All 8 questions from UPSC Civil Services Mains Political Science & IR 2023 Paper II (400 marks total). Every stem reproduced in full, with directive-word analysis, marks, word limits, and answer-approach pointers.
8Questions
400Total marks
2023Year
Paper IIPaper
Topics covered
Empirical political theory and international institutions (1)Non-Aligned Movement, functionalism and Myanmar crisis (1)Non-Aligned Movement, European Union and environmental security (1)Globalisation, realism and American hegemony (1)India's foreign policy and South Asian regionalism (1)India-Russia relations, UN peacekeeping and QUAD (1)India's nuclear policy, Afghanistan and Iran relations (1)Foreign policy determinants, West Asia Quad and India-Africa relations (1)
A
Q1
50M150wCompulsorydiscussEmpirical political theory and international institutions
Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:
(a) What are the crucial functions of empirical political theory in Comparative Politics ? 10
(b) What are the difficulties faced by a political theorist in comparing the States ? 10
(c) How does democratic politics construct citizenship ? 10
(d) What is the structure and functions of International Court of Justice ? 10
(e) Discuss the structure and functions of UN Security Council. 10
हिंदी में पढ़ें
निम्नलिखित प्रत्येक प्रश्न का उत्तर लगभग 150 शब्दों में दीजिए :
(a) तुलनात्मक राजनीति में अनुभवजन्य राजनीतिक सिद्धांत के कौन-से महत्वपूर्ण कार्य हैं ? 10
(b) एक राजनीतिक सिद्धांतकार को राज्यों की तुलना करने में किन कठिनाइयों का सामना करना पड़ता है ? 10
(c) लोकतांत्रिक राजनीति नागरिकता का निर्माण कैसे करती है ? 10
(d) अंतर्राष्ट्रीय न्यायालय की संरचना और कार्य क्या हैं ? 10
(e) संयुक्त राष्ट्र सुरक्षा परिषद की संरचना एवं कार्यों की विवेचना कीजिए । 10
Answer approach & key points
Framework: Concept > Theory and theorist > Application > Critique. (a) explain: definition/context > points in order > small example > short close | (b) explain: definition/context > points in order > small example > short close | (c) explain: definition/context > points in order > small example > short close | (d) describe: define > structure or process in order > labelled diagram > significance | (e) discuss: intro > 3-4 dimensions > example > balanced close Full marks: Precise definitions, clear distinction between concepts, specific examples, and strong theoretical grounding.
Empirical political theory: explains and predicts political phenomena from observed evidence, value-neutral (Easton, Almond)
Function: concept formation and classification (typologies, e.g. Almond's political systems)
Function: generating and testing hypotheses across cases; building generalisations
Function: identifying causal patterns and explaining variation across systems; limit - context dependence
Equivalence of concepts across contexts and conceptual stretching (Sartori 1970)
Data problems: non-comparable, missing or unreliable data; measurement error
Case selection and the small-N problem: selection bias, 'many variables, few cases' (Lijphart 1971), Galton's problem
Cultural, linguistic and historical context; ethnocentrism and Eurocentric categories applied to non-Western states
Citizenship as legal status, rights and participation (T.H. Marshall: civil, political, social)
Mechanism: participation - voting, representation, campaigning; constitutional rights; equality before law
Mechanism: civic education, the public sphere and deliberation (Habermas) shape civic identity; civil society
Mechanism: inclusion through extension of the franchise and rights movements; tension between inclusion and exclusion of migrants and minorities
Principal judicial organ of the UN (Charter Art 92), Statute; seat at The Hague
Structure: 15 judges, nine-year terms, elected concurrently by the UNGA and Security Council (absolute majority in both), no two of one nationality; ad hoc judges
Contentious jurisdiction (Arts 34-38): States only; consent (special agreement, compromissory clause, optional clause Art 36(2))
Advisory jurisdiction (Art 65; Charter Art 96): opinions for UN organs and agencies; binding judgments (Art 94), enforcement through the Security Council
Structure: 15 members - five permanent (P5) with veto, ten non-permanent elected by the UNGA for two years (Art 23)
Functions: maintenance of international peace and security - Chapter VI pacific settlement, Chapter VII enforcement (Arts 39-42), sanctions, authorisation of force
Peacekeeping operations; other functions: admission of members, election of ICJ judges, recommending the Secretary-General
Veto and reform: paralysis (Syria, Ukraine), calls for reform - G4, Uniting for Peace (377)
50MdiscussNon-Aligned Movement, functionalism and Myanmar crisis
(a) Discuss the relevance of the normative ethos of the Non-Aligned Movement in magnifying India's soft power in pursuit of her national interest. 20
(b) In what ways does the functionalist approach in International relations help in maintaining peace and order in global politics ? 15
(c) How does the regime change and political crisis in Myanmar threaten regional security and peace ? 15
हिंदी में पढ़ें
(a) अपने राष्ट्रीय हित के लिए भारत के सॉफ्ट पावर को बढ़ाने में गुटनिरपेक्ष आंदोलन के मानक लोकाचार की प्रासंगिकता पर चर्चा कीजिए । 20
(b) अंतर्राष्ट्रीय संबंधों का प्रकार्यवादी दृष्टिकोण किस प्रकार से वैश्विक राजनीति में शांति और व्यवस्था बनाए रखने में मदद करता है ? 15
(c) म्यांमार में शासन परिवर्तन और राजनीतिक संकट से क्षेत्रीय सुरक्षा एवं शांति को कैसे खतरा है ? 15
Answer approach & key points
Framework: Concept > Theory and theorist > Application > Critique. (a) discuss: intro > 3-4 dimensions > example > balanced close | (b) explain: definition/context > points in order > small example > short close | (c) analyse: intro > causes > effects > stakeholders/linkages > way forward Full marks: Comprehensive, theoretically grounded, with specific examples and balanced judgment.
How it raised India's soft power: moral leadership of the Global South, Nehru at Bandung (1955) and Belgrade (1961), mediation in Korea 1953 (Custodian Force) and the credibility of an honest broker
Link to national interest: strategic autonomy, development cooperation and aid from both blocs, voice in the UN, protecting sovereignty from bloc politics
Balanced judgment: relevance today - multi-alignment, 'Global South' voice (Voice of Global South Summits 2023 onwards); limits - 1962 war, tilt of the 1971 Soviet treaty, NAM's decline after the Cold War
Functionalism (David Mitrany, A Working Peace System 1943): peace through cooperation on technical, non-political tasks via specialised agencies, bypassing sovereignty
Mechanism: 'form follows function'; cooperation creates interdependence, habits and a shift of loyalties; spillover (neo-functionalism: Ernst Haas)
Examples: WHO, ICAO, ILO, ITU, UPU; European Coal and Steel Community 1951 leading to the EU
Assessment: limited on high politics (security), does not prevent wars, yet sustains order; realist critique; complex interdependence (Keohane-Nye)
Causes: military coup of 1 February 2021 after the November 2020 election, ousting Aung San Suu Kyi's NLD; civil disobedience and armed resistance (NUG, PDFs), Tatmadaw brutality; earlier Rohingya crisis (2017)
Effects on regional security: civil war, refugee flows (Rohingya to Bangladesh; Chin to Mizoram), cross-border insurgency, arms and drug trafficking (Golden Triangle), scam centres
50MdiscussNon-Aligned Movement, European Union and environmental security
(a) "During the Cold War, the Non-Aligned Movement tried to become a 'Third force' in World Politics, but failed because it was too large and unwieldy." Discuss. 20
(b) Account for the rise of European Union as a highly influential regional organisation. 15
(c) Narrate the various ways in which rapid environmental degradation is posing a serious threat to human security. Illustrate your answer with suitable examples. 15
हिंदी में पढ़ें
(a) "शीत युद्ध के दौरान, गुटनिरपेक्ष आंदोलन ने विश्व राजनीति में 'तीसरी शक्ति' बनने की कोशिश की लेकिन असफल रहा, क्योंकि यह बहुत बड़ा एवं बोझिल था ।" विवेचन कीजिए । 20
(b) एक अत्यधिक प्रभावशाली क्षेत्रीय संगठन के रूप में यूरोपीय संघ के उदय के कारणों का विवरण दीजिए । 15
(c) उन विभिन्न तरीकों का वर्णन कीजिए जिनसे तेजी से पर्यावरणीय निम्नीकरण मानवीय सुरक्षा के लिए गंभीर खतरा पैदा कर रहा है । अपने उत्तर को उपयुक्त उदाहरणों से स्पष्ट कीजिए । 15
Answer approach & key points
(a) discuss: intro > 3-4 dimensions > example > balanced close | (b) account for: state the phenomenon > the causes in order of weight > conclusion | (c) highlight: name the salient points > one line of substance each > close Full marks: Comprehensive, well-structured, with strong theoretical grounding and specific examples.
NAM as 'third force': non-alignment between the US and Soviet blocs; Bandung 1955, Belgrade 1961; Nehru, Tito, Nasser, Nkrumah, Sukarno; widening the zone of peace, decolonisation, NIEO
The 'too large and unwieldy' thesis: membership grew from 25 (1961) to 120; heterogeneity (aligned states like Cuba vs Pakistan; India-China and Iran-Iraq wars), consensus rule, no secretariat or resources, internal rivalries, bloc pressure; the 1971 Indo-Soviet treaty dented credibility
Counter-view: NAM's achievements - pressure for decolonisation, voice at the UN (G-77, UNCTAD 1964), anti-apartheid, NIEO (1974), disarmament (NPT, test-ban), shaping détente; by design neither a military nor an economic bloc, so failure is measured on the wrong yardstick
Judgment: failed as a 'third bloc' but succeeded as a normative and negotiating forum; redefinition after the Cold War
Post-war context: reconciliation, preventing a Franco-German war, Cold War security and the Marshall Plan; Schuman Declaration 1950, ECSC 1951
Institutional evolution: Treaty of Rome 1957 (EEC), Single European Act 1986, Maastricht 1992 (EU, euro), Amsterdam, Nice, Lisbon 2007; enlargement (6 to 27)
Drivers: economic (customs union, single market, euro 1999/2002), political (supranational institutions: Commission, Parliament, Court), shared values, spillover (neo-functionalism) and liberal intergovernmentalism (Moravcsik)
Influence: largest single market, regulatory power ('Brussels effect'), trade and aid policy, normative power, CFSP; limits - Brexit 2016, euro crisis, migration
Link: UNDP Human Development Report 1994 on human security (freedom from fear and want); environmental security (Homer-Dixon on scarcity and conflict)
Threats: food (crop failure, drought - Sahel), water (scarcity, glacier melt, Indus/Nile disputes), health (air pollution, heat, vector-borne disease), livelihood and displacement (sea-level rise, Bangladesh and small island states, climate refugees)
Examples: Syrian drought 2006-10, Darfur, shrinking Lake Chad, Bangladesh delta, Pacific atolls (Tuvalu), Delhi air pollution, cyclones
Implications: migration, conflict, state fragility; responses: Paris Agreement, adaptation finance, loss-and-damage fund (COP27/28), SDGs
50Mcritically examineGlobalisation, realism and American hegemony
(a) Critically examine the impact of Globalisation on the developing countries of the world. 20
(b) What do you mean by offensive and defensive realism ? 15
(c) Discuss the various constraints on American hegemony today. Which of these are likely to become more prominent in the future ? 15
हिंदी में पढ़ें
(a) विश्व के विकासशील देशों पर वैश्वीकरण के प्रभाव का आलोचनात्मक परीक्षण कीजिए । 20
(b) आक्रामक और रक्षात्मक यथार्थवाद से आपका क्या तात्पर्य है ? 15
(c) वर्तमान के अमेरिकी आधिपत्य पर विभिन्न बाधाओं की चर्चा कीजिए । इनमें से किनकी भविष्य में अधिक प्रमुख होने की संभावना है ? 15
Answer approach & key points
Framework: Concept > Theory and theorist > Application > Critique. (a) examine: intro > how/why with reasoning > evidence > conclusion | (b) explain: definition/context > points in order > small example > short close | (c) discuss: intro > 3-4 dimensions > example > balanced close Full marks: Comprehensive, theoretically grounded, with specific examples and clear critical analysis.
Economic: trade liberalisation, FDI, global value chains, growth and poverty reduction in East Asia, India and China; versus deindustrialisation, commodity dependence, balance-of-payments and debt crises (1997 Asian crisis)
Structural adjustment and the Washington Consensus (IMF, World Bank, WTO rules) narrowing policy space; TRIPS and Northern agricultural subsidies
Social-cultural: inequality within and between countries, winners and losers (informal workers, farmers), cultural homogenisation vs hybridisation (glocalisation), migration and remittances
Sovereignty and governance: shrinking policy autonomy, footloose capital, environmental race to the bottom; balanced view - outcomes depend on state capacity and sequencing (developmental state)
Structural realism: anarchy and distribution of capabilities; states seek security (Waltz, Theory of International Politics 1979) - defensive realism
Offensive realism (Mearsheimer, The Tragedy of Great Power Politics 2001): states maximise relative power and seek regional hegemony; 'the best defence is offence'
Key difference: how much power is enough - defensive: status quo and balance, enough power for security; offensive: revisionist, hegemony as the safest position
Implications: expansion vs restraint; balancing vs buck-passing and offshore balancing; examples - US hegemony in the Western Hemisphere; debates on China's rise
Constraints: rise of China (economy, military, Belt and Road), Russian revisionism, regional powers (India, Brazil)
Domestic: debt, polarisation, 'imperial overstretch' (Kennedy), war fatigue after Iraq and Afghanistan, America First tendencies
Erosion of the multilateral order and legitimacy: Iraq 2003, unilateral tariffs, weakened roles of the UN and WTO; de-dollarisation efforts; rise of the Global South and BRICS
Future projection: China's challenge and multipolarity are likely to be most prominent; domestic constraints; technology competition; relative rather than absolute decline
50M150wCompulsoryexplainIndia's foreign policy and South Asian regionalism
Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:
(a) Explain the major features of India's Foreign Policy in the 21st century. 10
(b) What are the reasons for lack of 'regionness' in South Asia ? 10
(c) Why is the compromise reached at WTO regarding the Covid-19 vaccine manufacturing not a Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) waiver ? 10
(d) Why do ethnic conflicts and insurgencies continue to remain major impediments to regional co-operation in South Asia ? 10
(e) What diplomatic steps has India taken to articulate the interests of the Global South in International Politics ? 10
हिंदी में पढ़ें
निम्नलिखित प्रत्येक प्रश्न का उत्तर लगभग 150 शब्दों में दीजिए :
(a) 21वीं सदी में भारत की विदेश नीति की प्रमुख विशेषताओं की व्याख्या कीजिए । 10
(b) दक्षिण एशिया में 'क्षेत्रीयता' की कमी के क्या कारण हैं ? 10
(c) कोविड-19 वैक्सीन के निर्माण को लेकर डब्ल्यू.टी.ओ. में हुआ समझौता व्यापार संबंधी बौद्धिक संपदा अधिकार (टी.आर.आई.पी.एस.) में छूट क्यों नहीं है ? 10
(d) दक्षिण एशिया में जातिगत संघर्ष और विद्रोह क्षेत्रीय सहयोग में प्रमुख बाधाएँ क्यों बने हुए हैं ? 10
(e) अंतर्राष्ट्रीय राजनीति में वैश्विक दक्षिण के हितों की रक्षा करने के लिए भारत ने कौन-से कूटनीतिक कदम उठाए हैं ? 10
Answer approach & key points
Framework: Concept > Theory and theorist > Application > Critique. (a) explain: definition/context > points in order > small example > short close | (b) account for: state the phenomenon > the causes in order of weight > conclusion | (c) comment: context > arguments both sides > judgment > close | (d) analyse: intro > causes > effects > stakeholders/linkages > way forward | (e) highlight: name the salient points > one line of substance each > close Full marks: Demonstrates strong theoretical grounding, specific examples, and clear analytical structure.
Multi-alignment and strategic autonomy: shift from non-alignment, working with all major powers
'Neighbourhood First' (2014) and 'Act East' (2014); 'Link West'
Indian Ocean and Indo-Pacific: SAGAR (2015; MAHASAGAR 2025), Quad
Economic diplomacy, energy security and the diaspora; Global South voice and Vaccine Maitri
India-Pakistan rivalry and Kashmir; security dilemma; nuclearisation since 1998
India's asymmetric size and hegemony, small States' fears, border disputes (Bangladesh, Nepal), river waters (Indus, Ganga)
Weak economic interdependence: intra-regional trade about 5%; SAARC (1985) limits - bilateral issues barred (Charter Art X), SAPTA/SAFTA limited, no summit since Kathmandu 2014; alternatives BIMSTEC, BBIN
Identity and politics: fragile States, internal conflicts, external powers (China, US), no shared regional identity (constructivist view)
TRIPS (1994) Arts 27, 28, 31 and the 2001 Doha Declaration on public health: flexibilities such as compulsory licensing already exist
India-South Africa proposal (IP/C/W/669, October 2020): complete waiver of TRIPS obligations (patents, copyright, designs, undisclosed information) for Covid-19 vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics
MC12 Geneva, June 2022 Ministerial Decision: clarifies and eases Art 31 for patents only; vaccines only; eligible developing members; five years; no waiver under Art IX:3 of the Marrakesh Agreement
Why not a waiver: a waiver suspends obligations; the decision only streamlines compulsory licensing (no need to specify product or quantity, no individual negotiation, exports allowed); excludes therapeutics, diagnostics and trade secrets/know-how; pharma lobbying; critics call it 'TRIPS-minus', not a waiver
Contested nation-building in multi-ethnic States: Sri Lanka (LTTE, 1983-2009), Pakistan (Balochistan, TTP), Afghanistan, Nepal (Maoist insurgency 1996-2006, Madhesi), Bangladesh (CHT), India (North-East, J&K, Left-wing extremism)
State weakness and mistrust: securitised outlook, bilateral suspicion, terrorism (Mumbai 2008) - the SAARC Convention on Terrorism (1987) weakly implemented; no counter-terror cooperation
Result: the security agenda overrides economic integration; trade and connectivity blocked; way forward - sub-regional (BBIN, BIMSTEC), CBMs, inclusive governance
Voice of Global South Summits (from January 2023) and India's G20 presidency 2023: New Delhi Declaration, permanent membership of the African Union, development and climate-finance agenda
BRICS expansion (2024) and India's role; IBSA, G-77; South-South cooperation: ITEC, lines of credit, Development Partnership Administration (2012)
Advocacy on climate justice and equity: CBDR, International Solar Alliance (2015), Mission LiFE, CDRI; vaccine equity: Vaccine Maitri (2021), push for a TRIPS waiver
Demand for reform of the UN, IMF and World Bank, UNSC reform; Global Biofuels Alliance; sharing Digital Public Infrastructure
50McommentIndia-Russia relations, UN peacekeeping and QUAD
(a) Arms trade, economic ties and congruent geo-political interests are no longer the three pillars of India – Russia relationship in the emerging strategic context. Comment. 20
(b) Discuss the importance of India's role in UN peacekeeping operations as a ground for its claim to a permanent seat in the UN Security Council. 15
(c) Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) performs an important role in India's strategic balancing act to withstand the dominance of China in Asia. Discuss. 15
हिंदी में पढ़ें
(a) हथियारों का व्यापार, आर्थिक संबंध और सर्वसम भू-राजनीतिक हित अब उभरते रणनीतिक संदर्भ में भारत – रूस संबंधों के तीन स्तंभ नहीं रहे । टिप्पणी कीजिए । 20
(b) संयुक्त राष्ट्र सुरक्षा परिषद की स्थायी सदस्यता के दावे के आधार के रूप में संयुक्त राष्ट्र शांति अभियानों में भारत की भूमिका के महत्व पर चर्चा कीजिए । 15
(c) एशिया में चीन के प्रभुत्व का सामना करने हेतु चतुर्भुज सुरक्षा वार्ता (क्वाड) भारत के रणनीतिक संतुलन में एक महत्वपूर्ण भूमिका निभाता है । विवेचन कीजिए । 15
Answer approach & key points
(a) comment: context > arguments both sides > judgment > close | (b) discuss: intro > 3-4 dimensions > example > balanced close | (c) discuss: intro > 3-4 dimensions > example > balanced close Full marks: Demonstrates deep understanding of IR theory and current affairs; nuanced, balanced, and well-structured.
The historical 'three pillars' in context: 1971 Treaty of Peace and Friendship, Soviet arms, the 2000 Strategic Partnership and the 2010 'Special and Privileged' partnership
Impact of the Ukraine conflict on the arms pillar: Russia's share of Indian arms imports has fallen to about one-third (SIPRI 2019-23), diversification, supply delays, S-400 (2018 deal) deliveries
Shift in geopolitical interests: Russia's tilt to China, the China-Russia 'no limits' partnership, India's deepening ties with the Quad and the US; India's neutral stance
Balanced judgment: relationship sustained by discounted oil imports, rupee-rouble trade, nuclear (Kudankulam) and space cooperation; pillars have shifted but not vanished; Russia's distinct role in multi-alignment
India's record: from Korea in the 1950s (Custodian Force) to 50+ missions, 290,000+ personnel, the highest fatalities (180+); among the top troop contributors
Linking peacekeeping to 'global responsibility' and 'representation': Charter Art 23 - contribution to peace as a criterion; Global South representation; the consultation gap between troop contributors and the Security Council (Resolution 1353)
G4 (India, Brazil, Germany, Japan) and the L.69 group, Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN), P5 veto and obstacles to reform
Evaluation: gap between operational contribution and political power; those who bear the burden should share in decisions
Quad: US, India, Japan, Australia; origin in 2004 tsunami relief, the 2007 Abe-inspired dialogue, dormancy, revival in November 2017, leaders' level since March 2021 (virtual) and in person in Washington in September 2021
Balancing: concern over Chinese assertiveness (2020 LAC, South China Sea, String of Pearls/BRI); Free and Open Indo-Pacific; maritime domain awareness (IPMDA 2022), Malabar exercise, supply-chain resilience
Limits: not a treaty alliance, no collective defence; differing threat perceptions; India's strategic autonomy (RIC, BRICS, SCO); US reliability; trade dependence on China
50MdiscussIndia's nuclear policy, Afghanistan and Iran relations
(a) "India's Nuclear policy is deeply influenced by its cultural beliefs and the pragmatic approach of its foreign policy." Discuss. 20
(b) What steps has India taken to regain its foothold in Afghanistan since the Taliban has taken over the country in August 2021 ? 15
(c) What are the challenges and limitations in India – Iran relations ? 15
हिंदी में पढ़ें
(a) "भारत की परमाणु नीति इसकी सांस्कृतिक मान्यताओं एवं इसकी विदेश नीति के व्यावहारिक दृष्टिकोण से गहराई से प्रभावित है ।" विवेचन कीजिए । 20
(b) अगस्त 2021 में तालिबान द्वारा अफगानिस्तान पर कब्जा करने के बाद भारत ने उस देश में पुनः अपने पाँव जमाने हेतु क्या कदम उठाए हैं ? 15
(c) भारत – ईरान संबंधों की चुनौतियाँ एवं सीमाएँ क्या हैं ? 15
Answer approach & key points
Framework: Concept > Theory and theorist > Application > Critique. (a) discuss: intro > 3-4 dimensions > example > balanced close | (b) explain: definition/context > points in order > small example > short close | (c) challenges: 3-4 challenges > solutions mapped to them > conclusion Full marks: Precise doctrinal terms (NFU, CMC) and specific post-2021 diplomatic actions.
Doctrine (draft 1999; CCS decisions of 2003): credible minimum deterrence, no first use (except against chemical or biological attack on India or its forces anywhere), massive retaliation, civilian Nuclear Command Authority, no use against non-nuclear States, voluntary moratorium on testing; commitment to a nuclear-weapon-free world
Cultural and ethical roots: Gandhian non-violence, Nehru's opposition to nuclear weapons; disarmament diplomacy (Rajiv Gandhi's Action Plan 1988), critique of the discriminatory NPT/CTBT order; nuclear weapons as political, not war-fighting, instruments
Pragmatism: security environment - China's 1964 test, Pakistan, the 1974 PNE and 1998 Pokhran-II; credible minimum in view of resource limits; India-US civil nuclear deal 2008 and NSG waiver; triad (Agni, Arihant, Rafale), assured second strike
Judgment: dual influences with tensions - 'full spectrum deterrence' debates, calls to review NFU; strategic stability with China and Pakistan; balanced view
After August 2021: evacuation (Operation Devi Shakti), embassy operations suspended, e-visas; engagement with the Taliban - Doha meeting (September 2021), Moscow Format, Delhi security dialogue; technical team in Kabul (June 2022); after the Taliban foreign minister's Delhi visit (October 2025), the technical mission upgraded to an embassy on 21 October 2025
Development and connectivity: Chabahar, Salma Dam, Zaranj-Delaram, Parliament building; capacity building, scholarships; medical visas for Afghans
Multilateral diplomacy: UNSC Resolution 2593 (August 2021), Regional Security Dialogue (Delhi, November 2022), India-Central Asia summit engagement; balance - no formal recognition; wary of Pakistan and China; advocacy on Afghan women's rights
US sanctions: after the 2018 US exit from the JCPOA India stopped Iranian oil imports (waiver ended May 2019); risk of secondary sanctions; Chabahar waiver of 2018 and its revocation in September 2025
Chabahar port and INSTC: slow progress; funding; Chabahar-Zahedan rail stalled; 10-year IPGL contract (May 2024)
Iran-Pakistan and Iran-China ties (25-year cooperation agreement 2021); Iran-Russia alignment; Balochistan/Jaish al-Adl and the Pakistan-Iran border
Regional tensions: Israel-Iran war (June 2025), Gulf balance (Saudi, UAE and Israel ties), Kashmir/OIC stance, differences on Afghan policy; shift in energy dependence
50MdiscussForeign policy determinants, West Asia Quad and India-Africa relations
(a) What are the external determinants of the Foreign Policy of a State ? 20
(b) Discuss the significance of "West Asia Quad" in the light of India's 'Look West' policy. 15
(c) Discuss the major drivers of India's interests in Africa. 15
हिंदी में पढ़ें
(a) किसी राज्य की विदेश नीति के बाह्य निर्धारक-तत्व क्या हैं ? 20
(b) भारत की 'लुक वेस्ट' नीति के आलोक में "पश्चिम एशिया क्वाड" के महत्व पर चर्चा कीजिए । 15
(c) अफ्रीका में भारत के हितों के प्रमुख कारकों की विवेचना कीजिए । 15
Answer approach & key points
Framework: Concept > Theory and theorist > Application > Critique. (a) explain: definition/context > points in order > small example > short close | (b) discuss: intro > 3-4 dimensions > example > balanced close | (c) discuss: intro > 3-4 dimensions > example > balanced close Full marks: Comprehensive, theoretically grounded, specific examples, clear structure
Geography and strategic location; structure of the international system (bipolar, unipolar, multipolar) and balance of power
Security threats, alliances, arms races; international organisations and treaty regimes (UN, WTO, NPT) that constrain and shape choices
Economic interdependence: trade, globalisation, energy; sanctions; external pressure from major powers
Global issues and transnational forces: terrorism, climate, pandemics, technology, non-State actors, diaspora; media and public diplomacy
'Look West' policy: deepening engagement with the Gulf and West Asia - energy (about 60% of crude imports), about 9 million diaspora, remittances, about US$200 billion trade, 'Think West' (2019)
I2U2 (West Asia Quad): India, Israel, UAE, US; formed October 2021, first leaders' (virtual) summit July 2022; six areas - water, energy, transportation, space, health, food security
Benefits: investment (UAE's US$2 billion for food parks in India, hybrid renewable project in Gujarat), technology from Israel, energy and food security, connectivity (IMEC 2023), 'de-hyphenating' Israel-Arab ties (Abraham Accords)
Strategic aspects: balancing China's inroads in the Gulf, counter-terrorism, links to the Quad and Indo-Pacific; limits - Gaza war since 2023, dormancy of I2U2, ties with Iran, Palestine
Energy and resources: oil (Nigeria, Angola), gas (Mozambique), critical minerals (cobalt, lithium), pulses and food security
Trade and investment: market for Indian goods, pharma, IT, automobiles; trade of about US$100 billion; India-Africa Forum Summits (2008, 2011, 2015); lines of credit of about US$12 billion; Pan-African e-Network
Diaspora (about 3 million of Indian origin) and soft power: ITEC, scholarships, Vaccine Maitri, cultural ties, shared colonial past and South-South solidarity
Strategic: balancing China's BRI and debt diplomacy, votes at the UN (including for a UNSC seat), Indian Ocean security (Djibouti, Mozambique Channel), the African Union's permanent G20 membership; 10 Guiding Principles (2018, Uganda)