Chapter 13 — International affairs and India’s external relations

Coverage window: 1 January–10 October 2026

Revision checked: 11 October 2026

Question set: CA26-INT-001 to CA26-INT-030

International current affairs become easier when a candidate separates the forum, the participating states, the chair, the host, the declaration and the follow-up. The 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi is the major multilateral event in this chapter. UN records provide a second example: an international organization can publish forecasts and conduct intergovernmental meetings, but each document has a specific mandate and date.

1. India’s BRICS Chairship and the New Delhi Summit

India held the BRICS Chairship in 2026. The 18th BRICS Summit met in New Delhi on 12–13 September under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.” The New Delhi Declaration was published by the Government of India on 12 September. A declaration is a negotiated political document adopted by leaders; it records shared positions and areas for cooperation. It is not automatically a domestic statute or a treaty that changes Indian law without the required legal process.

The declaration groups BRICS cooperation under three pillars: political and security; economic and financial; and cultural and people-to-people cooperation. It describes consensus, sovereign equality and inclusion as part of the forum’s approach. It also refers to the outreach/BRICS Plus dialogue, where partner countries take part in a wider engagement format. Do not treat a partner-country invitation as identical to full membership.

The 2026 Summit was the XVIII (18th) BRICS Summit, hosted in New Delhi. The declaration describes the grouping as expanded and refers to partner countries and emerging markets and developing countries. The official summit factsheet describes BRICS as having 11 members: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia. Membership lists should be dated because the grouping’s composition has changed over time.

The New Delhi Declaration records that BRICS cooperation under India’s Chairship involved more than 400 meetings and engagements in 30 cities across India. This is the declaration’s account of the Chairship programme; it should be attributed to the document and not confused with the number of member states or the duration of the summit. It also states that China would assume the BRICS Chairship in 2027 and host the 19th Summit.

2. Bilateral meetings on the summit sidelines

A summit brings together multilateral sessions and separate bilateral meetings. The two formats must not be confused. On 12 September, the Indian Prime Minister met the Prime Minister of Malaysia on the sidelines of the summit. The government release identifies Malaysia as a BRICS partner country at the time of the meeting and says the two leaders discussed trade, investment, defence, semiconductors, infrastructure, digital economy, energy, fintech, education, tourism and people-to-people links. They also noted Malaysia’s concurrence to establish an Indian Consulate General in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. “Concurrence” is a diplomatic step; the release does not say that the consulate was already opened.

On 12 September, the Prime Minister also met the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. The release discusses the India–UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and cooperation across political, cultural, commercial, energy and people-to-people fields. It records an announced investment proposal for an aluminium project in Odisha. This was a bilateral meeting on the summit’s sidelines, not a separate BRICS declaration.

On 13 September, the Prime Minister met Nigeria’s Vice President, who headed the Nigerian delegation to the summit. The government release lists trade and investment, defence and security, energy, agriculture, health and digital technologies among the fields discussed. Such a readout verifies the stated meeting and subjects discussed; it does not independently prove that every proposed project or negotiation was completed.

3. The United Nations: session, office and report are distinct

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) is the UN’s main deliberative, policymaking and representative organ. The official page for the 81st session states that it opened on 8 September 2026 and identifies Dr. Khalilur Rahman as its President. The President presides over plenary work, convenes and chairs meetings, guides negotiations and represents the Assembly. The office is distinct from the UN Secretary-General, who heads the UN Secretariat and holds a separate office.

A UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) publication, the World Economic Situation and Prospects 2026 May Update, was covered by the UN Information Centre for India on 21 May. The update projected India’s calendar-year 2026 growth at 6.4 per cent and South Asia’s at 4.6 per cent, while describing the figures as forecasts in a volatile setting. These are not India’s financial-year GDP accounts and not final measured growth. Always keep three labels together: organization/author, publication date and forecast period.

On 28 April, the UN General Assembly President met India’s External Affairs Minister during her visit. The UN readout lists discussions covering geopolitical developments, the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals, climate, artificial intelligence, UN reform and selection of the next Secretary-General. A meeting readout is evidence of the subjects discussed, not evidence that a negotiated resolution or binding agreement was adopted.

4. Quick method for a diplomacy question

Before choosing an answer, identify whether the question asks for (a) a multilateral summit, (b) a bilateral meeting, (c) a chair or host, (d) a declaration, (e) a partner/member status, (f) an international organization’s office-holder, or (g) a report forecast. Then preserve the event date and status verb. A summit may adopt a declaration; a leader may hold a separate bilateral meeting; a country may be invited as a partner; and a report may project a future rate. Those are related events, but not synonyms.

Event card

Quick recall

• What were the dates, location and theme of the 18th BRICS Summit?
• Name the three cooperation pillars and distinguish a partner country from a member.
• Which country was identified to chair BRICS in 2027?
• Which office did Dr. Khalilur Rahman hold, and when did the 81st UNGA session open?
• Why must the UN DESA 6.4% figure be described as a calendar-year forecast?
• How does a bilateral meeting differ from a summit declaration?

Complete the 30 original questions. Mark every miss as a forum, role, status, date or forecast-period confusion.

Figure 13.1 — BRICS and the United Nations. Original teaching visual; schematic, not to scale unless the chapter specifies units.

Original practice questions

1. Where was the 18th BRICS Summit held?

A. New Delhi, India

B. Beijing, China

C. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

D. Johannesburg, South Africa

Answer: A. The XVIII BRICS Summit met in New Delhi. Source CA26-052.

2. On which dates did the 18th BRICS Summit meet?

A. 8–9 September 2026

B. 12–13 September 2026

C. 12–13 October 2026

D. 1–2 January 2026

Answer: B. The New Delhi Declaration dates the summit from 12 to 13 September 2026. Source CA26-052.

3. Which country held the BRICS Chairship in 2026?

A. China

B. Brazil

C. India

D. South Africa

Answer: C. The 2026 summit took place under India’s Chairship. Source CA26-052 and CA26-053.

4. What was the theme of India’s 2026 BRICS Chairship?

A. One Earth, One Family, One Future

B. A Green Future for Every Nation

C. Reforming Global Trade through Tariffs

D. Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability

Answer: D. The New Delhi Declaration states this theme. Source CA26-052.

5. Which number corresponds to the XVIII BRICS Summit?

A. 18th

B. 19th

C. 20th

D. 17th

Answer: A. XVIII is the Roman numeral for 18; the declaration calls it the 18th Summit. Source CA26-052.

6. Which three pillars does the New Delhi Declaration list for BRICS cooperation?

A. Agriculture; tourism; space exploration only

B. Political and security; economic and financial; cultural and people-to-people

C. Defence procurement; taxation; criminal justice only

D. Environment; sports; postal services only

Answer: B. These are the three cooperation pillars stated in the declaration. Source CA26-052.

7. Which group of ideas is expressly associated with the BRICS approach in the declaration?

A. A single common currency already in force

B. A unified supranational parliament

C. Sovereign equality, solidarity, openness and consensus

D. Compulsory membership in a military alliance

Answer: C. The declaration lists these principles; it does not establish the institutions in the distractors. Source CA26-052.

8. How many BRICS members are listed in the 2026 official summit factsheet?

A. 5

B. 8

C. 20

D. 11

Answer: D. The 2026 factsheet lists 11 member countries. Source CA26-053.

9. Which country is included among the BRICS members in the 2026 factsheet?

A. Indonesia

B. Japan

C. Canada

D. Mexico

Answer: A. Indonesia appears in the official 2026 member list. Source CA26-053.

10. Which country was identified to hold the BRICS Chairship in 2027?

A. India

B. China

C. Ethiopia

D. Egypt

Answer: B. The New Delhi Declaration extends support to China for its 2027 Chairship. Source CA26-052.

11. According to the declaration, which country will host the 19th BRICS Summit?

A. India

B. South Africa

C. China

D. Brazil

Answer: C. The declaration says China will host the XIX Summit in 2027. Source CA26-052.

12. How many meetings and engagements did the New Delhi Declaration say occurred under India’s 2026 Chairship?

A. Exactly 18

B. Fewer than 30

C. 11 in total

D. More than 400

Answer: D. The declaration reports over 400 meetings and engagements. Attribute this count to the declaration. Source CA26-052.

13. Across how many cities in India did the declaration say these BRICS meetings and engagements took place?

A. 30

B. 11

C. 18

D. 400

Answer: A. The declaration states 30 cities. This is not the number of members or summit days. Source CA26-052.

14. What wider dialogue segment did India host as part of the 18th BRICS Summit?

A. G7 accession dialogue

B. Outreach/BRICS Plus Dialogue

C. NATO enlargement session

D. UN Security Council election

Answer: B. The New Delhi Declaration commends India for hosting the Outreach/BRICS Plus Dialogue segment. Source CA26-052.

15. A BRICS “partner country” is best distinguished from a member by which statement?

A. Every partner automatically becomes a full member at a summit

B. Partners cannot attend any engagement

C. Partner participation is a separate status; it does not by itself equal membership

D. Partner status is the same as a UN Security Council seat

Answer: C. The declaration distinguishes partner-country participation from the expanded membership framework. Source CA26-052 and CA26-054.

16. Which city hosted the bilateral meeting between India’s Prime Minister and Malaysia’s Prime Minister on the summit sidelines?

A. Kuala Lumpur

B. Kota Kinabalu

C. New York

D. New Delhi

Answer: D. The PIB readout places the meeting at the New Delhi BRICS Summit on 12 September. Source CA26-054.

17. At the 12 September summit-side meeting, Malaysia was described as a BRICS:

A. Partner country

B. Chair for 2027

C. Founding member in 2006

D. UN General Assembly President

Answer: A. The release refers to Malaysia’s participation as a Partner Country. Source CA26-054.

18. Which Malaysian location was named in connection with a proposed Indian Consulate General?

A. Kuala Lumpur, Selangor

B. Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

C. New Delhi, India

D. Colombo, Sri Lanka

Answer: B. The readout says Malaysia conveyed concurrence to establish an Indian Consulate General in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Source CA26-054.

19. Which statement correctly describes the status of the Kota Kinabalu consulate in the summit-side readout?

A. It had already operated for ten years

B. The release says it replaced the Indian embassy

C. Malaysia’s concurrence was noted; the release did not say the consulate had opened

D. It was a BRICS secretariat office

Answer: C. The source records concurrence to establishment, not the opening of an operating consulate. Source CA26-054.

20. Which Emirati leader met India’s Prime Minister on 12 September on the BRICS Summit sidelines?

A. President of Brazil

B. Prime Minister of Malaysia

C. President of the UN General Assembly

D. Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi

Answer: D. The PMO readout identifies the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. Source CA26-055.

21. Which country’s Vice President headed its delegation to the 18th BRICS Summit and met India’s Prime Minister?

A. Nigeria

B. Indonesia

C. Canada

D. Japan

Answer: A. The readout identifies Nigeria’s Vice President leading the delegation. Source CA26-056.

22. Which issue was included among the India–Nigeria meeting topics listed by the PMO?

A. Asian Games venue selection

B. Agriculture

C. Antarctic territorial claims

D. A common BRICS passport

Answer: B. The government readout lists agriculture alongside trade, security, energy, health and digital technology. Source CA26-056.

23. What is the United Nations General Assembly’s broad institutional role?

A. The UN’s international criminal court

B. The executive cabinet of every member state

C. The UN’s main deliberative, policymaking and representative organ

D. A regional development bank

Answer: C. The official UN page describes the General Assembly in these terms. Source CA26-057.

24. When did the 81st session of the UN General Assembly open?

A. 12 September 2026

B. 28 April 2026

C. 21 May 2026

D. 8 September 2026

Answer: D. The official session page says the 81st session opened on 8 September 2026. Source CA26-057.

25. Who was identified as President of the 81st UN General Assembly session?

A. Dr. Khalilur Rahman

B. António Guterres

C. Stefan Priesner

D. Sudhakar Dalela

Answer: A. The official UN page identifies Dr. Khalilur Rahman as President of the 81st session. Source CA26-057.

26. Which role is separate from the President of the UN General Assembly?

A. District Collector

B. UN Secretary-General

C. BRICS Sherpa

D. AP Finance Minister

Answer: B. The UNGA President presides over Assembly work; the Secretary-General is a separate UN office. Source CA26-057.

27. Which United Nations department produced the World Economic Situation and Prospects 2026 May Update?

A. UN Security Council Secretariat

B. UN Office for Project Services only

C. UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs

D. International Court of Justice

Answer: C. The UN Information Centre page identifies UN DESA with the report. Source CA26-058.

28. What India growth rate did the UN May Update project for calendar year 2026?

A. 4.6%

B. 2.5%

C. 2.8%

D. 6.4%

Answer: D. The UN DESA update projected 6.4% for India in calendar year 2026. It is a forecast, not a final account. Source CA26-058.

29. What South Asia growth rate did the same UN update project for 2026?

A. 4.6%

B. 6.4%

C. 13.8%

D. 5.25%

Answer: A. The UN update projected South Asia’s 2026 growth at 4.6%. Source CA26-058.

30. Why must the UN’s 6.4% India figure be labelled a forecast?

A. It is an audited state budget figure

B. It was a projection for calendar-year 2026 in a dated report, not a final measured account

C. It is India’s quarterly inflation rate

D. It measures BRICS membership

Answer: B. The May update is a dated forecast for a future calendar year. Do not relabel it as an actual or financial-year result. Source CA26-058.