India-Russia partnership and pact for military cooperation
Context: 21st annual India-Russia summit meeting between the Indian Prime Minister and Russian President is a strong step towards expanding India’s engagement envelope with Russia. Russian and Indian Foreign and Defence Ministers also took part in the first “2+2” ministerial meeting between India and Russia held ahead of the annual summit. Relevance: GS-II: International Relations […]
Sri Lanka’s Malaiyaha Tamils in inhumane conditions
Context: Sri Lanka’s Malaiyaha Tamil workers, whose labour in tea plantations fetches precious foreign exchange to the country, are living in “inhumane and degrading” conditions, a U.N. expert has said. Relevance: GS-II: International Relations (India’s Neighbors, Foreign Policies affecting India’s Interests) Dimensions of the Article: U.N. expert on Malaiyaha Tamils in Sri Lanka History of […]
Four-pronged plan on Sri Lanka crisis
Context: India and Sri Lanka agreed to a four-pronged approach to discuss initiatives on food and energy security to help mitigate Sri Lanka’s economic crisis, during a two-day visit by Sri Lankan Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa to New Delhi. Relevance: GS-II: International Relations (India and its Neighborhood, Foreign Policies affecting India’s Interests) Dimensions of the […]
Stop NATO expansion, Russia tells U.S.
Context: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told U.S. Secretary of State that Moscow needed “long-term security guarantees” that would halt NATO’s eastward expansion, Moscow said. Relevance: GS-II: International Relations (Important International Groupings) Dimensions of the Article: About NATO Major pointers regarding NATO India and NATO – Non-NATO Ally Status About the recent tussle over Ukraine […]
India joins G20’s Troika with Indonesia and Italy
Context: India joined the G20 ‘Troika’ and with this move India has started the procedure for taking over the G20 presidency in 2022. Relevance: GS-II: International Relations (Important International Groupings and Agreements, Foreign Policies affecting India’s Interests) Dimensions of the Article: What is Troika? What is the need for Troika in G20? About India’s move […]
The Iran-US deadlock over nuclear capability
Context: After a gap of five months, Iran, Russia, China and the European countries resumed negotiations in Vienna to revive the 2015 nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), that had sought to scuttle the Islamic Republic’s nuclear programme. As Iran has refused to hold direct talks with the U.S., European […]
Afghanistan, the rise of a narco-terrorist state
Context: India’s anxieties over ungoverned spaces and lawless Afghanistan turning into a significant source of internal security threat are gradually turning into reality. According to a report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), opium production in Afghanistan has crossed 6,000 tonnes for the fifth consecutive year. Relevance: GS-II: International Relations (India’s […]
Cross border insolvency: UN model UNCITRAL
Context: The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has published a draft framework for cross border insolvency proceedings based on the UNCITRAL (United Nations Commission on International Trade Law) model under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code. Relevance: GS-II: International Relations Dimensions of the Article: What are Cross border insolvency proceedings? About UNCITRAL The UNCITRAL model Indian […]
Interpol crackdown on cyber-enabled financial crime
Context: In an operation coordinated by the Interpol, enforcement agencies in more than 20 countries have arrested over 1,000 individuals and intercepted about $27 million of illicit funds as part of a crackdown on cyber-enabled financial crime. India was one of the participants. Relevance: GS-II: International Relations, GS-III: Internal Security Challenges (Various Agencies and other […]
India, Maldives and Sri Lanka – Exercise ‘Dosti’
Context: The 15th edition of the biennial trilateral coast guard exercise ‘Dosti’ involving India, the Maldives and Sri Lanka is underway in the Maldives. Relevance: Prelims, GS-II: International Relations (India’s Neighbors), GS-III: Internal Security Challenges Dimensions of the Article: About the Exercise ‘Dosti’ About the Exercise ‘Dosti’ The exercise was first initiated in 1991, between […]