ASEAN (Regional Groupings).
Syllabus: UPSC Mains GS2: India & neighbourhood, groupings, international institutions, diaspora
ASEAN for UPSC: Bangkok Declaration 1967, 11 members, Charter, ARF and East Asia Summit, India-ASEAN partnership, AITIGA, RCEP exit and Act East…
On 14 October 2026 Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh opened the first ASEAN-India Defence Think Tank Forum at MP-IDSA in New Delhi. The two-day meeting brings India and all 11 ASEAN members together on maritime security, emerging tech and defence-industry ties, under the ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation.
UPSC angle: Prelims: ASEAN (11 members), MP-IDSA, ADMM-Plus, SAGAR/MAHASAGAR. · Mains GS-II: India–ASEAN defence engagement and Indo-Pacific.
14 Oct 2026
The 15th Joint Committee reviewing the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement met in Jakarta from 6 to 9 October 2026, co-chaired by India and Malaysia. It told all sub-committees to speed up pending chapters with firm, time-bound deliverables. Three of eight sub-committees met, including rules of origin. The next meeting is in India in January 2027.
UPSC angle: Prelims: ASEAN members, AITIGA. · Mains GS-II: regional groupings; GS-III: trade policy.
9 Oct 2026
India took part in the 14th East Asia Summit Economic Ministers' Meeting and the 23rd ASEAN-India Economic Ministers Consultation in Manila, Philippines (PIB, 24 September 2026). The focus was the review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA). India-ASEAN trade reached USD 128.38 billion in 2025-26, 10.55% of India's total trade.
UPSC angle: Prelims: 11th ASEAN member; EAS members. · Mains: Why India seeks an AITIGA review.
24 Sep 2026
The 9th ASEAN-India Ministerial Meeting on Agriculture and Forestry (AIMMAF) was held in New Delhi on 9 September 2026, co-chaired by the Philippines and India. It reviewed the 2021 to 2025 plan of action and looked forward to a new ASEAN-India Medium-Term Plan of Action for 2026 to 2030 with four areas. The 10th meeting will be in 2028.
UPSC angle: Prelims: ASEAN members; Act East.
10 Sep 2026
The third meeting of the India-Cambodia Joint Working Group on Trade and Investment was held in Phnom Penh on 24 August 2026. Bilateral trade grew over 36 per cent to $406.78 million in 2025-26, from $299 million a year earlier. Both sides discussed a customs MoU, the Bilateral Investment Treaty and UPI links.
UPSC angle: Prelims: MGC members.
24 Aug 2026
The 15th edition of the India-Thailand joint military exercise MAITREE is being held from 18 to 31 August 2026 at Vibhavadi Rangsit Camp, Surat Thani, Thailand. Each side has 85 personnel; India is represented mainly by 9 Gorkha Rifles. The focus is counter-insurgency and counter-terror operations in jungle and semi-urban terrain.
UPSC angle: Prelims: exercise–country pairs.
17 Aug 2026