India's Foreign Policy — Evolution, NAM, Look East/Act East, Neighbourhood First

What should you study in India's Foreign Policy?

• Non-alignment — NAM founding (1961 Belgrade), relevance today
• Look East → Act East Policy — ASEAN, BIMSTEC, Mekong-Ganga
• Neighbourhood First — SAARC limitations, bilateral approach
• HADR diplomacy — Operation Karuna, Maitri, Dost (Turkey)

How often is India's Foreign Policy asked in UPSC Mains?

Asked in 4 of 10 years, including 2 of the last 5. Highlighted years below are the ones it appeared in.

1. 2016: asked
2. 2017: not asked
3. 2018: not asked
4. 2019: asked
5. 2020: not asked
6. 2021: not asked
7. 2022: asked
8. 2023: not asked
9. 2024: asked
10. 2025: not asked

About the Mains GS Paper II paper

GS Paper II is a 250-mark descriptive Mains paper covering governance, the Constitution, polity, social justice and international relations. See all 40 Mains GS Paper II topics.

Related topics to study next

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• India-China — Border Dispute, BRI, String of Pearls, Maritime CompetitionHigh-yieldasked 5/10 yrs
• India-US Relations — Strategic Partnership, QUAD, Technology, Defence & TradeHigh-yieldasked 4/10 yrs
• Multilateral Bodies — QUAD, SCO, BRICS, G20, ASEAN, Commonwealth & India's roleHigh-yieldasked 4/10 yrs
• United Nations, UN Reform, Peacekeeping & India's Permanent Membership BidHigh-yieldasked 3/10 yrs
• Indian Diaspora — Soft Power, Remittances, UPI/Rupee Rails, Crisis EvacuationHigh-yieldasked 3/10 yrs
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