International Relations
Regional and Global Groupings
GS Paper II
Regional and Global Groupings — Quick Revision
One-page UPSC revision of groupings involving India — founding years, members, secretariats, India's milestones and export-control regimes.
SyllabusGS II · Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests
A one-page sheet for the most “memberships and headquarters” chapter of the syllabus.
The Master Table
| Grouping | Founded | Secretariat / HQ | India’s milestone |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAARC | 1985, Dhaka | Kathmandu | Founding member; 2016 Islamabad summit not held |
| BIMSTEC | 1997, Bangkok | Dhaka | Founding member; leads the security sector |
| ASEAN | 1967, Bangkok | Jakarta | Dialogue partner 1996; Comprehensive Strategic Partnership 2022 |
| East Asia Summit | 2005, Kuala Lumpur | — (ASEAN-led) | Founding participant |
| SCO | 2001, Shanghai | Beijing; RATS in Tashkent | Full member 2017; chair 2023 |
| BRICS | First summit 2009, Yekaterinburg | No secretariat; NDB in Shanghai | Founding member; chair 2026 |
| IBSA | 2003, Brasilia Declaration | — | Founding member |
| G20 | 1999; leaders since 2008 | No permanent secretariat | Presidency 2022–23; New Delhi summit September 2023 |
| Quad | 2007; revived 2017 | No secretariat | Leaders’ summits since 2021 |
| IPEF | May 2022, Tokyo | — | Member, but not of the trade pillar |
| IORA | 1997 | Mauritius | Founding member |
| IONS | 2008 | — | Indian Navy initiative |
| Mekong–Ganga Cooperation | 2000, Vientiane | — | India + five Mekong countries |
Memberships That Trap Aspirants
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| SAARC but not BIMSTEC | Pakistan, Afghanistan, Maldives |
| BIMSTEC but not SAARC | Myanmar, Thailand |
| Newest SAARC member | Afghanistan (2007) |
| SCO members admitted in 2017 | India, Pakistan |
| SCO members admitted later | Iran (2023), Belarus (2024) |
| BRICS joiners, January 2024 | Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE |
| BRICS joiner, January 2025 | Indonesia |
| G20 regional members | European Union; African Union (since 2023) |
India and the Export-Control Regimes
| Regime | Covers | India |
|---|---|---|
| MTCR | Missiles, UAVs | Member, June 2016 |
| Wassenaar Arrangement | Conventional arms, dual-use goods | Member, December 2017 |
| Australia Group | Chemical and biological weapons | Member, January 2018 |
| Nuclear Suppliers Group | Nuclear trade | Not a member; waiver September 2008 |
High-yield facts
- The G20, BRICS and the Quad have no permanent secretariat.
- New Development Bank: Fortaleza agreement 2014; HQ Shanghai; first president K.V. Kamath.
- India announced it would not join RCEP in November 2019.
- Act East Policy: November 2014; Look East: 1991–92.
- African Union joined the G20 at the New Delhi summit, September 2023.
Traps
Do not confuse
- The SCO Secretariat is in Beijing; RATS is in Tashkent.
- Malabar is a naval exercise; the Quad is a dialogue — overlapping members, different things.
- The NSG waiver (2008) is not NSG membership.
Related Topics
- India in Regional and Global Groupings
- Regional and Global Groupings — practice questions
- International Institutions
- India and its Neighbourhood
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