GS Paper II · Global Relations
India-Europe & UK Current Affairs for UPSC (GS Paper II)
From the syllabus: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests; effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests; Indian diaspora; important international institutions
Why it matters: Free trade negotiations and technology governance standards are favorite topics for testing your knowledge of diversified economic and strategic partnerships.
In the news
October 2026
12 Oct 2026
ISRO and France progress on TRISHNA satelliteThe TRISHNA (Thermal infraRed Imaging Satellite for High-resolution Natural resource Assessment) satellite is in an advanced stage of development. This is the third joint satellite project between India and France, following...
September 2026
26 Sep 2026
India and European Union Set to Sign Landmark FTA in DecemberIndia and the European Union are scheduled to sign their Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on December 16, 2026. This signing will align with Prime Minister Modi's scheduled visits to Europe and North America to seal key trade and strategic...
24 Sep 2026
India-EU Free Trade Agreement set for December signingIndia and the European Union are scheduled to sign their Free Trade Agreement on December 16, 2026. The signing is aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming diplomatic visits to Canada, the United States, and Belgium. This...
05 Sep 2026
India Deepens Diplomatic Outreach on the Russia-Ukraine ConflictExternal Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar emphasized India's active engagement with both Russia and Ukraine during his high-level diplomatic visits to Kyiv and Warsaw. Reaffirming India's stance that solutions cannot emerge from the...
July 2026
28 Jul 2026
Unresolved Key Issues in India-UK Trade NegotiationsNegotiations for the India-United Kingdom Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) remain incomplete due to outstanding differences over crucial issues. Key friction points include intellectual property rights, carbon border...
27 Jul 2026
Pending Hurdles in the India-UK Free Trade AgreementDespite progress on the India-UK Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA), several complex issues remain unresolved. Future rounds of negotiations will need to address investment protection mechanisms, patent rules under...
23 Jul 2026
India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement Nears RealizationNegotiators from India and the United Kingdom are working to finalize the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) to boost bilateral trade and investments. The trade pact is expected to open up market access, lower custom...
22 Jul 2026
India and United Kingdom Push for Win-Win CETA Trade DealNegotiations and assessments of the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) highlight it as a transformative pact for both nations. The treaty aims to reshape bilateral trade and investment, create high-quality jobs,...
17 Jul 2026
Labour's Andy Burnham poised to lead the UKAndy Burnham has been confirmed as the new leader of the UK's Labour Party and is set to be invited by King Charles III to form the next government. This transition follows the formal resignation of outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer....
17 Jul 2026
India-UK Free Trade Agreement takes effectThe much-anticipated India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) has officially kicked in, promising significant changes for consumers and industry. The government is currently working on an 'FTA utilization plan' to ensure that Indian...
15 Jul 2026
India-U.K. Trade Deal Comes into ForceThe India-U.K. Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement is set to come into force on July 15. Under this landmark agreement, the United Kingdom will remove or reduce tariffs on 98.8% of its tariff lines, representing about 99.5% of...
11 Jul 2026
Labor Mobility Disconnect in India-Germany Solar Technician PactThree years after signing a landmark bilateral agreement to facilitate the migration of skilled Indian solar technicians to Germany, not a single technician has successfully migrated. This implementation failure highlights a wider...
10 Jul 2026
India establishes tariff quotas for British vehicles under proposed trade dealThe Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has notified that a total of 20,000 completely built units (CBUs) of petrol and diesel passenger vehicles will be permitted for import from the United Kingdom at concessional tariff rates...
Practise India-Europe & UK
10 of our latest questions on this topic (out of 24).
Question 1 of 10
TRISHNA, the high-resolution thermal mapping satellite, is a collaborative project between India and which other country?
Mains practice
The signing of deep-integration bilateral trade agreements, such as the India-U.K. Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, signals a shift in India's global trade strategy. Analyze the opportunities and structural challenges that such agreements present to India's domestic manufacturing and services sectors.
15 marks
Previous years' questions
Past exam questions sorted by topic are coming here. Until then, the full papers are in our previous papers library.