International Relations And Orgnisations

The subtopic of international relations also forms a considerable part of the syllabus of GS Paper 2. It is divided as -

India and Its Neighbourhood - Relations

This sub-topic deals with the relation of India with its neighbouring countries such as Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, etc. The focus must be on gathering facts and analysing them along with a focus on current international affairs. The most important aspect is to compare and illustrate the past relations as well as critically examine the current scenario.

The issue of Pakistan or China is always in the news and therefore a lot of questions are asked from these topics and they can be easily answered if you are following the newspapers religiously.

For example,question from 2016,

Increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in India and growing interference in the internal affairs of several member states by Pakistan are not conducive for the future of SAARC. Explain with suitable examples"

Sources

• Rethinking India’s Foreign Policy by Rajiv Sikri
• MEAWebsite.
• The Hindu/Indian Express.

Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

This sub-topic concerns India’s bilateral, multilateral, regional and global groupings such as SAARC, BIMSTEC, ASEAN+6, Heart of Asia conference, Raisins Dialogue, MTCR, Australia Group, Wassenaar Agreement and also relating to NPT, CTBT and membership relating to NSG and other nuclear-related groups. Basically, the subtopic is very wide and thus it needs to be comprehensively read and understood. Reading newspaper will give you an extra advantage.

Sources

• Ministry of External Affairs website
• The Hindu/Indian Express
• The Diplomat website/Magazine

Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian Diaspora

This is not a static part but a dynamic sub-topic having topics ranging from effects of globalization, WTO policies, domestic policies of developed countries and their effect on other countries such as Trade wars, WTO rulings, H1b and L1 visa row to terrorism and economic policies. The sub-topic also includes issues such as Indian diaspora their contribution to India and India’s contribution to them. Issues such as their problems, constitutional/statutory provisions if any under Indian law and their participation and their role in Indian economy.

Sources

• ORF website/magazine
• The Diplomat website/Magazine
• The Hindu/Indian Express

Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate. UNO and its various bodies, agencies must be studied with respect to their structure, role, relevance and reforms.

International Organizations apart from UN such as WTO, IMF, World Bank, NDB, AIIB and International Solar Alliance must also be studied. It is very important to read random commissions and issues relating to these international bodies. If we look at the question asked in 2016, we see that UPSC is quite unpredictable when it comes to asking questions relating to international bodies/agreements. This trend is also observed in the Preliminary Exam.

Sample Question-

What are the aims and objectives of the McBride commission of UNESCO? What is India s position on these?

Therefore, the key is to read more, revise more and to write more.

Sources

The Hindu/Indian Express (Official websites of these bodies would suffice)

The topics are static as well as dynamic, but most of the questions asked are current affairs related. Thus, reading newspapers and magazines is very essential. The approach must not be only in memorizing facts and events, but it should also be focused on analysis and objective assessment.

As you can see most of the questions are current affairs based. Aspire IAS Newspaper Analysis Programme gives you the complete coverage of newspaper and magazines and hence coving all the topics related to current affairs for UPSC.

Click here to know more about Newspaper Analysis Programme.

Click here to know how to read The Hindu.