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Concept Library · GS 2

International Relations

Groupings, treaties, chokepoints and doctrines behind India's foreign policy news. 667 concepts, each with its definition, key details and a timeline of every news story that touched it.

UNCLOS and the Right of Transit Passage Through International Straits

In the news 9x

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), signed in 1982 and entering into force in 1994, is the foundational international legal...

US-China Trade War

In the news 9x

The US-China trade conflict, which escalated sharply from 2018 under Trump's first term, stems from grievances about China's industrial subsidies...

2026 Iran War

In the news 8x

The 2026 Iran War began on 28 February 2026 when the United States and Israel launched coordinated surprise airstrikes on military sites across Iran. The...

APEDA

In the news 8x

APEDA is a statutory body established in 1986 under the APEDA Act, 1985, functioning under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. It is mandated to promote...

Assam Rifles

In the news 8x

The Assam Rifles is India's oldest paramilitary force, with origins traceable to 1835 when it was raised as the Cachar Levy by the British to maintain law...

Ebola Virus Disease

In the news 8x

Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) is caused by viruses belonging to the genus Ebolavirus within the family Filoviridae. It is classified as a Biosafety Level 4...

Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS)

In the news 8x

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of India launched the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat package...

India's Agricultural Trade Policy

In the news 8x

India has historically maintained a protective stance on agricultural trade, rooted in food security concerns and the livelihood dependence of nearly 42-43%...

India's Critical Minerals Strategy

In the news 8x

India has identified 30 critical minerals essential for clean energy technology, defence, and electronics manufacturing. Securing supply chains for these...

India's Dairy Sector

In the news 8x

India is the world's largest producer of milk, accounting for approximately 24% of global milk production. The sector is dominated by smallholder farmers...

India's Foreign Policy

In the news 8x

India's foreign policy doctrine since independence has rested on the principle of strategic autonomy — the ability to make independent decisions without...

India's Gulf Diaspora

In the news 8x

The Indian diaspora in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries — UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain — constitutes over 9-10 million...

India's Oil Import Diversification Strategy

In the news 8x

India is the world's third-largest oil consumer and importer, importing approximately 85-87% of its crude oil requirements. Historically dependent on Middle...

India's Trade Exposure to West Asia

In the news 8x

India's economic relationship with West Asia extends well beyond oil. The region is a major destination for Indian exports (rice, textiles, engineering...

India's Trade Policy Architecture

In the news 8x

India's trade policy is managed by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, with the DGFT (Directorate General of Foreign Trade) administering export-import...

India's Trade Policy Framework

In the news 8x

India's trade policy has evolved from near-autarky under the import-substitution regime (1950s-1991) through the 1991 liberalization, to the current...

India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS)

In the news 8x

The India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) is the premier platform for India-Africa engagement, jointly organised by India and the African Union. It began in 2008...

India-Canada Relations

In the news 8x

India-Canada diplomatic relations soured sharply in September 2023 when Canadian PM Justin Trudeau publicly alleged Indian government involvement in the...

India-China Relations

In the news 8x

India-China tensions go beyond border disputes and are rooted in a structural rivalry between two large, nuclear-armed, civilisational states with...

India-Israel Relations

In the news 8x

India established full diplomatic relations with Israel in 1992 under PM Narasimha Rao. The relationship accelerated dramatically under PM Modi, who became...

India-UK CETA

In the news 8x

The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between India and the United Kingdom is a bilateral free trade agreement covering goods, services and...

International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA)

In the news 8x

The IEEPA, enacted in 1977, grants the US President broad powers to regulate international commerce during declared national emergencies. It was originally...

International Humanitarian Law (IHL)

In the news 8x

International Humanitarian Law (IHL), also known as the law of armed conflict, is primarily codified in the four Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their...

Iran's Political Structure

In the news 8x

Iran's governance system, established after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, is a unique hybrid of theocratic and republican elements. The Supreme Leader...

Iran-Israel Conflict

In the news 8x

Iran and Israel do not share a border, yet they have been in a state of shadow war for decades — fought through proxies, cyberattacks, assassinations, and...

Naval Blockade Under International Law

In the news 8x

A naval blockade is a military operation to prevent passage of vessels to or from an enemy's coastline or ports. Under the laws of naval warfare codified in...

OPEC+

In the news 8x

OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) was founded in 1960 in Baghdad, with five founding members: Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and...

Pakistan as Mediator

In the news 8x

Pakistan's role in brokering the US-Iran ceasefire and hosting the Islamabad talks marks a significant diplomatic achievement for Islamabad, leveraging its...

Quad (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue)

In the news 8x

The Quad is an informal but strategically significant grouping of four Indo-Pacific democracies: India, the United States, Australia, and Japan. Its origins...

Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)

In the news 8x

The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), commonly called the Pakistani Taliban, was formally established in December 2007 as an umbrella organisation of...

US Sanctions on Iran

In the news 8x

The United States has maintained an extensive sanctions regime against Iran, targeting its nuclear programme, ballistic missile development, support for...

2026 Strait of Hormuz Crisis

In the news 7x

The 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis began in late February 2026 in the context of the ongoing Middle East conflict. Iranian forces, primarily through the...

Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC)

In the news 7x

CBDR-RC is a foundational principle in international environmental law, codified in the Rio Declaration (1992), UNFCCC (1992), and reaffirmed in the Paris...

Energy Security and Import Dependence

In the news 7x

Energy security refers to the uninterrupted availability of energy sources at an affordable price. Bangladesh imports virtually all its petroleum products...

Food Corporation of India (FCI)

In the news 7x

The Food Corporation of India was established on 14 January 1965 under the Food Corporations Act, 1964, with its first office at Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu —...

Free Trade Agreement (FTA)

In the news 7x

A Free Trade Agreement is a treaty between two or more countries that reduces or eliminates tariff and non-tariff barriers on goods and services traded...

Global AI Governance Architecture

In the news 7x

Global AI governance has evolved through a series of summits and multilateral frameworks. The UK hosted the first AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park in...

India's Act East Policy

In the news 7x

The Act East Policy, upgraded from the earlier Look East Policy (1991), was formally announced in November 2014. It aims to deepen India's engagement with...

India's Civil Aviation Sector

In the news 7x

India is the world's third-largest domestic aviation market and is projected to become the largest by 2030-2040. Indian carriers operated approximately 750...

India's Energy Import Dependence and Vulnerability

In the news 7x

India is structurally dependent on imported hydrocarbons: it imports approximately 90% of its crude oil requirements, over 66% of its LPG, and over 50% of...

India's Energy Security and Gulf Dependence

In the news 7x

India is the world's third-largest oil importer and consumer. Approximately 85% of India's crude oil requirements are met through imports, with Gulf...

India's Export Competitiveness

In the news 7x

Two of India's largest export sectors to the US — gems & jewellery and electronics — were highlighted as vulnerable to Trump tariffs.

India's Export Promotion Architecture

In the news 7x

India's export strategy is managed through the Ministry of Commerce, supported by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) and a range of...

India's Fertiliser Import Dependence

In the news 7x

India is one of the world's largest consumers of chemical fertilisers — essential for agricultural productivity. While India produces urea domestically...

India's Free Trade Agreement Strategy

In the news 7x

India's FTA strategy has shifted from caution (withdrawal from RCEP in 2019) to selective bilateral engagement. By 2026, India has concluded or advanced...

India's Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR) Programme

In the news 7x

Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR) are government-held emergency crude oil stocks designed to cushion the economy against supply shocks. The IEA...

India's Textile Industry

In the news 7x

India is the world's second-largest textile producer (after China) and sixth-largest exporter of textiles and apparel. The sector contributes ~2.3% of GDP...

India-Finland Bilateral Relations

In the news 7x

India and Finland share a 75-year diplomatic history built on technology cooperation, education, and innovation, with the relationship deepening...

India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) Framework

In the news 7x

The India-US trade relationship has historically been marked by periodic friction over tariffs, market access, and non-tariff barriers. The current interim...

India-US Relations

In the news 7x

India-US relations have undergone a fundamental transformation since the 2005 Civil Nuclear Agreement, evolving into a 'Comprehensive Global Strategic...

Iran's Nuclear Programme and the JCPOA Framework

In the news 7x

Iran's nuclear programme has been a central flashpoint in Middle Eastern geopolitics since 2002, when covert enrichment activities were publicly revealed....

OPEC and OPEC+

In the news 7x

OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) was founded on September 14, 1960 in Baghdad by five founding members: Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi...

Pax Silica

In the news 7x

Pax Silica is a US-led multilateral initiative launched to build resilient and trusted supply chains for critical technologies including semiconductors, AI...

RoDTEP

In the news 7x

RoDTEP (Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products) is a scheme that reimburses exporters for embedded taxes and duties that are not refunded...

Rules of Origin (RoO)

In the news 7x

Rules of Origin are criteria used to determine the national source of a product. In FTAs, RoOs prevent 'tariff shopping' — where goods from a third country...

Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)

In the news 7x

SEBI was established on April 12, 1988, as a non-statutory executive body, and was granted statutory powers on January 30, 1992, through the Securities and...

Stagflation

In the news 7x

Stagflation — the simultaneous occurrence of stagnating economic growth, high unemployment, and high inflation — is considered one of the most challenging...

Strategic Autonomy

In the news 7x

India's doctrine of strategic autonomy evolved from the Nehruvian Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) of the Cold War era. While India is now deeply integrated with...

WTO Dispute Settlement Mechanism

In the news 7x

The WTO Dispute Settlement Understanding (DSU) is the rules-based mechanism for resolving trade disputes between member states. Administered by the Dispute...

Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972

In the news 6x

India's principal domestic legislation to regulate dealing in antiquities and prevent illegal export. Enacted in alignment with the 1970 UNESCO Convention...

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These concepts move with the news. The daily brief explains each one in the story where it appears.
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