Current International Affairs
🟢 Lite — Quick Review (1h–1d)
Rapid summary for last-minute revision before your exam.
International affairs is a critical section of RAS GK — questions focus on India’s foreign policy, major global events, international organisations, and recent geopolitical developments.
Key Facts for RPSC RAS:
- G20 Summit 2023: Held in New Delhi, India — successfully hosted. The New Delhi Declaration was adopted. India held the G20 Presidency (December 2022 to November 2023).
- Quad: Strategic grouping of India, USA, Australia, Japan — focuses on Indo-Pacific security and cooperation.
- BIMSTEC: Bay of Bengal Initiative — 7 member states including India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan.
- UN Security Council: India served as non-permanent member (2023-24) — elected for the 8th time.
- India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC): Announced at G20 2023 — a rail and shipping route connecting India to Europe via the Middle East.
⚡ Exam tip: Recent G20 developments, India’s UN Security Council membership, Quad, and major global conflicts are high-yield topics.
🟡 Standard — Regular Study (2d–2mo)
Standard content for students with a few days to months.
Major International Organisations
1. United Nations (UN)
Key Bodies:
- General Assembly (GA): 193 member states — each has one vote
- Security Council (SC): 15 members — 5 permanent (P5: USA, UK, France, Russia, China) + 10 non-permanent elected for 2-year terms
- Secretariat: Headed by Secretary-General
- Current Secretary-General: António Guterres (Portugal, since 2017)
India at the UN:
- Non-permanent member of UNSC (2023-24) — elected with 188 votes (highest ever for an Asian candidate)
- Priority issues: Terrorism, UNSC reform, peacekeeping, climate justice
- Permanent seat aspiration: India has been seeking a permanent seat on the UNSC — supported by G4 nations (India, Japan, Germany, Brazil)
2. G20 (Group of Twenty)
Members: 19 countries + EU (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, UK, USA) Permanent Guests: Spain; invited by Presidency
India’s G20 Presidency 2023:
- Theme: “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” (One Earth, One Family, One Future)
- Summit held: 9-10 September 2023, New Delhi
- New Delhi Declaration: Consensus on issues including Ukraine conflict (calling for territorial integrity), climate finance, debt sustainability, technology, and gender equality
- Key outcomes: Launch of IMEC (India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor), Global Biofuel Alliance
3. Quad (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue)
Members: India, USA, Australia, Japan Founded: 2007 (informal); revived 2017 Focus: Free, open, rules-based Indo-Pacific order; maritime security; connectivity; health, climate, technology
Key Summits:
- 2023 Hiroshima Summit (on margins of G7): Expanded maritime cooperation, infrastructure financing
- 2024 Wilmington Summit: Indo-Pacific clarity, Myanmar crisis
India’s stance: Strategic autonomy — not a military alliance, but a constructive grouping
4. BIMSTEC
Full form: Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation Members: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand Secretariat: Dhaka, Bangladesh
Priority areas: Trade, connectivity, energy, agriculture, counter-terrorism
5. SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation)
Members: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka Secretariat: Kathmandu, Nepal Status: Largely dysfunctional due to India-Pakistan tensions — no summit since 2016 (Uri attacks led to boycott)
6. World Trade Organization (WTO)
Function: Regulates international trade — goods, services, intellectual property Key agreements: Marrakesh Agreement (1994), Bali Package (2013), Nairobi Package (2015) India’s role: Defending interests of developing nations — food security (public stockholding), farm subsidies
Major Geopolitical Developments
1. Russia-Ukraine Conflict (2022-present)
Background: Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022 Current status (2024): Ongoing conflict — Ukraine in partial occupation by Russia (Crimea annexed 2014, Donbas contested)
India’s position:
- Called for immediate cessation of hostilities
- Abstained on UN resolutions condemning Russia (not a direct condemnation)
- Enhanced trade with Russia — discounted Russian crude oil imports (saved billions)
- Maintained strategic autonomy — did not join Western sanctions
Global impact:
- Energy crisis in Europe — redirected LNG
- Food crisis — Ukraine and Russia are major grain exporters (Black Sea Grain Deal was critical)
- Global inflation surge — commodity prices spiked
- NATO expansion — Finland and Sweden joined NATO
2. Israel-Hamas Conflict (2023-present)
Background: Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October 2023; Israel responded with military operation in Gaza Current status (2024): Ongoing conflict — humanitarian crisis in Gaza; ceasefire negotiations ongoing
India’s position:
- Condemned the 7 October attacks
- Called for humanitarian corridors
- Evacuated Indian nationals from Israel
3. China-India Border Tensions
LAC (Line of Actual Control): Undemarcated border between India and China Key conflict points: Aksai Chin (occupied by China), Arunachal Pradesh (claimed by China as “South Tibet”)
Galwan Valley clash (June 2020):
- 20 Indian soldiers killed; Chinese casualties undisclosed
- Major diplomatic crisis
- India-China relations deteriorated significantly
Current status (2024):
- Military-level talks ongoing for disengagement
- Trade relations continue despite political tension
- India banned several Chinese apps (TikTok, WeChat) and restricted Chinese investments
4. India’s Neighbourhood First Policy
Bangladesh:
- Major development partner — India-Bangladesh relations strong
- Key projects: Akhaura-Agartala rail link, Maitri Setu bridge
Myanmar:
- Border tensions — India’s Act East policy involves Myanmar
- Sittwe Port (Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport) project
Sri Lanka:
- Economic crisis 2022 — India provided $4 billion credit line, fuel shipments
- China’s debt trap concerns — Sri Lanka’s Hambantota Port (99-year lease to China)
🔴 Extended — Deep Study (3mo+)
Comprehensive coverage for students on a longer study timeline.
Global Summits and Agreements
1. IMEC (India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor)
Announced: G20 Summit, New Delhi, September 2023 Partners: India, USA, UAE, Saudi Arabia, EU, France, Germany
Components:
- Rail connectivity through the Gulf
- Shipping route through Arabian Sea
- Digital connectivity
- Green energy corridor
Significance: Competes with China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) — positions India as a connectivity hub
2. Global Biofuel Alliance
Launched: G20 Summit, New Delhi, September 2023 Members: India, USA, Brazil, Argentina, Bangladesh, Italy (founding members) Objective: Promote ethanol blending (20% by 2025-26) and biofuel adoption
3. COP28 — Dubai Climate Summit (UAE, 2023)
Key outcomes:
- First Global Stocktake — assessing Paris Agreement progress
- UAE Consensus: Transition away from fossil fuels (“transitioning away” vs. “phasing out” — a diplomatic compromise)
- Loss and Damage Fund: Operationalised — developed nations to compensate developing nations for climate damage
4. SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation)
Members: China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan (observer: Afghanistan) Secretariat: Beijing India-Pakistan joined: 2017 (at SCO Summit in Astana)
India at SCO:
- PM Modi’s participation: Virtual at 2022 Summit (due to border tensions)
- Key focus: Regional security, terrorism, trade
5. I2U2 (India-Israel-UAE-USA)
Founded: 2021 (quad grouping) Focus: Joint investments in water, energy, transportation, space Significance: New Middle East partnership architecture
India’s International Rankings
| Index | India’s Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|
| GDP (nominal) | 5th | World Bank |
| GDP (PPP) | 3rd | World Bank |
| Military spending | 3rd | SIPRI |
| Population | 1st | UN |
| Global Hunger Index | 111th (of 125) | Global Hunger Index Report |
| Human Development Index | 134th (of 189) | UNDP |
| Ease of Doing Business | 63rd (replaced by BL index) | World Bank |
Practice Questions for RPSC RAS
- What is the G20? What was the theme of India’s G20 Presidency 2023?
- Explain the IMEC. How does it compare to China’s Belt and Road Initiative?
- What is the Quad? Which countries are members and what is its objective?
- What is India’s position on the Russia-Ukraine conflict? Why has India taken this stance?
- How does India’s Human Development Index compare to its neighbours?
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Confusing G20 with G7 — G20 = 19 major economies + EU; G7 = 7 developed nations only.
- Thinking BIMSTEC and SAARC are the same — BIMSTEC is the Bay of Bengal grouping; SAARC is the South Asian grouping.
- Confusing the UNSC non-permanent seat with a permanent seat — India is still seeking a permanent seat as part of G4.
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