INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

SYLLABUS:
1. India & its neighborhood - Relations.
2. Bilateral, Regional & Global grouping and agreements involving India and/or
affecting India's interests.
3. Effect of Policies & politics of Developed & developing countries on India's
interest & Indian diaspora.
4. Important International Institutions, agencies & fora -- > their structure &
mandate.

Topic-2: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements

involving India and/or affecting Indias interests.
Un officially adopts new global goals
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, along with a set of bold new
Global Goals, which are being hailed as a universal, integrated and
transformative vision for a better world
Aim(Goals): combat World's ills like poverty, inequality and climate change
over the next 15 years in the most comprehensive international manner
ever. It will provide a roadmap for countries to finance and shape
government policies over the next 15 years with targets to be monitored
and reviewed using a set of global indicators.
Its called Sustainaible Development Goals()

BRICS:
Background: National Development Bank(NDB),
Contemporary:

PM Modi Proposes 10-Point initiative for BRICS nations:

1. Trade fair
2. A Railway Research Centre
3. Cooperation among supreme audit institutions
4. A Digital Initiative
5. Agricultural Research Centre.
6. State/Local Govts Forum,
7. cooperation amongst cities in field of urbanisation,
8. BRICS Sports Council and Annual Sports Meet,
9. a film festival and
10.the first major project of NDB to be in field of Clean Energy.

Relevance: Closer cooperation and coordination among BRICS nations.

ASIA
India South Korea relations:
Back Ground: Special Strategic Partnership; Act East policy; Smart cities;

Contemporary:

South Korea has offered to provide $10 billion to India for infrastructure,
development of smart cities as the two countries agreed to upgrade their bilateral
relationship to a Special Strategic Partnership.
2-sides signed 7 agreements and MoUs including one on Avoidance of Double
Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to taxes on income.
India sees Korea as an indispensable partner in its Act East strategy and that both
countries recognize the value of bilateral partnership and its contribution to
bringing peace, stability and security in Asia Pacific Region.

India-China Relations:
Back Ground: LAC; POK; China-Pakistan Economic Corridor(CPEC); UNSC; NSG;
Chinas belt and road initiative; Indias 'Mausam and Spice Route' connectivity projects;
South-China Sea; Maritime Silk Road (MSR); India-China strategic relations; Maritime
Cooperation; Make in India; e-visa facility; Tourism cooperation; Asian Infrastructure
Investment Bank (AIIB); Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar(BCIM) economic corridor;
Economic ties; Clean Energy;SCO; Nationational Development Bank(NDB), BangladeshChina-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor(BCIM); Lakhvi Issue; BRICS
Essence: Both Countries need to work out an acceptable framework for functional
collaboration and create positive momentum in favor of greater strategic interaction.
Contemporary:

a significant shift in Indian traditional defensiveness. Evolving to play a crucial

role.
China & India should take a strategic and long-term view of their relations.
The need for China to reconsider its approach on some of the issues that hold us
back from realizing full potential of our partnership
on one side Chinese leaders were expressing hopes that Sino-Indian ties can be
taken to a new level and on the other side Chinas state-owned television
network CCTV was showing a map of India that did not include Jammu and
Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh the two territories disputed between the two
countries while reporting on the prime ministers visit.
Chinese military modernization has far outpaced Indian defense
modernization, raising concerns about New Delhis ability to deter a limited
conflict with China
Trade ties too havent grown to an extent where they can ameliorate political
tensions. Chinas annual trade with India is only a fraction of its trade with
Europe, Japan, and the United States.

Indian exports to China are primarily dominated by raw materials and iron ore.
The challenge confronting New Delhi is thus to match the level of Chinese
exports to India and diversify the countrys export basket.
Even as bilateral trade between China and India is moving towards the $70
billion mark, Indias trade deficit with China has soared to $40 billion. This rising
trade deficit in Chinas favor is problematic for India, as is the Indian failure to
use its core competencies to enter the Chinese market.
India's focus has been on engaging China economically to further Indias
developmental needs.
Border Dispute: India and China, Asias two largest states, share a 3,380kilometer border. There are currently two major disputed territories: Aksai Chin,
which China administers but India claims, and Arunachal Pradesh, which India
administers but China claims.
China-Pakistan Relation: (How it affects India)

a) CPEC, POK
b) Lakvi Issue

India-China maritime interaction:

a) Both sides are with serious regards to improving Maritime Relations. Only
a genuinely sincere approach will lead to greater operational synergy in
the maritime domain.
b) Both countries are trying to expand & capture Asian Maritime by joint
Sino-Indian operations in maritime-Asia. As their can emerge a common
security strands in New Delhis ACT East and Beijings March West
strategy,
c) A basic maritime security accord is needed between both countries.
d) combating piracy and crime in the Western Indian Ocean
South China Sea:
a) Indias participation in oil and gas exploration activities off Vietnam in the
South China Sea, which China opposes.
b) China has been cautioning India against any "unilateral" attempt to
pursue oil exploration in the disputed South China Sea, saying that it is
opposed to outside nations intervening in the disputed areas.
c) Indias assurances that its activities are purely commercial in nature, has
failed to impress the Chinese leadership.
Modi's China Visit:
a) India encouraged Chinese business to invest in India. Both countries
signed deals worth more than $22 billion.
b) Many of the contracts included deals in the telecom, steel, solar energy,
and film sectors. Modi welcomed potential Chinese investment in sectors
including housing, renewable energy, high-speed rail, metro, ports, and
airports, adding that India is eager to draw on Chinas expertise in mass
manufacturing.

c) Areas of cooperation: Disaster relief, transnational crime, climate-induced

migration and illegal fishing, as well as some developmental initiatives in
the civilian sector, for instance sea-bed mining and blue-energy projects.
d) Talks to finalize the borders between Asias two largest rising powers.
e) Modi needs to make an in-depth review of the real threats and
opportunities of cooperating with China.
China's Role in South-Asia:
a) China(PRC) is entering markets in South Asia more aggressively through
both trade and investment, as well as improving linkages with South Asian
states through treaties and bilateral cooperation.
b) Following this up by building a ring network of roads and ports
connections in Indias neighborhood and deepening military engagements
with states on Indias periphery, China has firmly entrenched itself in New
Delhis backyard.
c) Chinas plans for a maritime silk road connected by cross-border
infrastructure will further cement Beijings role in the region as regional
states have lapped up Chinas invitation to join this initiative. India too has
been invited but it remains ambivalent(uncertain) about the project and is
yet to make up its mind.
Lakhvi Issue:
a) China had blocked action against Pakistan at a meeting of the UN
Sanctions Committee last month, against the release of Mumbai attack
mastermind Lakhvi, citing lack of sufficient information. It would hinder
progress in Sino-Indian ties.

Goals:
a) If Indias primary goal is to regain its economic strength and cultural prestige, a
frank dialogue with China transcending(passsing) the boundary issue is vital.

b) To increase bilateral trade between the two countries to US$100 billion by 2015.
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)

Pros:

In fact, trade and commerce are the driving force of India-China relations today.
India should start to work on the non-conflicting nature of India-China links
woven by centuries-old philosophical and commercial interfaces.
For mutual benefit and for the common good of Asia, the challenge before the
two countries is to find a harmonious balance of influence on a range of issues,
including their core interests in the South China Sea and Indian Ocean Region.
India-China maritime cooperation. No conflicting territorial claims, will be an
advantage.
India-China strategic relations, with elements of both cooperation and
competition.
Confidence building measures & take China's help in acquiring Permanent seat in
UNSC & NSG membership
With the help of China building new institutional framework of global relevance
for AIIB, BRICS, NDB.
Fusion of Chinas Belt and Road project with Indias Act East policy

Indias growing confidence with maritime multilateralism as well as its

operational assistance to Southeast Asian states involved in maritime disputes
with China. India is trying to counter weight counter-weight to Beijings growing
power in the Asia-Pacific region.

Cons:( making it difficult for the bilateral relationship to achieve its full potential. )

Border Dispute: The need to resolve the border dispute and in the interim, clarify
the Line of Actual Control to will ensure that our relationships with other
countries do not become a source of concern for each other.
PoK Issue: Indias concerns over Chinese investment in Pakistan to broader
regional issues such as terrorism.
China's Growing Influence: Beijing has achieved integration not only with all
regional systems of Asia but also with markets in America, Europe and Africa.
Even our friend Russia is pivoting towards China. Would later dominate Asian
socio-economic systems.
Chinas continued assistance to the Pakistan Navy. In the form sale of
Submarines etc.
Chinas port infrastructure building in many Indian Ocean states
History:

the bilateral relationship between the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the
Republic of India. Historically, India and China have had relations for more than
2,000 years, but the modern relationship began in 1950
China and India are the two most populous countries and fastest growing major
economies in the world. The resultant growth in China and India's international
diplomatic and economic influence has also increased the significance of their
bilateral relationship.
China and India are two of the worlds oldest civilizations and have co-existed in
peace for millennia.
Cultural and economic relations between China and India date back to ancient
times. The Silk Road not only served as a major trade route between India and
China, but is also credited for facilitating the spread of Buddhism from India to
East Asia
Dalai Lamas arrival in India in 1959 was perhaps the one most important factor that changed the
entire spirit of Sino-lndian relations. Gradually resulting in deteriorating their relations and later leading
to the 1962 war. This completely changed the context in which this Agreement had been signed and
their relations remained frozen for the next two decades

Agreements between India-China:

1. The Panchsheel Agreement(1954): The 5-Principles of Co-existence. It's been the basis
in defining the code of inter-state relations, even after 43 years Panchsheel remains an
extremely valid framework. India & China resolved to enter into the present agreement based
on the following principles:
I.
Mutual respect for each others territorial integrity and sovereignty;

II.
III.
IV.
V.

Mutual non-aggression;
Mutual non-interference in each others internal affairs;
Equality and mutual benefit:
Peaceful coexistence.

2. The CSBM Agreement of 1993: Confidence & Security building Measures. In the context of
the post-Cold War era of disarmament, this also became Asias first major agreement on
conventional military disengagement which has resulted in effecting actual disarmament (not
just arms control) between two former adversaries and that too without any role played by third
countries.
3. Extending CSBMs to Military Field(1996): Both sides have described this document as the
first No War Pact between China and India. Apart from signaling the completion of basic
framework of CSBMs, this agreement also marks the beginning of major initiatives in actually
resolving the border dispute.

4. Border Defense Cooperation Agreement (BDCA): The last major

diplomatic agreement . The BDCA was a crisis management mechanism,
intended to help both sides deescalate(reduce) tensions in case a border
incident takes place.

North America
India-US Relations:
Background: Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), Multilateral Competent
Authority Agreement (MCAA) on the Automatic Exchange, Financial Account Information,
Black money, Special Investigation Team (SIT)
Essence:

Contemporary:

Singed pact to pass Info of Account Holders:

a) controlling overseas tax evasion and black money, India and the US signed an
inter-governmental agreement to implement the Foreign Account Tax
Compliance Act(FATCA).
b) The agreement makes it obligatory on the part of two nations to exchange
information on offshore accounts of each other's citizens in their respective
territories.
c) India joined 59 countries in the MCAA on the Automatic Exchange of Financial
Account Information. It binds signatories to exchange a wide range of
financial information among themselves periodically and automatically.

d) FACTA is an US govt act as per which it can obtain information on accounts

held by US taxpayers in other countries. As of now, the US has such
agreements with more than 110 jurisdictions.

India-Australia Relations:
Keywords: India-Australia Maritime exercises(AUSINDEX'15), Indian Ocean

AUSINDEX 15:
a) 2-major Indian ocean naval powers
b) Bilateral exercise
c) INS Shivalik
d) 'Framework for security cooperation-2014' signed by both PM's
e) Its in Maritime & strategic interest of both countries
f) Navy-Navy Cooperation & Professional interaction
g) Benefits:
1) Rise in no. of humanitarian assistance.
2) Disaster relief operation
3) Will increase the ability to undertake regional joint operation for the
benefit of people in the Indian ocean region