UGC NET Political Science India’s Foreign Policy Syllabus

Name two major recent flashpoints in India-China border tensions.

The 2017 Doklam standoff (Bhutan tri-junction) and the 2020 Galwan Valley clash in Ladakh, the first deadly border confrontation in decades.

What is the legal basis of the India-EU strategic partnership?

India and the EU established a Strategic Partnership in 2004; cooperation now runs through summit mechanisms, the Trade and Technology Council (2022), and ongoing FTA/BTIA negotiations.

What does BRICS stand for and when did South Africa join?

Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa. The grouping began as 'BRIC' (first summit 2009) and South Africa joined in 2010, making it 'BRICS'.

Which financial institution did BRICS establish and where is it headquartered?

The New Development Bank (NDB), established in 2014 and headquartered in Shanghai, China; BRICS also created the Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA).

What is ASEAN and how does India engage with it institutionally?

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (10 members), with which India is a full Dialogue Partner (since 1996) and Strategic Partner, engaging via the East Asia Summit, ARF, and ASEAN-India summits.

What is the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and when did India join as a full member?

A Eurasian political, economic, and security organisation led by China and Russia; India (with Pakistan) became a full member in 2017, having been an observer since 2005.

Which security body is the SCO's counter-terrorism arm?

The Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS), based in Tashkent, which coordinates intelligence and counter-terrorism cooperation among SCO members.

How does India engage with the African Union (AU)?

Primarily through the India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) process (since 2008), development partnerships, lines of credit, the Pan-African e-Network, and support for the AU's 2021 G20 membership.

What is the Southern African Development Community (SADC)?

A regional economic bloc of 16 Southern African states (HQ Gaborone, Botswana) promoting socio-economic integration; India engages it for trade, investment, and development cooperation.

What is the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and why is it strategically vital to India?

A bloc of six Gulf monarchies (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman); vital for India's energy imports, ~9 million-strong diaspora, and remittances.

What is SAARC, when was it founded, and who are its members?

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, founded in 1985 (Dhaka), with eight members: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Afghanistan.

Why has SAARC been described as largely ineffective/dormant?

Due to India-Pakistan rivalry (the bilateral disputes clause), terrorism concerns (2016 Islamabad summit cancelled), and weak intra-regional trade; India has shifted focus to BIMSTEC.

What is the Gujral Doctrine and who articulated it?

A 1996-97 set of five principles by I.K. Gujral for relations with smaller South Asian neighbours, based on non-reciprocity and accommodation toward Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Maldives.

State the core idea of the Gujral Doctrine's principle of non-reciprocity.

India, as the largest South Asian power, should give to its smaller neighbours what it can in good faith without demanding reciprocity, to build trust and goodwill.

What is the Look East Policy and who launched it?

A policy launched by P.V. Narasimha Rao's government in 1991-92 to deepen economic and strategic ties with Southeast and East Asia after the Cold War and liberalization.

How does the Act East Policy differ from the Look East Policy?

Announced in 2014, Act East upgrades Look East from a largely economic focus to add a stronger strategic, security, and connectivity dimension extending to the wider Indo-Pacific.

What is India's 'Look West' policy?

India's strategic outreach (from the mid-2000s) toward West Asia/the Gulf, Israel, and Iran, focusing on energy security, the diaspora, trade, and counter-terrorism.

On what permanent UN reform does India lead, and through which grouping?

India seeks a permanent seat on an expanded UN Security Council, campaigning through the G4 (India, Brazil, Germany, Japan).

What is India's record of contribution to UN peacekeeping?

India is one of the largest cumulative troop contributors to UN peacekeeping operations, having participated in dozens of missions since the 1950s.

What is the WTO and what is India's key stance within it?

The World Trade Organisation (est. 1995, HQ Geneva) governs global trade rules; India defends developing-country interests, food security/public stockholding (the 'Peace Clause'), and special & differential treatment, often opposing rich-country agricultural subsidies.

What is the IMF and how is voting power determined within it?

The International Monetary Fund (HQ Washington D.C.) provides balance-of-payments support; voting power is based on quotas tied to economic size, and India advocates quota reform for greater developing-country representation.

What is the IPCC and what is its function?

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (est. 1988 by WMO and UNEP); it assesses scientific knowledge on climate change and produces periodic Assessment Reports, but does not conduct its own research or set policy.

What climate-equity principle does India champion in global negotiations?

'Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities' (CBDR-RC), asserting that developed nations bear greater historical responsibility for emissions.

What is maritime security and which doctrine frames India's approach?

Protection of sea lanes, EEZ, ports, and coastlines against piracy, terrorism, and trafficking; India frames it through SAGAR ('Security and Growth for All in the Region') and Indo-Pacific cooperation.

What does the acronym SAGAR stand for in India's maritime policy?

'Security and Growth for All in the Region', India's 2015 vision for maritime cooperation and a rules-based order in the Indian Ocean Region.

What is energy security and what is India's central challenge in it?

Reliable, affordable, sustainable access to energy; India's challenge is heavy import dependence for crude oil and gas (over 80% of oil imported), driving diversification and renewables.

What is 'environmental security' as a non-traditional security concept?

The idea that environmental degradation, resource scarcity, and climate change (e.g., water stress, disasters, climate migration) constitute threats to national and human security.

What is the key distinction between a 'migrant' and a 'refugee' in international law?

A refugee flees persecution/conflict and is protected by the principle of non-refoulement; a migrant moves chiefly for economic or other voluntary reasons. Note: India is not a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention.

Name the major water-sharing treaties India maintains with neighbours.

The Indus Waters Treaty (1960) with Pakistan, brokered by the World Bank, and the Ganga Waters Treaty (1996) with Bangladesh on Farakka barrage sharing.

What approach does India advocate against international terrorism at the UN?

India has pushed since 1996 for adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) to provide a universal legal definition and framework against terrorism.

What is India's principal national framework/agency for cyber security?

India's cyber security is anchored by CERT-In (Indian Computer Emergency Response Team), the National Cyber Security Policy (2013), and the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC).