Master10
Current Affairs Module

Bilateral Agreements & Treaties

Bilateral treaties, comprehensive economic cooperation pacts, and defense agreements govern commercial trade flows and strategic alliances between sovereign nations. India actively negotiates Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPAs) to boost trade integration and supply chain resilience. Key accords include the India-UAE CEPA, the India-Australia ECTA, and the historic Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) signed with the four-nation European Free Trade Association (EFTA). Examining dispute settlement clauses, tariff reduction schedules, and mutual defense cooperation frameworks deepens comprehension of bilateral diplomacy and international trade dynamics.

Key Concepts & Examination Highlights

  • India and the four-nation European Free Trade Association (EFTA—Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland) signed the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) in March 2024, committing $100 billion in investments.
  • The India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), operationalized in May 2022, was India's first bilateral trade agreement in the Middle East.
  • The India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) came into force in December 2022, eliminating tariffs on over 96% of Indian exports by value.
  • The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) MoU was signed during the 2023 G20 Summit to connect India to the Arabian Gulf and Europe via railway and maritime networks.
  • India and the United States launched the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) in January 2023 to expand strategic technological and defense industrial cooperation.
  • India signed the Artemis Accords in June 2023, joining the NASA-led multilateral framework for peaceful, transparent, and sustainable civil space exploration.
  • The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) was formally linked with Singapore's PayNow in February 2023, enabling real-time cross-border retail payment remittances.
  • India and France adopted the 'Horizon 2047' roadmap in July 2023 to mark the 25th anniversary of their strategic partnership across defense, space, and nuclear energy.
  • The Indus Waters Treaty, signed in Karachi on 19 September 1960 by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and President Ayub Khan under World Bank mediation, governs the allocation of the six Indus basin rivers.
  • India and Japan established the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IJCEPA) in 2011 and operate under the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) for defense logistics.
  • The Quad (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue) comprising India, Australia, Japan, and the United States coordinates joint maritime security, critical infrastructure resilience, and disaster response across the Indo-Pacific.
  • India and Mauritius signed an agreement in February 2024 to inaugurate an airstrip and a modern jetty on Agaléga Island, enhancing maritime security cooperation in the Western Indian Ocean.
  • India and Oman concluded discussions on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) to deepen trade and energy partnerships in the Gulf region.
  • India and the United States signed the Security of Supplies Arrangement (SOSA) and a Memorandum of Agreement on the Assignment of Liaison Officers in August 2024 to boost defense supply chains.
  • India and Russia agreed to set a bilateral trade target of $100 billion by 2030 during the 22nd India-Russia Annual Summit held in Moscow in July 2024.
  • India and Iran signed a 10-year long-term contract in May 2024 for the development and operation of the Shahid Beheshti Port terminal at Chabahar.
  • The Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) Charter was formally signed in Colombo in August 2024 by India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Mauritius to bolster regional maritime security.
  • India and Bangladesh renewed and signed multiple agreements in June 2024, including the Shared Vision for India-Bangladesh Digital Partnership and Maritime Cooperation.
  • India and the Maldives adopted the 'Vision for Comprehensive Economic and Maritime Security Partnership' during President Mohamed Muizzu's state visit to New Delhi in October 2024.
  • India and the European Union operate under the Trade and Technology Council (TTC), established in 2022 to deepen cooperation on digital governance, green technology, and supply chain resilience.
  • The BBIN Motor Vehicles Agreement (MVA), signed by Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal in 2015, facilitates seamless cross-border passenger and cargo transit across Eastern South Asia.
  • The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1996, bans all nuclear explosions worldwide, though it has not formally entered into force.
  • The Ashgabat Agreement, which India acceded to in 2018, establishes an international multimodal transit and transport corridor between Central Asia and the Persian Gulf.
  • The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), founded by India, Iran, and Russia in 2000, is a 7,200-km multi-mode transport network connecting the Indian Ocean to the Caspian Sea.
  • The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), opened for signature in 1968 and entered into force in 1970, aims to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and promote peaceful nuclear energy.
  • India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA)—comprising Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein—signed the historic Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) in New Delhi in March 2024.
  • The India-EFTA TEPA is the first free trade agreement where partner countries commit to invest $100 billion in India over 15 years, generating 1 million direct jobs.
  • India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in February 2022, followed by agreements on local currency settlement (INR-AED) and the Jaywan payment card scheme in 2024.
  • India and Australia signed the Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (Ind-Aus ECTA) in April 2022, which entered into force on December 29, 2022, eliminating customs duties on over 96% of Indian exports.
  • The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), launched by 14 partner nations in Tokyo in May 2022, concluded landmark agreements on Supply Chain Resilience, Clean Economy, and Fair Economy.
  • India signed the Artemis Accords with the United States in Washington, D.C., in June 2023, joining 26 other nations in establishing principles for responsible civil space exploration.
  • The United States and India launched the initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) in January 2023 to deepen strategic bilateral technology cooperation in AI, semiconductors, quantum computing, and defence co-production.
  • General Electric (GE Aerospace) signed an MoU with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in June 2023 to co-produce GE F414 jet engines in India for the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft Mk2.
  • Exercise 'Malabar' is an annual quadrilateral naval exercise conducted between the navies of India, the United States, Japan, and Australia, with recent editions hosted in Sydney (2023) and the Bay of Bengal (2024).
  • Exercise 'Milan' is a biennial multilateral naval exercise hosted by the Indian Navy in Visakhapatnam, with Milan 2024 witnessing participation from over 50 friendly foreign navies.
  • Exercise 'Yudh Abhyas' is an annual bilateral joint military exercise conducted between the Indian Army and the United States Army, with the 2024 edition held in Rajasthan.
  • Exercise 'Vajra Prahar' is an annual bilateral special forces joint training exercise conducted between the Indian Army Special Forces and the US Army Special Forces (Green Berets).
  • Exercise 'Nomadic Elephant' is a bilateral military exercise conducted annually between the Indian Army and the Mongolian Army, with the 16th edition held in Umroi, Meghalaya, in July 2024.
  • Exercise 'Mitra Shakti' is an annual bilateral military exercise conducted between the Indian Army and the Sri Lanka Army, focusing on counter-insurgency and counter-terror operations.
  • Exercise 'Garuda Shakti' is a bilateral joint special forces exercise conducted between the Indian Army and the Indonesian Army.
  • Exercise 'Dharma Guardian' is an annual bilateral joint military exercise between the Indian Army and the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, focusing on counter-terrorism operations.
  • Exercise 'Surya Kiran' is a bilateral joint military exercise conducted between the Indian Army and the Nepalese Army, held alternately in India and Nepal.
  • Exercise 'Desert Cyclone' was the inaugural joint military exercise conducted between the Indian Army and the UAE Land Forces in Mahajan, Rajasthan, in January 2024.
  • Exercise 'SADA TANSEEQ' was the inaugural joint military exercise conducted between the Indian Army and the Royal Saudi Land Forces in Rajasthan in January-February 2024.
  • Exercise 'Samudra Laksamana' is a bilateral maritime naval exercise conducted between the Indian Navy and the Royal Malaysian Navy off the coast of Visakhapatnam.
  • Exercise 'SIMBEX' (Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise) is the longest-running uninterrupted maritime bilateral exercise between the Indian Navy and Republic of Singapore Navy.
  • Exercise 'VARUNA' (Naval), 'GARUDA' (Air), and 'SHAKTI' (Army) are the three bilateral tri-service military exercises conducted between the Armed Forces of India and France.
  • Exercise 'INDRA' is a joint tri-service military exercise conducted periodically between the Armed Forces of India and the Russian Federation.
  • The 'BBN' Motor Vehicles Agreement (MVA) between Bangladesh, Bhutan, and India continued progressing to facilitate seamless cross-border regional passenger and cargo vehicle transit in South Asia.
  • India and Iran signed a 10-year long-term contract in May 2024 for the operation and development of the Shahid Beheshti Terminal at the strategic Chabahar Port, enhancing regional trade connectivity with Central Asia.
Curriculum & Reference Sources: Ministry of Commerce and Industry (Department of Commerce), Ministry of External Affairs, and EFTA Secretariat.

Sample Solved Questions & Concept Explanations

8 Verified Concept Questions
Q1.EASY

The "India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor" (IMEC), announced at the G20 New Delhi Summit in September 2023, is a connectivity partnership connecting India to Europe via which region?

Q2.EASY

Which Scandinavian country became the 32nd member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in March 2024, following Finland's accession in 2023?

Q3.EASY

India signed a historic Free Trade Agreement (Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement - TEPA) in March 2024 with which four-nation European trade bloc pledging $100 billion in investments?

Q4.EASY

The "Global Biofuels Alliance" (GBA) was officially launched at the G20 New Delhi Summit in September 2023 by India along with which other two primary co-founding nations?

Q5.EASY

Which international convention adopted at the 1992 Earth Summit held its COP16 biodiversity summit in Cali, Colombia in October–November 2024?

Q6.MEDIUM

The "Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity" (IPEF), launched by 14 partner nations representing 40% of global GDP, is structured across which four key pillars?

Q7.MEDIUM

India and the United States signed the landmark "iCET" (Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies) in 2023 to deepen strategic collaboration in which six priority domains?

Q8.MEDIUM

The "Global Coalition for Open RAN" and US-India Open RAN collaboration under iCET aims to replace proprietary 5G radio access network equipment with what open architecture?