It is a strategic partnership between Australia,
the United Kingdom (UK), and the United
States which aims to bolster their allied
deterrence and defence capabilities in the Indo-
Pacific.
More on News:
• Five Eyes: It is an intelligence alliance of the
US, UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand
for global surveillance.
ANZUS Treaty: Signed by Australia, New
Zealand, and the United States in 1952, it
recognises that an armed attack in the Pacific on
one member threatens the peace and safety of all.
 13
Places in News

Africa

Nigeria:
Vital Info:
• Nigeria is a West African country in the Gulf of Guinea and is also Africa's leading oil producer.
• It borders the Republic of Benin to the west, Chad and Cameroon to the east, and Niger to the north.

Darfur:
Vital Info:
• Sudan lies in northeast Africa and shares borders with Egypt (north), Eritrea (northeast), Ethiopia
(southeast), South Sudan (south), the Central African Republic (southwest), Chad (west), Libya
(northwest), and the Red Sea.
• Darfur is a region in western Sudan plagued by violent conflict and humanitarian crises due to ethnic
tensions between Arab and African communities.

Mali: Mali's military junta held a referendum on a new draft constitution.

Vital Info:
• Mali, a landlocked West African nation, lies southwest of Algeria and spans from the southern Sahara
Desert through the Sahel to the Sudanian savanna zone.
• It shares borders with Mauritania, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Niger, Ivory Coast, and Senegal.

Liptako Gourma Charter: Recently, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have formalised Liptako-Gourma
charter to establish the “Alliance of Sahel States”.
Vital Info:

62
• It is a framework for collective defence and mutual assistance, obliging member nations to provide
military aid to one another if any are attacked.
• Liptako-Gourma region: An area where the borders of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger converge, it has
been plagued by armed rebellions.
• G5 Sahel Alliance Joint Force: All three countries were previously members of this France-supported
grouping, which included Chad and Mauritania.

Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC): Loss of half a million hectares of forest in 2022.
Vital Info:
• The DRC, formerly Zaire, is a central African country.
• It shares borders with Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda,
Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia, and Angola and has a coastline along the South Atlantic Ocean.
• Major rivers in the DRC include the Nile, Congo, etc.

Rwanda: UK’s Rwanda Policy.

Vital Info:
• The UK’s "Rwanda policy" of the United Kingdom aims to deter migrants from crossing the English
Channel to the UK by relocating asylum seekers to Rwanda.
• Rwanda is a landlocked country in Central Africa's Great Rift Valley, at the convergence of the
African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa.
• Located just south of the Equator, Rwanda is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, and the
Democratic Republic of the Congo.

EHAGL Region: A UN report indicates that in 2023, more than 11 million people were displaced in East
Africa and the Great Lakes region (EHAGL).
Vital Info:
● EHAGL stands for UNHCR's Regional Bureau for the East and Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes.
● It encompasses countries including Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia,
South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.
Horn of Africa:
Vital Info:
• The Horn of Africa, in eastern Africa, comprises Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia.
• It has a coastline along the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and the Indian Ocean, with rivers like the Blue
Nile, White Nile, and Dawa River.
• Lakes in the region include Lake Tana and Lake Turkana.
Greater Horn Region (GHR):
• It additionally includes Burundi, Rwanda, and Tanzania and lies along the southern boundary of the
Red Sea.
• It extends into the Guardafui Channel, Gulf of Aden, and Indian Ocean and shares a maritime border
with the Arabian Peninsula region of Western Asia.
African Great Lakes Region
• The African Great Lakes are a group of Rift Valley lakes in and around the East African Rift.
• They include Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika, Lake Malawi, Lake Turkana, Lake Albert, Lake Kivu,
and Lake Edward, listed in order of size from largest to smallest.
• The African Great Lakes region encompasses ten countries: Burundi, Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.

63
Duqm Port:
Vital Info:
• It is situated on the southeastern seaboard of Oman, overlooking the Arabian Sea and the Indian
Ocean.
• It is part of India’s maritime strategy to counter Chinese influence and activities in the region.

Gulf of Guinea:
Vital Info:
• It is part of the eastern tropical Atlantic Ocean off the western African coast.
• Volta and Niger rivers fall into the gulf.
• The only active volcanic region is the island arc aligned with Mount Cameroon on the coast of the
Cameroon Republic.

Equatorial Guinea: Equatorial Guinea reported its first-ever Marburg virus disease outbreak.
Vital Info:
• Located on the west coast of Africa, it comprises a mainland territory called Rio Muni, bordered by
Cameroon to the north and Gabon to the east and south.

• Gabon: Recently, Gabon witnessed a coup.

• Vital Info:
• Gabon is an oil-rich country and member of OPEC on the west coast of Central Africa.
• Gabon Borders: Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Congo, and the South Atlantic Ocean.

64
 Asia

Northern Sea Route (NSR): Recently, Russia unveiled its plan to invest 2 trillion Rubles in the Northern
Sea Route development.
Vital Info:
● The NSR links the eastern and western Arctic Ocean, stretching from the Barents Sea near Russia's
border with Norway to the Bering Strait between Siberia and Alaska.
● NSR is distinct from the Northwest Passage, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through
the Canadian Arctic.
● The entire NSR lies within Russia's exclusive economic zone in Arctic waters and covers one-third of
the distance of the traditional route via the Suez Canal.
● Murmansk is often referred to as the capital of the Arctic region and the starting point of the
Northern Sea Route (NSR).

Indonesia: Recurrent eruption of Anak Krakatau Volcano.

Vital Info:
• Located in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra islands.
• Anak Krakatau, meaning "child of Krakatau," is the offspring of the renowned Krakatau, whose
massive eruption in 1883 caused a global cooling period.
• Indonesia, located in Southeast Asia and Oceania, stretches between the Indian and Pacific oceans
and comprises over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and portions of Borneo and
New Guinea.
Mount Merapi: Eruption of Mount Merapi, spewing searing gas clouds and lava avalanches.
Vital Info:
● Indonesia's most active volcano, located near Yogyakarta on the island of Java.

65
Helmand River: Disputed river between Iran and Afghanistan.
Vital Info:
• Originating from the Sanglakh Range of the Hindu Kush Mountains, the Helmand River is separated
from the Kabul River watershed by the Unai Pass and flows into Lake Hamun on the Afghanistan-
Iran border.
• Lake Hamun, once Iran's largest freshwater lake, has been severely affected by drought and dam
construction.
• It is the longest river in Afghanistan and the primary watershed for the Sistan Basin.
• The Sistan Basin is an inland endorheic basin covering southwestern Afghanistan and southeastern
Iran.
• An endorheic basin retains water and has no outflow to other water bodies.

Mayon Volcano:
Vital Info:
• An active volcano in southeastern Luzon, Philippines, known as the world's most perfect volcanic
cone due to its symmetrical shape.
• It's located in the Pacific Ring of Fire region.

Uzbekistan: Recently, Uzbekistan held a referendum on a new constitution emphasising human rights.
Vital Info:
● It is a doubly landlocked country, entirely enclosed by five other landlocked countries: Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Turkmenistan.
● The capital and largest city is Tashkent.
● Uzbekistan and Liechtenstein are the world's only two double landlocked countries.
Aral Sea:
• The Aral Sea was an endorheic lake lying between Kazakhstan to its north and Uzbekistan to its
south, which began shrinking in the 1960s and largely dried up by the 2010s.

Lebanon: Lebanon has devalued its official exchange rate by 90%.

Vital Info:
• A country in Western Asia, situated along the Mediterranean Sea's eastern shore with its capital in
Beirut, it lies between Syria and Israel, forming part of the Levant region of the Middle East.

Yellow River: Chinese embankment practices leading to devastating floods in Yellow River.
Vital Info:
● It is the 2nd longest river in China after the Yangtze.
● It originates in the Bayankala Mountains and drains into Bohai Sea.
● Renowned for its significant yellow loess sediment content.
● Tributaries include the Black River, White River, Fen River, etc.

Port of Haifa:
Vital Info:
• Haifa Port was originally built by the British in 1933 and has been reconstructed and developed by the
Israeli government since 1948.
• It is located in northern Israel near Haifa along the Mediterranean Sea and busy Suez Canal shipping
route.

Gaziantep Castle: A 2,000-year-old Roman Gaziantep Castle was severely damaged by the Earthquake.
Vital Info:
• Located at Gaziantep Hill in southern Turkey, this ancient castle, initially a Hittite Empire
observation point, later developed into a Roman main castle.
● Its irregular circular shape features 12 towers embellished with Ayyubid and Mamluk decorations
and is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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Rafah Crossing:
Vital Info:
● Rafah is one of the crossing points for humanitarian aid into Palestine amid ongoing conflict.
● The crossing is at the south of the Gaza Strip, it is controlled by Egypt.

Europe

Donana National Park of Spain: A major European wetland drying out because of excessive nearby
urban and agricultural development.
Vital Info:
● Spain, in southwestern Europe, covers a major portion of the Iberian Peninsula.
● Its mainland is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea (except for Gibraltar), France, Andorra, the Bay
of Biscay, the Atlantic Ocean, and Portugal.
● The Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe marks the westernmost extent of Eurasia,
encompassing Peninsular Spain, Continental Portugal, Andorra, Gibraltar, and a portion of
Southern France.

Belarus:
Vital Info:
• Belarus, a landlocked Eastern European country, shares borders with Russia (east and northeast),
Ukraine (south), Poland (west), and Lithuania and Latvia (northwest).
• Major rivers in Belarus include the Dnieper, Daugava, Neman, Bug, and Pripyat.

Bakhmut: Critical Zone in Russia-Ukraine War.

Vital Info:
• Bakhmut, a small mining town in Donetsk province, Ukraine, located on the Bakhmutka River, is a
key transport hub known for its salt and gypsum mines.
• The Bakhmutka is a river in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, flowing as a right tributary of the Siverskyi
Donets and part of the Don River System.
Odessa: The World Heritage Committee added Odessa's historic centre to the World Heritage list.
Vital Info:
• It's an international city in Ukraine, a major Black Sea seaport, and a transportation hub, including
Yuzhne to the east and Chornomorske to the south.
• Odessa is also Ukraine's largest seaport on the Black Sea.

Austria: Road Infrastructure and Green Technology Discussions with India.

Vital Info:
● A landlocked country in Southern Central Europe, sharing borders with Germany, the Czech
Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein.

Finland: India and Finland aim to expand ties in quantum computing and nuclear technology.
Vital Info:
• A Nordic country in northern Europe, bordering Norway, Russia, the Gulf of Finland, the Gulf of
Bothnia, and Sweden, with part extending beyond the Arctic Circle as Upland Finland.
• Its capital is Helsinki, boasting Europe's 4th largest lake, Saimaa.

Orkney Islands:
Vital Info:
• The Orkney Islands have proposed to separate from the U.K. and seek self-governance under
Norway.
• Located on Scotland's North-Eastern coast, the island is an archipelago of about 70 islands.

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Sulina Channel: Recently, Russia's drone strikes targeted Ukraine's ports and grain storage along the
Danube River.
Vital Info:
• The Danube delta is being used as an alternative route for Ukraine's grain exports following Russia's
withdrawal from the Black Sea grain agreement.
• The ‘new’ trade route is through the Sulina Channel; it connects major Ukrainian ports on the river to
the Black Sea, lying completely within the borders of Romania.
• The Danube, Europe's second-longest river, has been historically vital for freight transportation.

North and South America

Belize: Recently, WHO certified Belize as a malaria-free country.

Vital Info:
• Belize, on Central America's northeast coast, is bordered by Mexico, Guatemala, and the Caribbean
Sea.
• Its coast boasts the second-largest barrier reef globally, after the Great Barrier Reef.

Chetumal Bay: Recently, World’s 2nd-deepest blue hole was discovered in Chetumal Bay.
Vital Info:
• It is a large bay in the western Caribbean Sea, situated on the southern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula
in northern Belize and southeastern Mexico.

Peru:
Vital Info:
• Recently, Peru declared a state of National Emergency amid a surge in patient suffering from
Guillaine-Barre Syndrome.
• It is bordered by Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile and the Pacific Ocean.

Lake Titicaca: Climate change causes historic low water levels in Lake Titicaca.
Vital Info:
• Lake Titicaca, the largest freshwater lake in South America, is located in the Andes Mountains,
straddling Peru and Bolivia.
• It is the world’s highest navigable body of water.

Easter Island: Discovery of Moai Statue.

Vital Info:
● Easter Island is a remote Chilean territory in the Pacific Ocean.
● It is within the Polynesian Triangle of Oceania and is designated as a National park and a UNESCO
World Heritage site.
● The Polynesian Triangle encompasses Hawai‘i, Easter Island, and New Zealand in the Pacific
Ocean.

Oceania

Signy Island:
Vital Info:
● The tiny insect Eretmoptera murphyi has been changing the soil composition on Signy Island, a
subantarctic island in Antarctica.
● The island's flora consists mainly of cryptogams, plants that reproduce via spores, and it has only two
flowering plants: Antarctic hairgrass and Antarctic pearlwort.

Macquarie Island: Australia plans to expand the marine park around Macquarie Island's Economic
Exclusion Zone.

68
Vital Info:
• Macquarie Island, southeast of Tasmania, is an exposed crest of the undersea Macquarie Ridge, the
only land formed entirely of oceanic crust, and is a designated World Heritage Area.

Kermadec Islands: A 6.9 magnitude earthquake hit New Zealand's Kermadec Islands region.
Vital Info:
● A volcanic island group in the South Pacific Ocean, situated on the boundary of the Pacific Plate
and Australian Plate.
● Except for Raoul Island, these islands are uninhabited.

Fiji: Fiji's Deputy PM hopes to collaborate with India on climate action goals.
Vital Info:
• Fiji, an island nation in Melanesia, comprises about 330 islands in the Southern Pacific Ocean,
situated in Oceania between Hawaii and New Zealand.
• The majority of its landmass, 87%, is formed by two major islands: Viti Levu and Vanua Levu.

Thwaites Glacier: Exacerbated melting due to the seeping of warm water into weak spots.
Vital Info:
● Thwaites Glacier, also called the Doomsday Glacier, flows into Pine Island Bay in Antarctica,
forming part of the Amundsen Sea.
● In 2018, as part of the International Thwaites Glacier collaboration, U.S. and British scientists used
an underwater robot called Icefin to monitor the glacier.
● Pine Island Glacier is Antarctica's fastest-melting ice stream, responsible for approximately 25% of
the continent's ice loss.
● Amundsen Sea is a Southern Ocean inlet off Western Antarctica's Marie Byrd Land.

69
 GLOSSARY
• The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, established in 2000
UNFPII with headquarters in New York, serves as the UN's central coordinating body for
issues concerning the rights and concerns of indigenous peoples worldwide.

Caricom • Caribbean Community, established in 1973 with its headquarters in Georgetown,

Guyana, is a political and economic union comprising 15 member states across the
Americas and the Atlantic.

• "Silkworm eating" is a term used to describe a country's gradual encroachments

Silkworm into another territory, similar to the Western "salami-slicing" tactic.
Eating

Salami-Slicing • "Salami-slicing" is a divide-and-conquer tactic that involves gradually taking

control of opposition territory piece by piece through small-scale military
operations, often without leading to a full-scale war.

Porcupine • The "porcupine strategy" in military tactics focuses on deterring enemy attacks by
Strategy favouring small, mobile, and concealable weapons over large, costly, and easily
targeted equipment like tanks and warships.

Agriota • An agri-trading and commodity platform launched by Dubai's Multi Commodities

Centre to link Indian farmers to food companies in UAE.

Laundromat • Laundromat countries are those who buy Russian oil and sell processed products
Countries to European countries, thus side-stepping European sanctions against Russia.

• "Price Cap Coalition" prohibits trade and insurance for Russian oil above a set
Price Cap price.
Coalition • Coalition members include the EU, G-7 nations, Australia, and Japan.

• De-risking is a finance concept that refers to the reduction of reliance on China in

the economic sphere without hindering Chinese growth or becoming isolationist.
De-Risking • It aims to shift businesses away from areas where they might not yield good returns.
& • Decoupling is used as an alternative to an economic boycott to reduce the
Decoupling correlation between markets.

Free Movement • India and Myanmar have a 'free movement regime' (FMR) along their border,
Regime (FMR) permitting local tribes to travel up to 16 km into the other country without a visa.

• A term coined by the U.S. military, defined as "the integration of the strengths of
Jointness at least two limbs of the military in a coordinated effort to achieve a common goal.

Wagner Group • Wagner Group, a mercenary organisation, is a network of contractors that supply
soldiers for hire.

Visa Shopping • Visa shopping refers to obtaining visas for countries that individuals may or may
not visit during the granted visa period.

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