GS Paper II · Global Relations
India-US 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: Technological partnerships and Indo Pacific security frameworks dominate current affairs, making this relationship essential for evaluating global diplomatic alignments.
In the news
October 2026
12 Oct 2026
US suspends IT giants from green card programThe U.S. Department of Labour has suspended several major IT firms, including Infosys, Tata, and Wipro, as well as Microsoft and Adobe, from the PERM (Permanent Employment Certification) program. This move impacts the process for...
11 Oct 2026
Indian IT Majors Face US PERM Green Card SuspensionThe United States Department of Labor has temporarily suspended several major IT services firms, including TCS, Infosys, and Wipro, along with global technology giants, from the permanent labor certification (PERM) program. The measure...
09 Oct 2026
India Navigates Global Trade Headwinds and Tariff RisksIndia's critical trade surplus with the U.S. is under threat due to potential high tariffs and the disruptive impact of Artificial Intelligence on service exports. This surplus currently helps India offset its structural trade deficit...
08 Oct 2026
India's Trade Vulnerabilities Amid Rising Tariff ThreatsIndia's critical trade surplus with the United States faces significant challenges from potential heavy tariffs and the disruptive impact of Artificial Intelligence on service exports. While this surplus has historically offset India's...
06 Oct 2026
India-US Trade Deal Negotiations Hit a PlateauThe Finance Ministry has stated that negotiations for a comprehensive India-US trade deal have plateaued, indicating that further mutual concessions will be extremely difficult to achieve. Officials noted that the United States is...
05 Oct 2026
US Tariffs and Forced Labour Investigations Strain Trade TiesUnion Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated that the proposed India-US trade deal has reached a plateau where further mutual concessions are difficult. She criticized the US for weaponising tariffs to address trade imbalances. This...
05 Oct 2026
India Rebuts U.S. Inquiries on Labour Standards and Industrial CapacityIndia's Commerce Ministry firmly defended domestic trade practices following the United States Trade Representative's imposition of tariffs on specific imports under forced labour allegations and ongoing probes into structural excess...
04 Oct 2026
Commerce Ministry Rejects US Claims on Forced Labour and Excess CapacityUnion Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal defended Indian trade policies against United States investigations into alleged forced labour and structural excess capacity. The US Trade Representative had previously imposed a 10 percent tariff...
03 Oct 2026
India defends trade practices against US forced labour inquiryUnion Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has defended India's labor policies in the United States, following a 10 percent tariff imposition by the US Trade Representative under 'forced labour' clauses. The US is also investigating India for...
September 2026
21 Sep 2026
U.S. Russia Sanctions Act and Strategic AutonomyThe U.S. Russia Sanctions Act presents renewed diplomatic and trade challenges for India's energy sourcing strategy. While India maintains that energy procurement is driven strictly by national interest, past trade data indicates...
20 Sep 2026
U.S. Sanctioning Act and Its Implications for Indian Energy SourcingThe proposed U.S. Sanctioning Act targets countries purchasing crude oil from Russia and Iran through potential secondary tariffs and trade restrictions. While India maintains that energy procurement is guided strictly by national...
18 Sep 2026
U.S. House Passes Sanctions Bill Targeting Secondary Buyers of Russian CrudeThe U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill authorizing tariffs of up to 100% on countries purchasing Russian crude oil and gas, directly targeting major importers including India. India's Ministry of External Affairs stated that it...
14 Sep 2026
India and Canada Resume Formal Bilateral Trade NegotiationsIndia and Canada have commenced the latest round of talks on a proposed comprehensive economic partnership agreement. The negotiations aim to scale up bilateral trade in goods and services to 50 billion dollars by 2030.
09 Sep 2026
US Department of Labor Suspends PERM Green Card Filings for Major IT EmployerThe United States Department of Labor has temporarily suspended PERM labor certification filings for technology major Cognizant following an inquiry into immigration compliance. The PERM process is a mandatory first step for foreign...
06 Sep 2026
India Plans Procurement of Javelin Anti-Tank Guided Missile SystemsIndia is evaluating the acquisition and possible co-production of the American Javelin anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) system to strengthen infantry strike capabilities along contested borders. The man-portable, fire-and-forget weapon...
August 2026
28 Aug 2026
Proposed US H-1B Fee Increase Draws Concern from Indian Tech IndustryThe US Department of Homeland Security has proposed fixing the H-1B visa application fee at over 100,000 dollars, drawing sharp criticism from NASSCOM. The industry body noted that Indian IT companies have significantly reduced reliance...
27 Aug 2026
NASSCOM opposes proposed US H-1B visa fee hikeIndia's premier tech association, NASSCOM, has strongly opposed a proposal by the US Department of Homeland Security to set the H-1B visa fee at 103,265 dollars. NASSCOM pointed out that Indian IT companies have already reduced their...
26 Aug 2026
Syria removed from US terror list amid regional shiftsSyrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa announced that Syria has been officially removed from the United States terrorism list, marking a major shift in its foreign relations and paving the way for economic rebuilding. However, regional...
23 Aug 2026
United States Accuses India of Trade Violations and TranshipmentThe United States has raised fresh trade allegations against India, accusing Indian exporters of engaging in unfair trade practices and facilitating a transhipment network. American officials claim foreign goods are being rerouted...
16 Aug 2026
ONGC Resumes Operations in Venezuela Post US LicenceThe United States has granted a licence to India's state-run explorer Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) to resume full operations in Venezuela. This regulatory clearance removes a major barrier for ONGC's investments in the Latin...
16 Aug 2026
US Report Details India's Role in China Tariff EvasionA report from the United States has claimed that Indian entities are part of a global network helping Chinese firms evade US trade tariffs. The report raises concerns about transshipment and the re-routing of goods through India to mask...
02 Aug 2026
India Manages Delicate Balancing Act in FDI from China and USIndia is executing a complex economic strategy to attract investments from both the United States and China while boosting domestic manufacturing. The government has introduced incremental relaxations in long-held policies, particularly...
01 Aug 2026
Unusual Diplomatic Meeting in DhakaIn a rare diplomatic move, India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh met with the U.S. Ambassador to India in Dhaka. While the Ministry of External Affairs remained silent on the agenda, experts believe it signifies deep strategic...
July 2026
29 Jul 2026
US imposes 10 percent tariffs on 55 percent of Indian exportsThe United States has announced a 10 percent 'forced labour' tariff on 55 percent of Indian exports, following an investigation into labor practices. The Indian Commerce Ministry noted that while significant, these tariffs are lower...
24 Jul 2026
US Unveils New Tariffs on Sixty Global PartnersThe United States has introduced new import tariffs targeting 60 trading partners, including major economies such as China, India, and the European Union. The levies range from 10 percent to 12.5 percent and are a major component of the...
Show 7 older stories
July 2026
24 Jul 2026
US Signs Civil Nuclear Cooperation Deal with Saudi ArabiaThe United States has signed a landmark civil nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia, a move that is expected to significantly reshape the geopolitical landscape of West Asia. This deal establishes a framework for cooperation on peaceful...
19 Jul 2026
United States Tightens Visa Rules for Indian Scholars and MediaThe US Department of Homeland Security has introduced significant regulatory modifications within the F, J, and I visa categories, citing heightened national security concerns. These changes will lead to tighter scrutiny and revised...
17 Jul 2026
Privacy debate over new US visa vetting rulesPrivacy experts have raised concerns over the United States' new social media vetting requirements for visa applicants, comparing the aggressive data-harvesting approach to authoritarian measures. While applicants technically have the...
17 Jul 2026
Trump's "veteran-first" policy hits Indian truckersFormer US President Donald Trump's proposed "veteran-first" trucking initiative has raised concerns among Indian-origin, particularly Sikh, truck drivers in the United States. The plan seeks to incentivize shipping companies to hire...
15 Jul 2026
US Reduces Proposed Tariff on Russian Oil to 100%In a significant policy adjustment, the United States has reduced its proposed tariff on Russian oil from 500 percent to 100 percent. This decision provides major economic relief to major buyers like India and China, who have heavily...
11 Jul 2026
India Rejects United States Tariff Stance on Forced Labour IssuesIndia has criticized the United States' Section 301 investigations on forced labour and excess industrial capacity as an inconsistent approach to international trade tariffs. The US Trade Representative (USTR) initiated these...
05 Jul 2026
US Drops Adani Bribery Case Citing Diplomatic FrictionThe United States Department of Justice (DoJ) has informed a federal district court that it is dropping bribery and securities fraud charges against Gautam Adani and his associates. The DoJ provided a limited explanation, noting that...
Practise India-US
10 of our latest questions on this topic (out of 21).
Question 1 of 10
What is the primary function of the Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) process overseen by the United States Department of Labor?
Mains practice
India's developmental and economic priorities are increasingly shaped by a combination of external geopolitical dynamics, protectionist trade policies, and internal regulatory and ecological challenges. Analyze this statement in light of recent international trade sanctions, global workforce visa policies, and trans-boundary ecological vulnerabilities in the Himalayan region.
15 marks
The rising tide of global trade protectionism, marked by unilateral tariffs and trade barriers by major global economies, poses a significant challenge to emerging market economies like India. Critically analyze the impact of such protectionist measures on India's export-led growth and discuss the strategic policy measures India must adopt to navigate this volatile global trade environment.
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.