International Organisations – Revision

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
United Nations and its Agencies ...................................................................................................... 4
Six Main Organs of UN ...................................................................................................................... 4
1. United Nations General Assembly .............................................................................................................................. 4
2. United Nations Security Council (UNSC) .................................................................................................................. 5
3. UN Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC) .................................................................................................... 5
4. Trusteeship Council ..................................................................................................................................................... 6
5. International Court of Justice ..................................................................................................................................... 6
6. UN Secretariat .............................................................................................................................................................. 6
Specialized Agencies of UN .............................................................................................................. 7
1. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) .................................................... 7
2. World Health Organization (WHO) ........................................................................................................................... 7
3. World Intellectual Property Organization................................................................................................................. 8
4. United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) ................................................................................................... 9
5. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) ................................................................................................... 9
6. World Meteorological Organization (WMO) .......................................................................................................... 10
7. World Bank (WB) ...................................................................................................................................................... 10
8. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)........................................................................................... 11
9. United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) ............................................................................................................ 12
10. International Monetary Fund (IMF) ...................................................................................................................... 12
11. International Labour Organization (ILO) ............................................................................................................. 13
12. Food and Agriculture Organisation ....................................................................................................................... 13
Other International Institutions ....................................................................................................... 14
1. Asian Development Bank (ADB) .............................................................................................................................. 14
2. Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) .................................................................................................. 14
3. Council of Europe ...................................................................................................................................................... 15
4. European Investment Bank (EIB) ............................................................................................................................ 15
5. North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).......................................................................................................... 16
6. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) ................................................................... 16
7. Financial Action Task Force (FATF) ....................................................................................................................... 17
8. BRICS.......................................................................................................................................................................... 17
9. G7................................................................................................................................................................................. 18
10. Commonwealth of Nations ...................................................................................................................................... 18
11. G 20............................................................................................................................................................................ 19
12. I2U2 ........................................................................................................................................................................... 19
13. Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation........................................................................................................................ 20
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14. South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC)............................................................................... 20
15. QUAD ........................................................................................................................................................................ 20
16. AUKUS ...................................................................................................................................................................... 21
17. International Solar Alliance .................................................................................................................................... 21
18. RCEP ......................................................................................................................................................................... 22
19. NAM Summit ............................................................................................................................................................ 22
20. Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) .......................................................................................................... 22
21. BBIN .......................................................................................................................................................................... 23
22. IORA ......................................................................................................................................................................... 23
23. Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) ........................................................................................................................... 24
24. African Union ........................................................................................................................................................... 24
25. World Trade Organization (WTO) ........................................................................................................................ 25
26. World Economic Forum .......................................................................................................................................... 25

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UNITED NATIONS AND ITS AGENCIES

The United Nations is an international organization founded in 1945. Currently made up of
193 Member States, the UN and its work are guided by the purposes and principles contained
in its founding Charter.
The main bodies of the United Nations are the General Assembly, the Security Council, the
Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council, the International Court of Justice, and
the UN Secretariat. All were established under the UN Charter when the Organization was
founded in 1945.

SIX MAIN ORGANS OF UN

1. United Nations General Assembly
The UN General Assembly (UNGA) is the main policy-making organ of the Organization. Comprising all Member States,
it provides a unique forum for multilateral discussion of the full spectrum of international issues covered by the Charter of
the United Nations.
• Established in 1945
• Headquarters: New York, USA
• Members: 193 Members
• Sessions: Each year in September.
• Voting: Each Member State has one vote.
• Functions:
o The Assembly makes recommendations to States on international issues within its competence.
o Approval of the UN budget
o The General Assembly appoints the Secretary-General of the UN based on the recommendations of the Security
Council.
• Key Facts:
o The President of the General Assembly is elected each year by assembly to serve a one-year term of office.
o All member states of the UN are represented in the General Assembly, making it the only UN body with universal
representation.
o Theme of general debate of 78th UNGA held from 19-26 September 2023 - Rebuilding trust and reigniting global
solidarity: Accelerating action on the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals towards peace,
prosperity, progress and sustainability for all
• Recent initiatives:
o The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 2022, has adopted a Resolution declaring March 15 annually
as the ‘International Day to Combat Islamophobia’.
• Key Points:
o India signed declaration in 1945
o India was among the charter members of the United Nations that signed the Declaration.

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2. United Nations Security Council (UNSC)
• Headquarters: New York.
• Established in 1945.
• Members: 15 Members {5 permanent (China, France, Russia, the United
Kingdom, and the United States) and 10 non-permanent members}.10
members elected by the General Assembly for 2-year terms (India is not a
permanent member).
• Voting: Each member of the security council has one vote. The voting
system is rigid. Each member of the Security Council has one vote.
Permanent Member States at the Security Council have a special voting
power known as the "right to veto".
• Sessions: Held twice a year
• Recent Developments
o Veto Initiative - UN General Assembly had adopted a resolution ‘Standing mandate for a General Assembly
debate when a veto is cast in the Security Council'. It is also known as the 'Veto Initiative’.
o It aimed at holding the 5 permanent Council members accountable for their use of veto.
• Key Facts:
o The Security Council is the only UN organ that has the power to make binding decisions on member states
o The presidency of the Security Council rotates alphabetically among 15 members every month
o G4 Nations - 4 countries bid for permanent seats in UNSC. They are Brazil, Germany, India, and Japan.
• Key Points:
o India has been elected eight times to the UN Security Council till 31 August 2022.
o For the 2021–22 term, India's primary objective in the UNSC was to implement a new orientation for a reformed
multilateral system. This was guided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘five S’ approach—Samman (Respect),
Samvad (Dialogue), Sahyog (Cooperation), Shanti (Peace) and Samriddhi (Prosperity).
o India identified five priorities for the 2021–22 term: seeking responsible and inclusive solutions; result-oriented
measures to counter international terrorism; reformed multilateralism to reflect contemporary realities;
streamlining peacekeeping; and technology with a human touch.
o India has served as a bridge, championing the rights of former colonies, navigating volatile Middle Eastern
conflicts, and fostering stability in Africa.
o India had also chaired 3 committees in 2021:
1. Counter Terrorism Committee
2. Taliban Sanctions Committee
3. Libyan Sanctions Committee

3. UN Economic and Social Council ( UN ECOSOC)

The Economic and Social Council is at the heart of the United Nations system to advance the three dimensions of sustainable
development – economic, social and environmental. It is the central platform for fostering debate and innovative thinking,
forging consensus on ways forward, and coordinating efforts to achieve internationally agreed goals. It is also responsible
for the follow-up to major UN conferences and summits.
Headquarters: New York.
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Established in 1945.
Members: It has 54 Members, elected by the General Assembly for overlapping three-year terms.
Key Points:
• India elected to the UN Economic and Social Council for 2022-24 term. India was elected in the
Asia-Pacific States category along with Afghanistan, Kazakhstan and Oman. A country requires
two-thirds of the total votes to become a member of ECOSOC.
• The UN ECOSOC established the International Arrangement on Forests and the UN Forum on
Forests (UNFF).

4. Trusteeship Council
The UN Charter established the Trusteeship Council as one of the main organs of the United Nations, and assigned to it the
task of supervising the administration of Trust Territories placed under the International Trusteeship System. The
Trusteeship Council suspended its operations on 1 November 1994, a month after the independence of Palau, the last
remaining United Nations trust territory.

5. International Court of Justice

• Established in June 1945
• Seat of the Court: The Hague, Netherlands
• Members: All United Nations members are members of ICJ.
• Functions:
o The Court has two functions:
▪ To settle, in accordance with international law, legal disputes submitted by States,
and.
▪ To give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by authorized UN organs and specialized agencies
• Key Facts:
o The International Court of Justice, also known as the World Court, is the main judicial organ of the United Nation.
o The Court is composed of 15 judges, who are elected for terms of office of nine years by the United Nations
General Assembly and the Security Council.
o The Court has no jurisdiction to deal with applications from individuals, non-governmental organizations,
corporations or any other private entity.
o Article 94 of the United Nations Charter, Judgments delivered by the Court are binding upon the parties
concerned. Judgments are final and without appeal.

6. UN Secretariat
The Secretariat carries out the substantive and administrative work of the United Nations as directed by the General
Assembly, the Security Council and the other organs. At its head is the Secretary-General, who provides overall
administrative guidance.
The main functions of the Secretariat are:
• To gather and prepare background information on various issues so that government delegates can study the facts and
make recommendations;
• To help carry out the decisions made by the different organs of the United Nations;
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• To organize international conferences;
• To translate speeches and distribute documents into the UN’s official languages;
• To keep the public informed about the work of the United Nations.

SPECIALIZED AGENCIES OF UN
1. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is a
specialised agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and
security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences, and culture
• Headquarters: Paris, France.
• Established in 1945
• Members: 194 member states and 12 associate members (As of July 2023)
• India’s Signatory: India has been a member of this organization since 1946.
• Voting: Each state member has one vote
• Key Points:
o UNESCO has two Offices in India – 1. The New Delhi cluster office for eleven countries in South and Central
Asia. 2. The MGIEP – the Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development
o India has been entrusted with a four-year term on the prestigious UNESCO committee responsible for
safeguarding intangible cultural heritage, of cycle 2022-2026
o From 2006 to 2010 and 2014 to 2018, India served as the member of the ICH committee.
o India is elected as a member of the Intergovernmental Committee of UNESCO's 2003 Convention for the
Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) for the 2022-2026 cycle.
o India is also a member of the World Heritage committee of UNESCO (2021-2025).
• Key reports by UNESCO:
o Global Education Monitoring Report
o Gender Parity Index
o Global Ocean Science Report
o United Nations World Water Development Report

2. World Health Organization (WHO)

• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
• Established in 1948 (WHO's Constitution came into force on 7 April 1948 – a date we now celebrate every year as
World Health Day)
• Members: 194 members
• Sessions: Every year in May in Geneva
• Key Points:
o The World Health Assembly's resolutions and directives are put into effect by the WHO Executive Board.
o This is the top body in the world for establishing health policy.
o It has the authority of directing and coordinating matters related to international health.

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o WHO has 150 country offices, and six regional offices.
• Key Reports and Indices:
o World Health Statistics
o Ambient Air pollution Report
o Global Tuberculosis Report
• Recent Developments:
o WHO declared Azerbaijan and Tajikistan malaria-free, marking a significant public health triumph.
o WHO released the first-ever fungal priority pathogen list to identify fungi which pose the greatest threat to public
health
o WHO and World Health Summit jointly organised a health summit in Berlin, Germany in 2023.
o The Seventy-sixth World Health Assembly is being held in Geneva, Switzerland, on 21–30 May 2023. The theme
of this year's Health Assembly is: WHO at 75: Saving lives, driving health for all.

3. World Intellectual Property Organization

• Established in 1967
• Headquarter: Geneva, Switzerland.
• Members: 193 members
• Sessions: Meet once in every second calendar year in ordinary session
• Key Points:
o The WIPO Convention provides that membership is open to any state that
is:
▪ a member of the Paris Union for the Protection of Industrial Property,
or member of the Berne Union for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works; or
▪ a member of the United Nations, or of any of the United Nations' Specialized Agencies, or of the International
Atomic Energy Agency, or that is a party to the Statute of the International Court of Justice; or invited by the
WIPO General Assembly to become a member state of the Organization.
o WIPO administers 26 treaties including the WIPO Convention.
• India and WIPO:
o India in the recent past included accession to the WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty and WIPO
Copyright Treaty (collectively known as the WIPO Internet Treaties) in 2018.
o Marrakesh Treaty facilitates access to published works for persons who are blind, visually impaired and print
disabled.
▪ India is the First country to ratify this treaty.
• Key Reports:
o World Intellectual Property Report (WIPR)
• Recent Developments:
o WIPO, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the WTO launched on 11 April 2022 their new Trilateral
COVID-19 Technical Assistance Platform.
o This new tool aims to help members and WTO accession candidates address their capacity building needs to
respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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4. United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global authority on the
environment. UNEP is driving transformational change by drilling down on the root causes of the
triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss and pollution.
• Established in 1972.
• Headquarters: Nairobi, Kenya
• Members: 193 Member States.
• Sessions: The Environment Assembly meets biennially.
• Voting: Each member state has equal vote (elections are held by secret ballots)
• Key Facts:
United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) is the world’s highest-level decision-making body on the environment
which brings together representatives to address the world’s most pressing environmental challenges.
UNEA is hosted by UNEP every two years.
All the members of the United Nations General Assembly are members of the UNEA.
• Recent Developments:
o In 2022, The UN General Assembly (UNGA) passed a resolution recognizing the right to a clean, healthy, and
sustainable environment as a human right.
o In 2022, The One Health Joint Plan of Action was launched by the Quadripartite – the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the World
Health Organization (WHO), and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).
o Indian wildlife biologist Dr Barman has been honoured with the UNEP’s 2022 Champions of the Earth award in
the Entrepreneurial Vision category.
o In 2018, UNEP honoured PM Narendra Modi with ‘Champions of the Earth’ award in the leadership category for
‘his pioneering work in championing the International Solar Alliance and for his unprecedented pledge to
eliminate all single-use plastic in India by 2022’.
• Key Reports:
o Emissions Gap Report
o Global Environment Outlook

5. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

UNDP is the United Nations’ lead agency on international development. As the UN’s development agency, UNDP plays a
critical role in helping countries achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
• Headquarter: New York City, USA
• Established in 1965
• Members: 177 countries and territories
• Sessions: 3 regular sessions and 1 annual session every year
• Key Points:
o UNDP plays a critical role in helping countries achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
• Recent Developments:
o India Meteorological Department (IMD), the Government of Japan, and the UNDP have announced a new
initiative to accelerate climate action in India.

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• Objectives:
o To meet the objectives of the Strategic Plan in line with the 2030 Agenda, UNDP is implementing six cross-
cutting approaches to development, known as Signature Solutions. A strong, integrated way of putting our best
work, or 'distinctive' skill set, to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
• Key Reports and indices:
o Human Development Index

6. World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations. It is the UN system's
authoritative voice on the state and behaviour of the Earth's atmosphere, its interaction with the oceans, the climate it
produces and the resulting distribution of water resources.
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
• Established in 1951
• Members: 193 Member States and Territories.
• India’s Signatory: India has been a member of the WMO since 1949
• Sessions: Members of the WMO meet in a regular session every four years
• Key Points:
o WMO has entrusted India with the responsibility of Regional Centre of South Asia Flash Flood Guidance System
for coordination, development and its implementation.
o The World Meteorological Congress is the supreme body of WMO.
o WMO originated from the International Meteorological Organization (IMO), the roots of which were planted at
the 1873 Vienna International Meteorological Congress.
• Recent Developments:
o The WMO's provisional State of the Global Climate report states that 2023 is on track to be the warmest year
ever recorded. The world's average temperature from January to November 2023 was 15.1°C (59.2°F), which is
1.46°C (2.63°F) higher than pre-industrial levels.
o On December 20, 2023, the WMO released new guidelines for evaluating weather and climate extremes.
o On January 1, 2024, the WMO's Sentinel-3 satellites captured an image of a cyclone in the Mozambique Channel.
• Key Reports:
o State of World Climate Report

7. World Bank (WB)

• Headquarters: Washington D.C, USA
• Established in 1944
• Members: 189 member countries
• Sessions: Once a year
• India’s Signatory: India was one of the World Bank’s founding members in 1945
• Voting: Member countries are allocated votes at the time of membership and
subsequently for additional subscriptions to capital.
• Key Facts:

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o The World Bank Group (WBG) is a family of five international organizations that make leveraged loans to
developing countries.
o The World Bank Group consists of –
▪ The International Bank of Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)
▪ The International Development Association (IDA)
▪ International Finance Corporation (IFC)
▪ Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA)
▪ International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID)
o India is a member of four of the five constituents of the World Bank Group (IBRD, IDA, IFC and MIGA)
• India and World Bank:
o India launched the World Bank funded project ‘Animal Health System Support for One Health’ (AHSSOH)
in April 2023.
• Key Reports:
o Ease of Doing Business
o World Development Report
o Global Economic Prospect (GEP) Report
o Remittance Report
o Ease of Living Index
o India Development Update
o Universal Health Coverage Index
o The Service Trade Restriction Index

8. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)

• Headquarters: Vienna, Austria
• Members: 53 countries
• Established in 1997
• Sessions: Annual sessions for one week in the first half of the year, as well
as one-day reconvened sessions at the end of each year
• India signed the Convention on 9 December 2005 and ratified it on 9 May
2011.
• Key Facts:
o The Office is committed to supporting Member States in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at its core.
• Key Reports:
o Global Report on Trafficking in Persons

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9. United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
• Headquarters: New York, United States.
• Established in 1946
• Members: 190 countries and territories
• Sessions: The Executive Board meets three times each calendar year, in a first
regular session (February), annual session (June) and second regular session
(September)
• India’s Signatory: UNICEF began its journey in India in 1949
• Key Facts:
o UNICEF is the first UN organisation to hold and make transactions in cryptocurrencies.
• Recent Development:
o Cryptocurrency-denominated fund is a part of UNICEF’s Innovation Fund.
o YuWaah - To facilitate skilling youth, UNICEF launched Generation Unlimited India (YuWaah) in 2019
• Key Reports:
o The State of the World’s Children report
o Report on Regular Resources
o Levels and Trends in Child Mortality Report

10. International Monetary Fund (IMF)

• Established in July 1944 at the Bretton Woods Conference and came into operation on
27th December 1945
• Headquarters: Washington D.C., US
• Members: It has 190 members
• Sessions: The Boards of Governors of the World Bank Group (WBG) and the
International Monetary Fund (IMF) normally meet once a year.
• India was one of the founding members of the IMF.
• Key Facts:
o IMF and the World Bank are also known as the Bretton Woods twins because both were agreed to be set up at a
conference in Bretton Woods in the US.
• Reports published by the IMF
o World Economic Outlook,
o Global Financial Stability Report,
o Fiscal Monitor,
o Global Policy Agenda
o Global Competitiveness Report
• Recent Development:
o IMF Bailout - Sri Lanka secured a $3 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) amid the worst
economic crisis.

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11. International Labour Organization (ILO)
• The only tripartite U.N. agency, since 1919 the ILO brings together governments, employers
and workers of 187 Member States, to set labour standards, develop policies and devise
programmes promoting decent work for all women and men.
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
• Sessions: It meets thrice a year, in March, June and November
• India is one of the founding members of ILO
• Members: 187 member states (186 out of 193 UN member states plus the Cook Islands)
• Key Points:
o It is responsible for drawing up and overseeing international labour standards
o In 1988, the international labour conference adopted the “Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at
Work”
o India held the chairmanship of ILO’s governing body from October 2020 to June 2021
• Recent Developments:
o In 2023 the ILO adopted a new International Labour Standard on quality apprenticeships intending to improve
school to work transitions. Additionally, the ILO promotes decent work for teachers, and labour rights across the
sector.
o ILO adopted the Singapore Declaration at the 17th Asia and Pacific Regional Meeting (APRM) of ILO in
Singapore in 2022
• Key Reports:
o World Social Protection Report
o World Employment and Social Outlook
o World of Work Report
o Global Wage Report

12. Food and Agriculture Organisation

• Established on October 16, 1945,
• Headquarters: Rome, Italy
• Members: 195 members - 194 countries and the European Union
• Sessions: Member Nations meet every two years
• India is one of the founding members of the FAO.
• Key Points:
o FAO is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to
defeat hunger
o FAO receives 100% of its funding from its member countries
o FAO is the depository body of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
o The Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC)is an international food standards body established jointly by the
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO)in May 1963 to protect
consumer's health and ensure fair practices in food trade.

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• Reports:
o Global Report on Food Crises.
o The State of the World’s Forests.
• Recent Development:
o In April 2023, the FAO Council reaffirmed the organization's role in transforming agrifood systems.
o The State of Food and Agriculture 2023 report highlights the hidden costs of global agrifood systems, which
exceed $10 trillion. The report blames unsustainable practices for these escalating costs.
o FAO released the Report on ‘Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Forestry’ at the 8th World Forest Week on the side-
lines of the 26th session of the Committee on Forestry (COFO26) held in 2022 in Rome, Italy
o The 9th session of the governing body of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and
Agriculture (ITPGRFA) held in Delhi
o In December 2022, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) organised the opening ceremony for the
International Year of Millets 2023 in Rome

OTHER INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

1. Asian Development Bank (ADB)
• Headquarter - Manila, Philippines.
• Established in 1966
• Members: 68 members
• India’s Signatory: India is one of the founding members
• Key Facts:
o ADB has 68 members of which 49 are from within Asia and the Pacific while the remaining 19 are from outside
o The bank admits member countries from Asian region and non-regional developed countries.
o India is a founding member and the 4th largest shareholder
o ADB is developing New Delhi as a regional hub for its operations in South Asia.
o As of 31 December 2022, ADB's five largest shareholders are Japan and the United States (each with 15.6% of
total shares), the People's Republic of China (6.4%), India (6.3%), and Australia (5.8%).
o The ADB was modelled closely on the World Bank and has a similar weighted voting system where votes are
distributed in proportion to members' capital subscriptions.
o The Asian Development Bank (ADB) assists its members, and partners, by providing loans, technical assistance,
grants, and equity investments to promote social and economic development in the Asia Pacific region.
• Key Reports: Asian Development Outlook

2. Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

• Established in 1967 with the signing of the Bangkok Declaration.
• Headquarter: Jakarta, Indonesia.
• Members: 10 Southeast Asian states (India is a dialogue partner)
• Sessions: Twice Annually
• India became a Sectoral Dialogue Partner of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 1992. In 1995,
India became a full Dialogue Partner.
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• Key Facts:
o It is a regional organisation comprising 10 Southeast Asian states which promote intergovernmental cooperation
and facilitate economic integration among its members.
o Member nations are Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar,
and Vietnam.
o In 2006, ASEAN was given observer status at the United Nations General Assembly.
• Recent Developments:
o In 2023, Indonesia became the chair of ASEAN, with the theme "ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth".
o In December 2023, the 14th issue of the ASEAN Economic Integration Brief (AEIB) was released. The brief
includes insights into ASEAN's carbon neutrality strategy and the AEC Post-2025 Agenda.
o The Joint Statement on ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership was adopted in the 19th ASEAN-
India Summit held at Phnom Penh, Cambodia
o Celebrating the 30th anniversary of ASEAN - India relations, 2022 marks the "ASEAN-India Friendship Year,"
solidifying the growing cooperation and shared future between the two entities.

3. Council of Europe
• Established in 1949 by 10 countries
• Headquarter: Strasbourg, France
• Members: 46 members, and India is not a member.
• Key Facts:
o No country has ever joined the EU without first belonging to the Council of Europe.
o Unlike the EU, the Council of Europe cannot make binding laws, but it does have the power to enforce select
international agreements reached by European states on various topics.
o The best-known body of the Council of Europe is the European Court of Human Rights, which enforces the
European Convention on Human Rights.
• Recent developments:
o In October 2023, the Council approved conclusions on digital empowerment to protect and enforce fundamental
rights in the digital age.
o In March 2022, the Council of Europe expelled Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine.

4. European Investment Bank (EIB)

• Established in 1958.
• Headquarters: Luxembourg
• Members: 27 members and India is not a member
• Key Facts:
o EIB is a long-term lending institution of the European Union owned by its member states.
o It is also engaged in multilateral financing and works closely with other EU institutions to implement EU policy.
o More than 90% of its activity is in Europe but it is also a big investor globally

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• Functions:
o Lending – about 90 % of its total financial commitment. The Bank lends to clients of all sizes to support growth
and jobs, and this support often helps to attract other investors.
o 'Blending' - allowing clients to combine EIB financing with additional investment.
o Advising and technical assistance - maximizing value for money.

5. North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

• Establishment: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was created in 1949 by the United States, Canada, and several
Western European nations to provide collective security against the Soviet Union.
• Headquarters: Brussels, Belgium
• Members: It has 31 members (29 European countries and two countries in North America (the United States and
Canada) and India is not a member of the organization.
• Voting: Decisions are taken by consensus
• Key Points:
o Members of NATO are committed to mutual defence in response to an attack by any external party
o NATO was the US’s first peacetime military alliance outside the Western hemisphere
• Recent Developments:
o The NATO Plus is a security arrangement of 31 member countries with five 5 aligned nations - Australia, New
Zealand, Japan, Israel and South Korea - to address the rise of China formalised in 2019.
o India held its first political dialogue with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation in December 2019.
o Finland became NATO's newest member in April 2023, upon depositing its instrument of accession to the North
Atlantic Treaty with the United States at NATO Headquarters in Brussels.

6. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)

• Established in 1961
• Members: 38 members and India is not a member of the organization
• Headquarters: Paris, France
• India’s Signatory: India, a non-member, is a signatory of this policy
• Key Points:
o It works closely with non-members like China, India through "Enhanced Engagement" programmes.
o European Commission also participates alongside members in discussions on the OECD 136 countries, including
India, agreed to enforce a minimum corporate tax rate of 15%, and an equitable system of taxing profits of big
companies in markets where they are earned
o The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is the OECD's Programme for International Student
Assessment. PISA measures 15-year-olds’ ability to use their reading, mathematics and science knowledge and
skills to meet real-life challenges.
• Recent Developments:
o In 2021, OECD commemorated its 60th anniversary.
o In 2021, the G20 mandated the OECD to develop a framework providing for the automatic exchange of tax-
relevant information on Crypto-Assets.

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o In 2022, the OECD approved the Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF) to automatically exchange such
information.

7. Financial Action Task Force (FATF)

• Established in July 1989 during the G-7 summit.
• Headquarters: Paris, France
• Members: 39 members (37 jurisdictions and 2 regional organisations (the Gulf Cooperation Council and the European
Commission)
• Sessions: Three times a year, usually in February, June and October
• In 2010, FATF admitted India as 34th Country Member.
• Key Facts:
o The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) leads global action to tackle money laundering, terrorist and
proliferation financing.
o The 39-member body sets international standards to ensure national authorities can effectively go after illicit
funds linked to drug trafficking, the illicit arms trade, cyber fraud and other serious crimes.
o Countries and jurisdictions are assessed with the help of nine FATF Associate Member organizations and other
global partners, the IMF and World Bank.
o Grey and Black Lists: Countries considered safe havens for supporting terror funding and money laundering are
placed in the FATF grey list. The “Non-Cooperative Countries or Territories” (NCCTs) list, comes under the
blacklist.
o Global Money Laundering Report is published by FATF.

8. BRICS
• Established on June 16,2009
• Headquarters: Shanghai, China
• Sessions: The BRICS leaders meet twice annually—first at the BRICS summit and then on the sidelines of the G20
summit
• Members: BRICS is an acronym for the grouping of the world’s leading emerging economies, namely Brazil, Russia,
India, China, and South Africa.
• Key Facts:
o All five Members of BRICS are members of G-20
o Comprising over 40% of the world's population and contributing 22% to global GDP, the BRICS nations represent
a major force on the international stage.
o The chairmanship of the forum is rotated annually among the members, by the acronym B-R-I-C-S.
o India chaired the meeting in 2021. It was the third time that India hosted the BRICS Summit after 2012 and 2016
• Recent Developments:
o Spearheaded by India, the BRICS Innovation Action 2021-2024 received unanimous approval at the 13th BRICS
S&T Committee Meeting, paving the way for collaborative technological advancement within the bloc.

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9. G7
• Established in 1975
• Headquarters: The Group of Seven (G7) does not have a permanent office or secretariat.
• Members: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, and the US
• Sessions: The G7 summit is being held annually to discuss economic policies, while the G7 finance ministers have
met at least semi-annually
• India’s Stand: India is not a member of the G7 group. But India is a vocal supporter of saving the environment to
balance climate change.
• Key Facts:
o All the G7 countries are part of G20
o Formerly called G8 with Russia in it, but due to the Crimean crisis, Russia was ejected from the group.
o The G7 Summit is an international forum held annually for the leaders of the G7 member states (in order of
rotating presidency), and the European Union (EU).
o India has been a special guest to the G-7/G-8 since 2003. It has maintained its independent course, especially on
political issues
• Recent Developments:
o The 2021 G-7 summit signed the Carbis Bay Declaration
o In a unified effort, G7 leaders pledged to phase out Russian energy imports and explore measures like price caps
to stabilize the energy market and protect consumers
o The G7 leaders endorsed the goals of an international Climate Club to accelerate the implementation of the Paris
Agreement.
o In 2023, as the G7 Presidency, Japan hosted the G7 Hiroshima Summit. The choice of Hiroshima underlines
its commitment to put nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation prominently on the agenda of the meeting. PM
Modi also attended the Summit.

10. Commonwealth of Nations

• The Commonwealth of Nations was formed in 1949 to maintain an association between countries that had once been
part of the British colonies, but which were considered 'free and equal'.
• Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
• Members: 56 member states
• Sessions: Leaders of Commonwealth countries meet every two years for the Commonwealth Heads of Government
Meeting (CHOGM).
• Key Facts:
o The head of the Commonwealth is Charles III.
o It was created as the British Commonwealth of Nations through the Balfour Declaration at the 1926 Imperial
Conference, and formalised by the United Kingdom through the Statute of Westminster in 1931. The current
Commonwealth of Nations was formally constituted by the London Declaration in 1949, which modernised the
community and established the member states as "free and equal"
o India is the largest member state of the Commonwealth, with nearly 60% of the total population of the
association. It is the fourth largest contributor to the Commonwealth budgets and programmes.

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o The values of the commonwealth are listed down within the Commonwealth Charter and the hands of harmony
towards the member states are extended by the Commonwealth Games held every four years.
o The 2024 meeting will take place in October 2024 in Samoa, the first CHOGM to be held in a Pacific small island
developing State (SIDS).

11. G 20
• Established in 1999
• Members: 19 sovereign countries, the European Union (EU), and the African Union (AU). It aimed to secure global
financial stability by involving middle-income countries.
• Key Points:
o The first G20 Summit took place in 2008 in Washington DC, US.
o In addition to the member countries, Spain is a permanent guest and always participates in the G20 summits.
o The President is chosen by a rotation system amongst the member countries, divided in 5 groups each having a
max of 4 countries.
o The Troika, which comprises the past, present, and future presidents now include Indonesia, India, and Brazil.
• Recent Developments:
o On December 1, 2022, India assumed the presidency of the G20 grouping from the current chair Indonesia
o The Prime Minister has unveiled the logo, theme and website of India’s G20 Presidency on 8th November 2022.
o The 2023 G20 meeting will be hosted by India. The theme of India’s G20 Presidency - “Vasudhaiva
Kutumbakam” or “One Earth · One Family · One Future” - is drawn from the ancient Sanskrit text of the
Maha Upanishad.

12. I2U2
• Established: In 2021 to encourage cooperation on geo-economic initiatives.
• Members: India, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States
• Key Points:
o The Heads of Government of India, Israel, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the United States, convened
for the first leaders’ meeting of the “I2U2” Group
o The group's first joint statement, released on July 14, 2022.
• Functions -
o Food Security -The UAE will invest $2 billion to develop a series of integrated food parks across India. India
will provide appropriate land for the project and will facilitate farmers’ integration into the food parks.
o Clean Energy -The I2U2 Group will advance a hybrid renewable energy project in India’s Gujarat State
consisting of 300 megawatts (MW) of wind and solar capacity complemented by a battery energy storage system.
• Recent Development:
o I2U2 (2023) was held in Abu Dhabi to discuss opportunities for cooperation between the business communities
of the four countries.

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13. Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation
• Established in 1989
• Headquarters - Queenstown, Singapore
• Members: 21 members (India is not a member)
• Sessions: APEC has an annual Economic Leaders' Meeting,
• Key Points:
o APEC also includes three official observers: ASEAN, the Pacific Islands Forum and the Pacific Economic
Cooperation Council
o India is not in the grouping and has applied for membership. It was invited to be an observer for the first time in
2011.
• Functions:
o It ensures that goods, services, investments and people move easily across borders. Members facilitate this trade
through faster customs procedures at borders; more favourable business climates behind the border; and aligning
regulations and standards across the region.
• Recent Developments:
o Thailand hosted the APEC 2022 Summit with the theme “Open. Connect. Balance”.
o APEC 2023 Leaders' Summit 2023 took place in San Francisco, United States with the theme “Creating a Resilient
& Sustainable Future for All”
o Peru will chair APEC for the third time in 2024

14. South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC)

• Established in 1985
• Headquarters: Kathmandu, Nepal
• Members: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, the Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka
• Sessions: Summits are usually held biennially hosted by a Member State in alphabetical order.
• Key Facts:
o South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation is the regional intergovernmental organization and geopolitical
union of nations in South Asia
o It launched the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) in 2006
o Countries with observer status include the European Union, Iran, Japan, Mauritius, Australia, China, Myanmar,
South Korea and United States
o Founded in 2010 by SAARC member states, the SAARC Development Fund (SDF) serves as a vital engine for
positive change across South Asia

15. QUAD
• Established in 2017
• Members: India, Australia, Japan and the U.S.A.
• Sessions: Once in a Year
• Key Points:

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o The idea was originally conceived in 2007 by the former Japan’s Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, aimed at promoting
regional security and economic cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
o The Quad is seen as a mechanism for balancing China's influence in the region, although its members have stressed
that it is not a military alliance and is open to other countries who share their values and interests.
o The leaders of the four nations of the Quad grouping met digitally for the first-ever virtual summit-level meeting
in 2021.
o The second (in-person) meeting of the Quadrilateral Strategic Dialogue of Foreign Ministers was held in Tokyo
in 2022
o Third (in-person) meeting was held in Hiroshima, Japan on 20 May 2023

16. AUKUS
• Established on September 15, 2021
• Members: The Trilateral Security Partnership Between Australia, U.K. and U.S.
• Key Points:
o The major highlight of this arrangement is the sharing of US nuclear submarine technology with Australia. The
partnership involves cooperation in various areas, including defence and security, technology, and climate change.
o Although the US has explicitly denied that the grouping is targeted against China, its Indo-Pacific orientation
makes it an alliance against China’s assertive actions in the South China Sea.
o The three countries alongside Canada and New Zealand already share extensive intelligence through the Five
Eyes alliance.
o The Five Eyes alliance is an intelligence-sharing arrangement between five English-speaking democracies: the
US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand

17. International Solar Alliance

• Established in 2015
• Headquarters: Gurgaon, India
• Members: 121 Members, most of them being sunshine countries, which lie either completely or partly between the
Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.
• India is a founding member.
• Sessions: The Assembly meets annually at the ministerial level
• Objectives:
o The primary objective of the alliance is to work for efficient exploitation of solar energy to reduce dependence on
fossil fuels.
o To mobilize more than USD 1000 billion of investment needed by 2030 for the massive deployment of solar
energy
• Key Points:
o The ISA was conceived as a joint effort by India and France to mobilise efforts against climate change through
the deployment of solar energy solutions.
o The UN General Assembly has conferred Observer Status to the International Solar Alliance (ISA).
o Each member country is represented in the Assembly, which meets annually at the Ministerial level at the seat of
the ISA.
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o The Assembly may also meet under special circumstances.
o The Assembly makes all necessary decisions regarding the functioning of the ISA, including the selection of the
Director General and approval of the operating budget.
o The assembly is the supreme decision-making body of ISA
o India hosted the 6th Session of the International Solar Alliance Assembly at Bharat Mandapam, in New Delhi in
2023 and deliberated on the key initiatives of ISA on three critical issues energy access, energy security, and
energy transition.

18. RCEP
• Launched in 2012. It was officially signed in November 2020, it was entered into force on January 1, 2022.
• Members: ASEAN Members and FTA Partners
• Key Points:
o The RCEP is a free trade agreement (FTA) between the ten member states of the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore,
Thailand, Vietnam) and its five FTA partners (China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand). It is a
trade deal signed among 15 countries
o The members account for nearly 30% of the global GDP
o In November 2019, India walked out of the agreement as negotiations failed to address the country’s issues and
concerns.
o Sri Lanka and Bangladesh eye RCEP membership.

19. NAM Summit

• Established in 1961
• Coordinating Bureau: New York, U.S.A.
• Members: 120 developing Countries
• Sessions: NAM meets every three years
• Key Points:
o It was envisioned as a platform for those who didn’t want to be dictated by the then two superpowers - USSR and
USA
o The Bandung Asian-African Conference is the most immediate antecedent to the creation of NAM
o India is a founding member.
o The NAM was formed during the Cold War to create an independent path in world politics that would not result
in member States becoming pawns in the struggles between the major powers
• Recent Developments:
o The 18th Summit of the NAM was held on October 25-26, 2019 in Baku, Azerbaijan.
o In 2019 - 2023, NAM will be chaired by Azerbaijan.

20. Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)

• Established in 2001
• Headquarters: Beijing, China

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• Members: eight Member States (China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan),
four Observer States interested in acceding to full membership (Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, and Mongolia) and six
“Dialogue Partners” (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Turkey).
• Sessions: Once a year
• Key Points:
o Since its inception in 2001, the SCO has mainly focused on regional security issues, its fight against regional
terrorism, ethnic separatism and religious extremism. To date, the SCO’s priorities also include regional
development.
o The Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS), headquartered in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, is a permanent organ of
the SCO that serves to promote cooperation of member states against terrorism, separatism and extremism.
• Recent Developments:
o The SCO has been an observer in the UN General Assembly since 2005.
o The SCO Summit 2022, held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, addressed the series of challenges and headwinds facing
humanity in the 21st century, as highlighted by the adopted Samarkand Declaration.
o India assumed the rotating Chairmanship of SCO at the Samarkand Summit on 16 September 2022.
o As the Chairperson of the 23rd SCO Summit, India has made continuous efforts on two fundamental principles.
Firstly, "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam," which means the whole world is one family. The second principle is
SECURE, which stands for Security, Economic development, Connectivity, Unity, Respect for sovereignty and
territorial integrity, and Environmental protection.

21. BBIN
• Established in 2015
• Members: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal
• Key Points:
o It is the regional sub-grouping India had planned for the Regulation of Passenger, Personal and Cargo Vehicular
Traffic amongst BBIN.
o It was an alternative proposed by the government after Pakistan rejected the Motor Vehicle Agreement (MVA) at
the SAARC summit in Kathmandu in 2014.
• Recent Developments:
o In 2016, India approved $1.08 billion for construction and upgrading of 558 kilometres long roads that join
Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal.
o Bhutan as the country pulled out of the deal in 2017.

22. IORA
• Established in 1997
• Headquarters: Ebene, Mauritius
• Members: 23 Member states and 11 Dialogue Partners
• Key Points:
o (IORA) is an intergovernmental organisation established to promote economic cooperation and regional
integration among countries bordering the Indian Ocean.

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o It is based on the principles of Open Regionalism for strengthening Economic Cooperation, particularly on Trade
Facilitation and Investment, Promotion as well as Social Development of the region.
o India is a founding Member.
o 23 Member States: Australia, Bangladesh, Comoros, France/Reunion, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya,
Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Seychelles, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa,
Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
o Dialogue Partners: China, Egypt, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Russia, Turkey, the United
Kingdom and the United States of America.
o A Seminar on Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing, under the aegis of the Indian Ocean Rim
Association (IORA), was conducted by the Indian Navy at Goa on 02 November 2022.

23. Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)

• Established in 1981
• Headquarters: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
• Members: 6 Gulf States (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates)
• Key Points:
o The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, also known as the Gulf Cooperation Council, is a
regional, intergovernmental, political, and economic union comprising Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi
Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
• Recent Development:
o Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE and Egypt have imposed an air, land and sea blockade on Qatar since June 2017.
The blockading countries have accused Qatar of supporting terrorism.
o The four blockading countries signed the Al-Ula declaration during the 41st GCC summit based on greater
cooperation within the Council.
o The 43rd GCC summit decided that Doha will hold the presidency of the 44th GCC summit
o GCC is currently India’s largest trading partner bloc with bilateral trade in FY 2021-22 valued at over USD 154
billion with exports valued at approximately USD 44 billion and imports of around USD 110 billion.
o India is negotiating a Free Trade Agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council.

24. African Union

• Established in 2002
• Headquarters: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
• Members: 55 Member States which represent all the countries on the African continent
• Sessions: Twice a year
• Key Points:
o It is the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU, 1963-1999)
• Recent Developments
o Members have signed the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) for goods and services at the
12th AU Summit.

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o It is the world’s largest FTA by the number of countries participating in trading under AfCFTA commenced on
January 1, 2021.
o The African Union (AU) is included as a permanent member of the G20 in 2023.

25. World Trade Organization (WTO)

The World Trade Organization is an intergovernmental organization that regulates and facilitates international trade. With
effective cooperation in the United Nations System, governments use the organization to establish, revise, and enforce the
rules that govern international trade.
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
• Established in 1995
• Members: 164 members
• Sessions: The WTO's top-level decision-making body is the Ministerial Conference, which meets usually every two
years.
• Voting: Decisions are made by consensus
• India has been a WTO member since 1 January 1995.
• Key Points:
o The WTO officially commenced under the Marrakesh Agreement, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs
and Trade (GATT).
o The General Council takes care of day-to-day decision-making.
o All decisions are taken through consensus and any member can exercise a veto.
• Important Trades Agreements of WTO:
o Agreement on Agriculture (AoA),
o Agreement on TRIPS (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights),
o Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS),
o Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT),
o Agreement on Trade-Related Investment Measures (TRIMS),
o General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) etc.
• Key Reports:
o World Trade Report - The 2023 World Trade Report evaluates how re-globalization – integrating more people,
economies and pressing issues into world trade – can provide solutions to global challenges, and assesses the risks
of trade fragmentation.

26. World Economic Forum

• Established in 1971
• Headquarters: Cologny, Switzerland
• Sessions: The Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum is held in Davos, Switzerland.
• Members: Leaders from 130 countries
• Key Facts:
o The Forum engages the foremost political, business, cultural and other leaders of society to shape global, regional
and industry agendas

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o WEF established the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in San Francisco to develop policy frameworks
and advance collaborations that accelerate the benefits of science and technology.
• Key Reports and indices:
o Global Competitiveness Report,
o Global Enabling Trade Report,
o Global Gender Gap Index,
o Inclusive Development Index

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