The Syllabus · 2027–28

UPSC PSIR Optional Syllabus 2027–28: All 40 Chapters with Topic-wise Microlisting

By Swetank Pandey · Faculty & Author, Arihant Q-Beat Series · 40-min read

hero image pending — drop psir-syllabus-40-chapters-hero.jpg (1200×630)

The UPSC syllabus for Political Science & International Relations is a dense two-page PDF. This page is that syllabus made teachable — and then made granular: the 40 chapters and 144 lessons we teach from at ALS IAS, followed by the complete topic-wise microlisting of the PSIR optional syllabus — every subtopic under every chapter, transcribed in full from the ALS IAS syllabus booklet (2027–28). The Complete PYQ Map hangs every question from this structure.

How the course moves through it. The Foundation Batch covers all 40 chapters in 115 three-hour sessions across roughly 24 weeks — Paper I-A first, then I-B, then II-A, then II-B. A previous-year question is discussed inside the lesson it belongs to, not in a separate PYQ class.

editorial check The microlisting below is machine-transcribed from the scanned syllabus booklet — proof-read once against the booklet before publish.

Where the marks actually fall — chapter weightage, 2011–2025

Computed from the PYQ Map's 627 mapped questions (9,405 marks over fifteen years) — not impressions, arithmetic. The fifteen heaviest chapters:

Ch	Chapter	Questions	Marks	Years active	Share
Ch 4	Foundations of Democratic Governance	45	689	13	7%
Ch 14	Party System and Social Movement	35	540	13	5%
Ch 36	India's Relations with Global Powers	33	530	11	5%
Ch 3	Political Theories and Theories of State	28	392	10	4%
Ch 9	Salient Features of the Indian Constitution	24	380	11	4%
Ch 23	Key Concepts in International Relations	23	379	10	4%
Ch 12	Statutory Institutions/Commissions and Federalism	23	372	10	3%
Ch 7	Indian Political Thought	22	345	10	3%
Ch 17	Politics of Representation and Participation	24	342	11	3%
Ch 1	Western Political Thought	23	340	11	3%
Ch 10	Principal Organs of Government	20	297	10	3%
Ch 39	Recent Developments in Indian Foreign Policy	20	295	9	3%
Ch 34	India's Diplomatic Relations	23	290	8	3%
Ch 35	India's Relations with Global South	19	290	10	3%
Ch 13	Planning and Economic Development	17	285	13	3%

How to read it. Foundations of Democratic Governance, Party System & Social Movements, and India's Relations with Global Powers are the three heaviest chapters in the subject — together over 18% of all marks asked since 2011. A chapter "active" in 10+ of 15 years is a standing appointment, not a trend. This weight distribution is exactly why the course's session plan gives high-weight chapters their hours first — and why the microlisting below marks depth per subtopic.

PAPER I-A · Political Theory & Thought

Chapter 1 · Western Political Thought

1.1 Plato

Theory of Forms and Idealism
Allegory of the Cave
Theory of knowledge and reality
Conception of justice as functional specialisation
Philosopher-King and the ideal state
Theory of education
Communism of property and family
State as individual writ large
Critique of democracy
Popper's critique: enemy of the open society
Nettleship on Plato's communism
Fascist and totalitarian label debate I
Contemporary relevance of Platonic idealism

1.2 Aristotle

Empirical and comparative method
Critique of Plato's idealism
Man as a political animal
Polis by nature, prior to individual
Theory of natural slavery
Six-fold classification of constitutions
Polity as best practicable government
Theory of revolution and inequality
Rule of law over rule of men
Proportional equality and distributive justice
Doctrine of the golden mean and middle class
Authority of master versus statesman
Influence on modem constitutional democracies

1.3 Machiavelli

Empirical and observational method
Realism and statecraft in The Prince
Power as an end in itself (Ebenstein)
Separation of politics from morality
Pessimistic view of human nature
Fox and lion metaphor
Virtu and Fortuna
Secularism and instrumentalisation of religion
Critique of the Church in Italian politics
‘Narrowly local and narrowly dated’ (Sabine)
Comparison with Kautilya's Arthashastra
Influence on modern realism (Morgenthau)
The Machiavellian Moment (Pocock)

1.4 Thomas Hobbes

Scientific and materialist method
Psychology of human desire and power
State of nature as state of war
Laws of nature and natural right
Social contract and covenant
Leviathan and absolute sovereignty
'Covenants without swords are but words'
Political obligation and protection-obedience
Individualism culminating in absolutism
Liberty as absence of external impediments
Sovereignty compared with Bodin
Comparison with Locke and Rousseau
Relevance to realist theory of anarchy

1.5 John Locke

State of nature governed by reason
Natural rights: life, liberty, property
Labour theory of property
Consent, money and accumulation
Social contract and civil society
Limited and constitutional government
Consent and popular sovereignty
Right to revolution and resistance
Religious toleration
Father of liberalism
Locke's individualism
Macpherson's possessive individualism critique
Influence on liberal democracy and constitutionalism

1.10 Hannah Arendt !

The Human Condition and vita activa
Conceptual triad of labour, work and action
Power as a group property
Distinction between power and violence
Power, authority and strength distinguished
Conception of the political and public realm
Plurality and natality
Public and private distinction
Origins of Totalitarianism: ideology and terror
Role of ideology in totalitarian regimes
Banality of evil (Eichmann in Jerusalem)
Active citizenship and participation
Relevance to deliberative democracy

Chapter 2 · Ideologies

2.1 Ideology and Debates around it

Meaning and definition of ideology
Functions of ideology
Marxist concept of false consciousness
Ideology and the allocation of power
End of Ideology debate (Daniel Bell)
End of History thesis (Fukuyama)
Kojeve-Hegelian roots of end of history
Clash of Civilizations critique (Huntington)
Postmodernism and incredulity to metanarratives
Foucault's power-knowledge and Derrida's
Baudrillard's hyperreality and Butlers performativity
Neo-liberalism and globalisation as ideology
Resurgence of ideology and populism

2.2 Liberalism

Core tenets: individualism, rights, rule of law
Classical versus modern liberalism
Negative and positive liberty
Locke as the father of liberalism
Liberalism as a revolutionary Enlightenment idea
Constitutionalism and limited government
Free markets and economic freedom
Neo-liberalism (Hayek, Friedman)
Atomism versus social thesis debate
Multicultural challenge to liberalism
Decline of liberalism and populist challenge
Contemporary relevance

2.3 Socialism

Meaning and collective ownership
Utopian socialism GSaint-Simon, Fourier, Owen)
Critique of capitalism and inequality
Fabian socialism and gradualism
Democratic socialism
Guild socialism
Evolutionary versus revolutionary socialism
Post-Marxian developments in socialist thought
Welfare state and market socialism
Socialism versus neo-liberalism
Twenty-first century socialism as anti-capitalism
Contemporary relevance (Green New Deal,

2.4 Marxism

Historical materialism
Dialectical materialism
Mode of production and class struggle
Base and superstructure
Surplus value and exploitation
Theory of alienation
Theory of the state and revolution
Dictatorship of proletariat and classless society
Leninism: vanguard party and imperialism
Neo-Marxism and the Frankfurt School
Structural Marxism (Althusser)
Scientific versus utopian socialism
Contemporary relevance and critiques

2.5 Fascism ‘

Origins in post-World War | Europe
Ultra-nationalism and authoritarianism
Totalitarian supremacy of the state (Mussolini)
Doctrine of Fascism (Giovanni Gentile)
Fuhrerprinzip and the leadership cult
Corporatism and economic organisation
Irrationalism, militarism and racism
Anti-liberalism and anti-individualism
Laski's critique: fascism and economic power
Fascism versus Marxism on the state
Ambivalence toward parliamentary democracy
Carl Schmitt: decisionism and the exception
Neo-fascism and contemporary relevance (Paxton)

2.6 Feminism

Meaning and waves of feminism
Sex versus gender distinction
Concept of patriarchy
The personal is political
Simone de Beauvoir and the Other
Liberal feminism (Wollstonecraft, Mill, Friedan)
Socialist and Marxist feminism
Radical feminism (Firestone, Millett)
Eco-feminism (Vandana Shiva, dEaubonne)
Intersectional feminism (Crenshaw)
Postmodern feminism and performativity (Butler)
Critique of the public-private divide
Contemporary relevance (climate justice, MeToo)

Chapter 3 · Political Theories and Theories of State

3.1 Political Theory (meaning, decline, revival,

Meaning and nature of political theory
Meanings of the term political
Political science as a master science (Barker)
Normative and traditional approach
Empirical approach
Behaviouralism: assumptions and credo
David Easton's systems analysis
Fact-value dichotomy
Post-behaviouralism and the credo of relevance
Decline of political theory
Resurgence and revival of political theory
Marxist approach to political theory
Interdisciplinary and contemporary relevance

3.2 Liberal Theory of State

Individual as the basis of the state
Negative liberal or classical state
Positive liberal state: will not force (T.H. Green)
Night-watchman minimal state
Constitutionalism and rule of law
Popular sovereignty and consent
Protection of individual rights
Welfare or positive liberal state
Pluralist liberal democracy (Dahl)
Separation of powers
Contemporary relevance and critiques

3.3 Neo-Liberal Theory of State

Revival of classical liberalism
Minimal state (Hayek)
Free markets and monetarism (Friedman)
Libertarian minimal state (Nozick)
Deregulation and privatisation
Washington Consensus, IMF and WTO
Rolling back the welfare state
Shock doctrine critigue (Naomi Klein)
Trickle-down economics critique (Stiglitz)
Globalisation and eroded sovereignty (Susan
Inequality and the 2008 crisis critique
Challenge from community, culture and nation

3.4 Marxist Theory of State

Materialist conception of the state
Instrumentalist approach (Miliband)
Relative autonomy of the state (Poulantzas)
Dictatorship of the proletariat
Lenin: State and Revolution, class antagonism
Withering away of the state
Overdeveloped state (Hamza Alavi)
Ideological state apparatuses (Althusser)
Cultural hegemony and the state (Gramsci)
Critiques of Marxist state theory
Contemporary relevance (Piketty, gig economy)

3.5 Pluralist Theory of State ‘

Dispersal of power among groups
Pluralist critique of monistic sovereignty
State as a neutral arbiter
Political pluralism (Laski, Figgis)
Group theory of politics (David Truman)
Polyarchy and Who Governs? (Robert Dahl)
Role of associations and civil society
'Who gets what, when, how’ (Lasswell)
Elite theory critique CC. Wright Mills)
Marxist critique of pluralism (Miliband)
Neo-pluralism and deformed polyarchy
Relevance of non-state actors in global politics

3.6 Post-colonial Theory of State

Colonial legacy in state structures
Overdeveloped state (Hamza Alavi)
Prismatic society (Fred Riggs)
Soft state and underdevelopment (Myrdal, Asian
Dependency and underdevelopment CFrank, Amin,
Modernisation approach (Almond, Pye)
Critique of Eurocentrism
Orientalism (Edward Said)
Decolonising the mind (Fanon, Ngugi)
Nation-building and integration challenges
Relative autonomy of the post-colonial state
Contemporary relevance

3.7 Feminist Theory of State

Critique of the state's claimed neutrality
State as patriarchal and male (MacKinnon)
Critique of the public-private divide
The sexual contract (Carole Pateman)
Gender justice and the family (Susan Okin)
Welfare state critique (Nancy Fraser)
Differentiated citizenship Clris Young)
Gender, class and ethnicity intersection (Walby)
State feminism
Feminist international relations (Tickner, Enloe)
Liberal, radical and socialist views of the state
Contemporary relevance CUNSCR 1325)

3.8 Miscellaneous Theories and Issues of the

Church-state controversy and secularism
Rousseau on representation and the general will
Doctrine of popular sovereignty
Political pluralism and federalism (Laski)
Monistic versus pluralistic sovereignty
Westphalian model of sovereignty
Globalisation and state sovereignty
Decline of the nation-state
Supranational entities and pooled sovereignty
Transnational corporations and INGOs
Technology and cyber challenges to sovereignty
Welfare state and overload of the state

Chapter 4 · Foundations of Democratic Governance

4.1 Justice

Meaning and concept of justice
Justice, liberty and equality relationship
Procedural versus substantive justice
Distributive justice
Greek and Platonic conception of justice
Rawls' justice as fairness
Original position and veil of ignorance
Two principles and the difference principle
Democratic equality
Nozick's entitlement theory
Communitarian critique (Sandel, Walzer, Macintyre)
Amartya Sen's capability and idea of justice
Global justice and contemporary relevance

4.2 Liberty

Meaning of liberty and freedom
Distinction between freedom and liberty
Negative liberty (Berlin, Two Concepts of Liberty)
Positive liberty
Liberal view of liberty (Locke, Mill)
Law and liberty: law enlarges freedom (Locke)
Marx's notion of freedom in a classless society
Laski on liberty and rational justice
Civil, political and economic liberty
Relationship between liberty and equality
Value pluralism (Berlin)
Contemporary relevance: privacy versus security

4.3 Equality

Meaning of equality as absence of privilege
Formal and legal equality
Equality of opportunity versus outcome
Fair treatment versus equal treatment Cequity)
Social, political and economic equality
Affirmative action and positive discrimination
Affirmative action debate (Sowell versus Bell)
Reservation: Articles 1SC4), 16(4), creamy layer,
Relationship between equality and liberty
Rawlsian democratic equality
Sen's capability approach
Marxist conception of equality

4.4 Rights

Meaning and nature of rights
Theories of rights: natural, legal, moral
Natural rights (Locke): life, liberty, property
Bentham's critique: nonsense upon stilts
Natural rights versus human rights
Human rights as basic moral guarantees
Three generations of human rights
Rights as trumps (Dworkin)
Value pluralism and rights (Berlin)
Universalism versus cultural relativism
Multiculturalism and rights (Bhikhu Parekh)
Implementation as changing state conduct
Right to property and contemporary relevance

Chapter 5 · Democracy

5.1 Democracy

Meaning and evolution of democracy
Direct versus representative democracy
Procedural versus substantive democracy
Liberal democracy
Representative democracy (mill)
Participatory democracy
Deliberative democracy (Habermas)
Elitist theory of democracy (Schumpeter)
Polyarchy (Robert Dahl)
Macpherson's models of democracy
Marxist critique of liberal democracy
Popular sovereignty and self-determination
Cosmopolitan and global democracy
Contemporary relevance and democratic backsliding

Chapter 6 · Power

6.1 Power

Meaning and nature of power
Power as influence (Dahl)
Distinction between power and authority
Three faces of power (Lukes)
Bases of power (French and Raven)
Authority and its types (Weber)
Legitimacy and its conditions
Crisis of legitimacy (Habermas)
Hegemony: consent versus domination (Gramsci)
Power-knowledge, biopower and governmentality
Power elite CC. Wright Mills)
Elite theory (Pareto, Mosca, Michels)
Marx versus Weber on power
Power as collective action (Arendt)

Chapter 7 · Indian Political Thought

7.1 Manu, Kautilya, Dharmashastra,

Sources of ancient Indian political thought
Purusharthas: Dharma, Artha, Kama, Moksha
Concept of Dharma and Rajadharma
Manusmriti and Varnashrama dharma
Danda and the doctrine of Matsyanyaya
Kautilya's Arthashastra and statecraft
Saptanga theory of the state
Mandala theory of foreign policy
Shadgunya and Danda-niti
Dharmashastra versus Arthashastra on state power
Kautilya compared with Machiavelli
Buddhist tradition: Ahimsa, Dhamma, Ashoka,
Ethical governance and contemporary relevance

7.2 Sri Aurobindo

Spiritual nationalism
Nationalism as a way of life like religion
Cultural nationalism and revival of heritage
Doctrine of passive resistance
Idea of integral and holistic freedom
Concept of Swaraj as self-rule
Synthesis of spirituality and politics
Integral yoga and spiritual evolution
Theory of the human cycle and human unity
Fusion of Eastern and Western thought
Critique of purely political nationalism
Contemporary relevance

7.3 MLN. Roy

Early Marxist phase and anti-colonialism
Founding of the Communist Party of India
Critique of colonialism and decolonisation
Disillusionment with Stalinist authoritarianism
Radical Humanism
New Humanism: individual freedom and rationalism
Scientific temper and materialism
Critique of party dictatorship
Partyless and organised democracy
Decentralised democracy
Ethical foundations of politics
Contemporary relevance

7.4 MK. Gandhi

Satya (truth) and Ahimsa Cnon-violence)
Satyagraha and methods of resistance
Concept of Swaraj as self-rule
Gram Swaraj and oceanic circles
Critique of the modern state as soulless machine
Ramrajya and enlightened anarchy
Theory of trusteeship
Swadeshi and Khadi
Duty as the source of rights
Dignity of labour and bread labour
Critique of modern civilisation (Hind Swaraj)
Sarvodaya and decentralisation
Unity of ends and means; M.N. Roy's critique

7.5 B.R. Ambedkar

Critique of caste and graded inequality
Annihilation of caste
Social justice as egalitarian justice
Social democracy as basis of political democracy
Liberty, equality and fraternity
Constitutionalism and constitutional morality
State socialism and public ownership
Critique of Marxism and constitutional method
Protective discrimination and reservation
Conversion to Buddhism and Navayana
Women's rights and the Hindu Code Bill
Egalitarian justice versus Rawlsian fairness
Contemporary relevance

7.6 Sir Syed Ahmed Khan

Role as a moderniser and reformer
Advocacy of modern Western education
Aligarh Movement and MAO College
Scientific temper and rationalism
Rational reinterpretation of Islam
Tahzib-ul-Akhlag and social reform
Reform against purdah and child marriage
Scientific Society and Urdu translations
Women's education
Reconciliation of Islam and modernity
Loyalty to the British and Muslim political
Legacy and antecedents of two-nation thinking

PAPER I-B · Indian Government & Politics

Chapter 8 · Indian Nationalism

8.1 Constitutionalism to Mass Satyagraha,

Moderate constitutionalism and early Congress phase
Gandhian philosophy: Truth, Ahimsa, Satyagraha
Champaran, Kheda and Ahmedabad Satyagrahas
Rowlatt Satyagraha (1919)
Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-22)
Civil Disobedience Movement and Dandi March
Concept of Swaraj, Swadeshi and Sarvodaya
Gandhi versus Ambedkar on social justice
Government of India Act, 1919 (Montagu-
Government of India Act, 1935 federal scheme {
Simon Commission and Indian response
Indian Independence Act, 1997
Satyagraha as mass mobilisation strategy

8.2 Militant and Revolutionary Movements

Moderate nationalism: objectives and methods
Extremist nationalism: Swadeshi and Swaraj
Gokhale versus Tilak ideological contrast
Anushilan Samiti and early revolutionaries
Ghadar Party (1913)
Hindustan Socialist Republican Association CHSRA)
Kakori Conspiracy (1925)
Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev
Chittagong Armoury Raid and Surya Sen
V.D. Savarkar and revolutionary radicalism
Shift from moderate to militant methods
Impact of revolutionary movements on freedom

8.3 Peasants and Workers' Movements

Colonial land revenue systems and agrarian distress
Indigo Revolt (1859-60)
Pabna Agrarian Unrest (1373-76)
Deccan Agriculturist Riots (1875-73)
Champaran and Kheda peasant Satyagrahas
Bardoli Satyagraha (1923)
Swami Sahajanand Saraswati and Kisan Sabha
Tebhaga and Telangana armed struggles
Rise of the industrial working class
All India Trade Union Congress CAITUO), 1920
Bombay Textile Strike and Girni Kamgar Union
Workers in Non-Cooperation and Quit India
Integration of peasant-worker movements with INC

8.4 Perspectives on Indian National Movement

Liberal perspective on the national movement
Socialist perspective: Lohia, JP, Narendra Dev
Marxist perspective: A.R. Desai and R.P. Dutt
Radical Humanist perspective: M.N. Roy
Dalit perspective: Ambedkar, Phule, Periyar
Jinnah's Two-Nation Theory
Raja Ram Mohan Roy as social reformer
Nehru as nationalist, internationalist, humanist
Surat Split (1907)
S.N. Banerjee's ‘A Nation in the Making’
Subaltern perspective on the national movement
Anti-imperialist and radical socio-economic

Chapter 9 · Salient Features of the Indian Constitution

9.1 Constitution

Constituent Assembly and making of the
Borrowed features and British constitutional imprint
Influence of Gandhi, Nehru and Ambedkar
Basic Structure Doctrine (Kesavananda Bharati,
Article 363 and amending power
First Constitutional Amendment and Ninth Schedule
42nd Amendment Act (Mini-Constitution)
99th Amendment and NIAC (Fourth Judges Case)
Judicial review: Articles 13, 32 and 226
Parliamentary supremacy versus constitutional
Judicial activism and judicial overreach
Constitutional morality
Federalism and formation of small states
Secularism as a basic feature

9.2 The Preamble

Objective Resolution (1946) and the Preamble
‘We the People’ and popular sovereignty
Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic, Republic
Justice, Liberty, Equality, Fraternity
Preamble as part of Basic Structure
Preamble as a social contract
Relevance of ‘Socialist’ post-1991 reforms
Indian model of secularism (principled distance)
Preamble as political horoscope of nation
Forging national identity amid diversity
42nd Amendment additions to the Preamble

9.3 Fundamental Rights and Fundamental

Fundamental Rights: classification (Articles 12-35)
Right to Equality and protective discrimination
Right against Exploitation (Articles 23-24)
Right to Freedom of Religion (Articles 25-23)
Article 21 expansion (Maneka Gandhi, 1973)
Right to Privacy CK.S. Puttaswamy, 2017)
Right to Education (Article 21A, RTE Act 2009)
Right to Constitutional Remedies (Article 32) and
Res judicata and Article 32
Fundamental Duties CArticle SIA, 92nd
Vishaka guidelines and Navtej Singh Johar
FR-DPSP as ‘core and conscience’
Reasonable restrictions and judicial interpretation

9.4 Directive Principles

DPSP: nature and non-justiciability (Part IV)
Classification: socialist, Gandhian, liberal-intellectual
DPSP as ‘conscience of the Constitution’
FR-DPSP conflict and reconciliation
Minerva Mills and harmony doctrine (1930)
42nd Amendment additions (39h, 434, 48A)
DPSP and socio-economic justice
DPSP in liberalisation-globalisation era
Legislative implementation (RTE, MGNREGA,
Judicial enforcement of DPSP via Article 21
Gandhian directives: Panchayati Raj, cottage

Chapter 10 · Principal Organs of Government

10.1 Principal Organs of the Union Government ’

President: election and electoral college (Articles 54-
Discretionary powers of the President
President's role in minority and coalition
Ordinance-making power (Article 123)
Prime Minister: powers and functions
Prime Minister in a coalition regime
Council of Ministers and collective responsibility
Rise of the Prime Minister's Office PMO)
Cabinet system and cabinet committees
Tilt of power towards the executive
National Security Advisor and Principal Secretary
Prime Minister in the federal system '

10.2 Bureaucracy - Weber's Theory of

Weber's rational-legal authority and bureaucracy
Characteristics: hierarchy, rules, impersonality
Critiques of the Weberian model
Relevance of Weberian model in India
Representative bureaucracy
Committed versus neutral bureaucracy
Corruption in administration
Bureaucracy in nation-building
Lateral entry into higher civil services
New Public Management and e-governance
Political-bureaucratic relations and governability

10.3 Legislature: Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha,

Functions of a modern legislature
Lok Sabha: composition and powers
Rajya Sabha and representation of states '
Speaker: role, powers and impartiality
Parliamentary Committees (Standing, Select, Joint,
Parliamentary oversight and financial control
Parliament and checking political corruption
Decline of the Indian Parliament
Anti-Defection Law (Tenth Schedule)
Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad): powers and
Money Bill and Article 110
Joint sitting of Parliament (Article 108)

10.4 Principal Organs of the State Government

Governor: appointment and constitutional role
Discretionary powers of the Governor (Article 163)
Governor and Article 356 (President's Rule)
Politicisation of the Governors office
Governor's role in government formation
Reservation of bills for the President
SR. Bommai (1994) and B.P. Singhal (2010)
Sarkaria and Punchhi Commission recommendations
Chief Minister and State Council of Ministers
Lieutenant Governors versus State Governors
Government of NCT of Delhi v. Union of India
State legislature and executive accountability

10.5 Supreme Court, High Courts, Judicial

Supreme Court: structure and jurisdiction Crticles
Original, appellate and advisory jurisdiction
Judicial review as guardian of the Constitution
Public Interest Litigation: origin and scope
Judicial activism and social change
Judicial overreach and separation of powers
Collegium system and the Judges Cases
NJAC and Fourth Judges Case (2015)
Supreme Court as final interpreter of Constitution
Judiciary as ‘super legislature’ / policy evolution
Environmental jurisprudence (M.C. Mehta cases)
Independence of the judiciary
High Courts and writ jurisdiction (Article 226)

Chapter 11 · Grassroot Democracy

11.1 Panchayati Raj and Municipal Government

Evolution of local self-governance in India
Gandhian vision of Gram Swaraj
73rd Amendment and Panchayati Raj structure
74th Amendment and Urban Local Bodies
Gram Sabha: direct democracy and collective wisdom
Three-tier Panchayat structure
Women's participation in rural local bodies
PESA Act (1996) and tribal areas
District Planning Committee (Article 2432D)
PRis and ULBs in deepening democracy
Financial devolution and functional autonomy
Political modernisation through PRIs
Reservation for SC, ST and women in local bodies

Chapter 12 · Statutory Institutions/Commissions and Federalism

12.2 Federalism

Federal features of the Indian Constitution
Cooperative federalism Granville Austin)
Competitive federalism and GST Council
Contested areas in Centre-State relations
Distribution of powers (Seventh Schedule)
Article 356 and misuse of President's Rule
Sarkaria and Punchhi Commission on federalism
Inter-State Council (Article 263)
Inter-state water disputes and tribunals
Fiscal federalism and Finance Commissions
Asymmetrical federalism and special provisions
GST and NEET as challenges to federalism
State reorganisation and new states (Articles 2-3)
Unitary tendencies and quasi-federalism

Chapter 13 · Planning and Economic Development

13.1 Planning and Economie Development

Nehruvian model: central planning and
Gandhian model: Gram Swaraj and self-sufficiency
Planning Commission and Five-Year Plans
NITI Aayog and cooperative federalism
New Economic Policy 1991 CLPG reforms)
Disinvestment and privatisation
Green Revolution and its political fallout
Second Green Revolution and agrarian crisis
Land reforms and rural poverty eradication
Decentralised planning
Correlation between democracy and development
Ascriptive to developmental politics shift
Environmentalism of the poor
Centralised planning and impact on federalism

Chapter 14 · Party System and Social Movement

14.1 Party System

One-party dominance: Congress System (Rajni
Shift to coalition politics post-1989
One-party led coalition post-2014
Rise of regional political parties
Party system: federal structure and social cleavages
Electoral behaviour: caste, class, region
Pressure groups and public policy-making
Trade unions as pressure groups
Electoral reforms and state funding of elections
Anti-defection and intra-party democracy
Identity politics versus developmental politics
Caste as a political category
Socio-economic profile of legislators and
Marginalisation of the Left ideology

14.2 Social Movement

Social movements: concept and typology
Women's movement: evolution, scope and limitations
Women empowerment and its impact on democracy
Chipko Movement
Narmada Bachao Andolan
Tuticorin anti-Sterlite movement
Environmentalism of the poor
Dalit movement: ‘Educate, Agitate, Organize’
Civil liberty and human rights movements
Right to Information movement (RTI Act 2005)
Caste and ethnicity as political categories
Ethnicity and North-East conflicts
Post-liberalisation environmental movement
New social movements and identity assertion

PAPER II-A · Comparative Politics & International Relations

Chapter 15 · Comparative Politics: Nature and Approaches

15.1 Political Economy Perspective

Definition and scope of political economy approach
Politics-economics interplay in societal outcomes
Capitalist model of development
Adam Smith - free markets and invisible hand
Marxist political economy and historical materialism
Class struggle and surplus value extraction
State as instrument of the bourgeoisie
Karl Polanyi - double movement and embeddedness
Amartya Sen - capability approach
Prabhat Patnaik - neoliberal reforms critique
Mixed economy, informal sector, crony capitalism
Changing nature of comparative politics
Comparison with institutional approach

15.2 Political Sociology Perspective

Social structures shaping political phenomena
Emile Durkheim - collective consciousness and
Max Weber - ideal types
C. Wright Mills - power elite
Structural-functionalism and conflict theory
Symbolic interactionism in political sociology
Institutional, behavioural and process perspectives
Theda Skocpol - bringing the state back in
Anthony Giddens - structuration theory
Transdisciplinary nature of comparative politics
Limitations - overemphasis on society, neglect of

15.3 Limitations of Comparative Methods

Subject matter and scope of comparative politics
Comparative method for theory-building
David Easton - input-output model and feedback
Functions of empirical political theory
David Collier - concept formation
Extreme variability of political systems
Small-N problem - Arend Lijphart
Causal inference challenges - P.C, Mahalanobis
Contextual and cultural nuances constraint
Methodological constraints - data and language
Generalisation risks and probabilistic nature
Almond and Verba - civic culture study

15.4 Other Perspectives and Approaches

Traditional legal-institutional approach
Modern behavioural and empirical approach
Traditional versus modern approaches contrast
Structural-functional approach and status-quoism
Cross-global investigation in comparative politics
Interpretive approach - meaning-centred analysis
Symbolic interactionism - Blumer and Mead
Hermeneutics - Hans-Georg Gadamer
Post-structuralism - Michel Foucault and power
Qualitative methods - ethnography and discourse
Politics as socially constructed reality
Limitations - subjectivity and low generalisability

Chapter 16 · The Evolving State

16.1 Dynamics of State Sovereignty and ’

Westphalian state and sovereignty
Interdependence eroding state sovereignty
Crisis of the nation-state - internal and external
Susan Strange - structural power theory
Keohane and Nye - complex interdependence
Transnationalism versus nation-state persistence
Changing state and inclusive growth in developing
Modernisation thesis - Seymour Martin Lipset
India as exception to modernisation thesis
Rajni Kothari - politics of accommodation
Post-modern state features and decentralisation
Manuel Castells - network society
Will Kymlicka - multiculturalism
Difficulties in comparing states

16.2 State Forms and Functions in Diverse

Max Weber - monopoly on legitimate violence
State as primary actor in global system
Factors in state creation and primacy
Military-industrial complex
Nation and state synonymity and national identity
Minimal state and maximum individual liberty
Hobbes and Bodin - centralisation and sovereignty
Eurocentric constructs of state critique
Indigenous governance - Arthashastra and
Confucianism and Mandate of Heaven
Postcolonial critique - Fanon and Said
Welfare state versus minimal state

Chapter 17 · Politics of Representation and Participation

17.1 Political Parties

Functions of political parties
Ideology and policy in party structural growth
Indian party system - neither western nor
Rajni Kothari - Congress system and one-party
Paul Brass - factionalism and regionalism
Yogendra Yadav - electoral volatility
Electoral systems - FPTP versus proportional
Duverger's Law
Donald Horowitz - ethnopolitical cleavages
Decline of political parties
Robert Michels - iron law of oligarchy
Clientelism and patronage - Joel Migdal
Larry Diamond - parties sustaining democracy
Coalition politics in developing societies

17.2 Pressure Groups

Interest groups versus pressure groups distinction
Robert Dahl - pluralist theory
Mancur Olson - collective action and free-rider
James Madison - Federalist No. 10 on factions
Almonds typology of interest groups
Anomic interest groups
Associational interest groups - David Truman
Interest groups promoting versus undermining
Pressure groups and Indian democracy
Parties and pressure groups as sine gua non
Lobbying tactics and methods

17.3 Social Movements in Advanced Industrial

New Social Movements - distinctive features
Ronald Inglehart - post-materialism thesis
Resource mobilisation theory - McCarthy and 2ald
Daniel Bell - post-industrial society
F. Parkin - middle-class radicalism
Identity politics and political participation
Social movements - advanced versus developing
Environmental movements - Chipko and Narmada
LGBT movement and Navtej Singh Johar case
Women's rights movements - MeToo and Women's
Emergence of global civil society
Low voter turnout - causes
Social movements strengthening democracy
Democratic construction of citizenship - Saward and '

Chapter 18 · Globalisation: Response from Developing and Developed Societies

18.1 Globalisation

Definition and dimensions of globalisation
Marshall McLuhan - global village
Thomas Friedman - integration and flat world
Globalisation as universalisation of capitalist
Immanuel Wallerstein - capitalist world-system
David Harvey - spatial fix
Arjun Appadurai - cultural homogenisation
Kenichi Ohmae - borderless world
Globalisation and erosion of state sovereignty
Joseph Stiglitz - Globalization and Its Discontents
Dani Rodrik - globalisation trilemma
Global South perspective and inequality
Proponents - Amartya Sen and Jagdish Bhagwati
Deglobalisation, reshoring and protectionism
Fad y APPROACHES TO STUDY

Chapter 19 · Approaches to Study International Relations

19.1 1 Idealist/Liberalism

Idealism and liberal internationalism - core principles
Woodrow Wilson - Fourteen Points
Democratic peace theory - Michael Doyle
Collective security mechanism
Economic interdependence and peace
International organisations - League and UN
Functionalism - David Mitrany
A Working Peace System and peace by pieces
Neo-functionalism and regional integration
Neo-liberalism - Keohane and Nye
Complex interdependence
Joseph Nye - soft power
Contemporary relevance and global governance

19.2 Realist

Core assumptions of realism - anarchy and survival
Intellectual precursors - Thucydides and Machiavelli
EH. Carr - critique of utopianism
Hans Morgenthau - Politics Among Nations
Human nature and power politics
Balance of power
John Here - security dilemma
Kenneth Waltz - neorealism and structural realism
Anarchy and self-help system
John Mearsheimer - offensive realism
Classical realism versus neorealism
Post-modernist critique of realism
Marxist-Realist commonalities in materialism
K, Subrahmanyam - Indian realist thought

19.3 Marxism

Historical materialism and class struggle
Economic determinism in international relations
Lenin - imperialism as highest stage of capitalism
Dependency theory - Andre Gunder Frank and Samir
Core-periphery and unequal exchange
Immanuel Wallerstein - world-systems theory
Economic reductionism critique
Marxism, globalisation and neoliberalism
Hardt and Negri - Empire and transnational
Uneven development and underdevelopment
Environmental degradation and capital accumulation
Post-Cold War relevance debate

Chapter 20 · Game Theory and Decision Making Theory

20.1 Game Theory and Decision Making Theory !

Game theory - basic concepts and rationality :
Prisoner's dilemma in international politics
Chicken game in Cold War context
Zero-sum versus non-zero-sum games
Cuban Missile Crisis application
Limitations of game theory
Decision-making theory - concept
Richard Snyder - decision-making framework
External and internal environment of decision-maker
Rational actor model
Allison's bureaucratic politics model
Organisational process model
Decision-making as partial theory critique

Chapter 21 · Functionalist and System Theory

21.1 Functionalist and System Theory

Systems approach - holism and feedback
Morton Kaplan - System and Process in ‘
Kaplan's six types of international systems
Critique of Kaplan - atomisation versus holism
David Easton - input-output and feedback
General systems theory - Ludwig von Bertalanffy
Functionalism - David Mitrany
Building peace by pieces
Neo-functionalism and regional integration
Immanuel Wallerstein - World Systems Approach
Core, periphery and semi-periphery
Comparison of functional and systems approaches
Critique of functionalism - neglect of power politics

Chapter 22 · Global Political Dynamics

22.1 Global Political Dynamics

Imperialism as mechanism of global domination
Neo-colonialism - economic control post-
Cultural imperialism
Dependency and core-periphery relations
Billiard ball to cobweb model transformation
Complex interdependence - Keohane and Nye
John Ruggie - embedded liberalism
Joseph Nye - sources of soft power
Antonio Gramsci - cultural hegemony
Consensus, coercion and organic intellectuals
Robert Cox - hegemony and global institutions
Counter-hegemony and resistance
Hamza Alavi - autonomous post-colonial state
Critique of liberal internationalism as Eurocentric

Chapter 23 · Key Concepts in International Relations

23.1 National Interest

Concept and definition of national interest
Hans Morgenthau - national interest as survival and
Charles Lerche and Abdul Aziz Said - long-term
Vernon Van Dyke - sovereign desires
National interest and capability
National interest and ideology
Realist vision of national interest
Static versus dynamic national interest
Essentially contested concept
Types - primary/secondary, permanent/variable
Instruments - diplomatic, economic, military, cultural
Public diplomacy and soft power tools

23.2 Security and Power !

Elements of national power
Limitations of national power
Morgenthau - politics as struggle for power
Power as zero-sum versus variable game
Changing nature of national security
Comprehensive and human security
Security dilemma versus insecurity dilemma
Hegemonic stability theory
Feminist critique of security discourse
Terrorism as essentially contested concept
Bipolar versus multipolar stability
Balance between security and liberty
Information technology as national power

23.3 Balance of Power and Deterrence

Concept of balance of power
Techniques - balancing, alliances, buck-passing,
David Hume - Of the Balance of Power
Balance of power and international stability
Alliances in the nuclear age
Balance of power versus collective security
Nuclear deterrence theory
Mutual Assured Destruction
No First Use and credible minimum deterrence
Extended versus direct deterrence
Robert Jervis - perception and misperception
India-Pakistan deterrence dynamics
Polarity - bipolar versus multipolar
Benefits of a multipolar world

23.4 Transnational Actors and Collective

Transnational actors - MNCs, NGOs, 1GOs
MNCs as engines of growth - neoliberal view
MNCs perpetuating underdevelopment - dependency
John Dunning - eclectic paradigm
Raymond Vernon - product life cycle theory
Civil society and social capital - Robert Putnam
Complex interdependence - Keohane and Nye
Collective security - principles and objectives
Collective security versus collective defence
Challenges to collective security in UN Charter
Nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation - NPT,
Martha Finnemore - norm diffusion

23.5 World Capitalist Economy and

World capitalist economy - concept
Immanuel Wallerstein - world-systems theory
Core, periphery and semi-periphery
Global capitalism transforming socialist economies
Transition from state socialism and market reforms
Global capitalism and developing societies
Francis Fukuyama - end of history thesis
Amartya Sen - human development approach
Pranab Bardhan - inclusive growth critique
Economic interdependence and global inequality
Drivers - liberalisation and privatisation

23.6 Diplomacy

Concept and functions of diplomacy
Open versus secret diplomacy
Summit diplomacy
Types - bilateral, multilateral, Track | and I
Diplomacy as foreign policy instrument
Techniques - negotiation, mediation, arbitration
Relevance of diplomacy in the nuclear age
Diplomacy in crisis management
Digital and public diplomacy
Diplomacy deploying military and economic

Chapter 24 · Changing International Political Order

24.1 Rise of Superpower

Rise of US and USSR as superpowers
Pax Americana
The American Century (Henry Luce)
Re-establishing the American Century
Decline of American economic and industrial
Trump's "America First" doctrine
Xi Jinping's "Chinese Dream"
US-China trade war
North Korea's missiles and American hegemony
Belt and Road Initiative
Made in China 2025
Unipolarity and its challengers
Realist, liberal and constructivist views on power

24.2 Strategic and Ideological Bipolarity

Strategic and ideological bipolarity
US-USSR ideological rivalry Ccapitalism vs
Bipolarity versus multipolarity stability debate
Kenneth Waltz on bipolar stability
Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD)
Deutsch's model of interdependence and integration
Wallerstein's World Systems Approach
Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace
Post-Cold War international political economy
Persistence of Cold War after Soviet collapse
NAM as a "Third Force"
Russian irredentism and "Greater Russia"

24.3 Arms Race, Cold War and Nuclear Threat

Origins and course of the Cold War
Truman Doctrine and containment
Berlin Blockade and Airlift
NATO and Warsaw Pact
Nuclear arms race and MAD
Detente and arms control
Fall of the Berlin Wall
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)
Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT)
START-I arms reduction
Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones
Post-Cold War nuclear proliferation
India's nuclear doctrine and No First Use
INF Treaty withdrawal and disarmament setbacks

Chapter 25 · Global Crises

25.1 Global Crises

Suez Canal Crisis
Cuban Missile Crisis
Brinkmanship and near-nuclear war
1973 OPEC oil embargo
Iraq's invasion of Kuwait
Gulf War and Operation Desert Storm
1991 Gulf War oil shock
2022 Russia-Ukraine energy crisis
Impact of oil crises on global inflation
Afghanistan crisis and US intervention
Taliban's rise, fall and return
Rise and fall of ISIS
UN's role in crisis mediation

Chapter 26 · Non-alignment Movement

26.1 Non-alignment Movement

Origins of NAM at Belgrade
Bandung Conference
Founding leaders: Nehru, Tito, Nasser
Principles and objectives of NAM
NAM as a "Third Force"
NAM as a voice of the Global South
Relevance of NAM in the post-Cold War era
Non-Alignment 2.0 document
Structural limitations of NAM
17th NAM Summit, Venezuela
NAM and the New International Economic Order
India's shift from non-alignment to multi-alignment
Reinventing and strengthening NAM
Collapse of the Soviet Union
Perestroika and Glasnost
Emergence of unipolarity
Fukayama's "End of History’ thesis
Transition to multipolarity
Rise of China as a great power
Thucydides Trap (Graham Allison)
Debt-trap diplomacy
Decline of American hegemony
NATO as an instrument of US hegemony
Washington Consensus
AIIB, SCO and BRICS as alternatives
Impact of Soviet collapse on developing nations
Post-Soviet nuclear proliferation threat

Chapter 27 · Post Cold War World Order

microlisting under manual review — see booklet

Chapter 28 · Transformations in the Global Economic Order

28.2 Socialist Economies and the Role of CMEA

Socialist and command economies
Council for Mutual Economic Assistance
Central planning and the transferable rouble .
Collapse of the socialist economic bloc
New International Economic Order (NIEO)
International Monetary Fund CMF)
World Bank
Multinational Corporations as non-state actors
European Union as an economic actor
Washington Consensus
Post-Washington Consensus
Role of non-state actors in international relations

28.3 Third World and the Quest for a New

Third World and underdevelopment
Dependency theory (Prebisch, Frank)
Prebisch-Singer thesis ‘
Import Substitution Industrialisation
North-South divide
South-South cooperation
New International Economic Order (NIEO)
Permanent sovereignty over natural resources
Rising powers versus IMF/World Bank dominance
BRICS and New Development Bank
"New Imperial Age" critique
Liberalisation and globalisation as "Trojan Horses"

28.4 Globalisation of the World Economy

Globalisation of the world economy
Geo-economics versus geo-politics
Intellectual Property Rights and TRIPS ‘
Internationalism versus globalisation
North-South divide under globalisation
Impact of globalisation on developing countries
Economic dependency and global value chains
Cultural homogenisation and Clash of Civilizations
Globalisation and rising inequality
Environmental degradation from globalisation
FDI-led growth and India's IT sector
North-South conflict at Rio

Chapter 29 · Evaluating the United Nations

29.1 Vision vs Reality of the UN

UN's role in international peace and security
UNSC veto power and PS dominance
UN and transnational terrorism
UN peacekeeping operations
UN's role in decolonisation
UNSC Resolution 1325 on women, peace and
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
UN humanitarian assistance (WHO, UNICEF,
US predominance in UN funding
UN achievements versus limitations
Non-traditional security challenges

29.2 Specialized Agencies of the UN

UN specialized agencies system
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
World Bank Group
World Health Organization (WHO)
UNESCO
International Labour Organization CILo)
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
UNICEF
International Court of Justice CIC)
ICJ jurisdiction and enforcement limits
ECOSOC and agency coordination
Legitimacy of IMF/World Bank governance

29.3 The Imperative for United Nations

UN Security Council reform
Veto power reform
G4 nations' demand for permanent seats
Ezulwini Consensus (African position)
Antonio Guterres' reform agenda
UN Development System reforms
General Assembly revitalisation
ECOSOC reinvigoration
UN financial and funding reforms
Peacekeeping reforms (DPO, DPPA)
Management reforms (DMSPC, DOS)
India's demand for a permanent seat
European integration after World War II
Treaty of Rome and the Common Market
Maastricht Treaty
Schengen Agreement
Eurozone and the single currency
Single market and the four freedoms
Neofunctionalism and spillover (Haas)
Liberal intergovernmentalism (Moravesik)
"Normative Power Europe"
Brexit and its consequences
Eurozone sovereign debt crisis ;
Euroscepticism and populism .
EU migration crisis
EU as a model of regional integration

Chapter 30 · Regionalisation of World Politics

30.2 ASEAN

Formation of ASEAN
The "ASEAN Way" and non-interference
ASEAN Free Trade Area CAFTA)
ASEAN Economic Community CEO)
Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership
Treaty of Amity and Cooperation
ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF)
South China Sea disputes and the DOC
ASEAN amid US-China rivalry
India's Act East Policy and ASEAN ;
ASEAN as a third-world cooperation model ,
ASEAN's limitations (Myanmar, Rohingya)

30.3 APEC

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CAPEC)
Open regionalism
Trade and investment liberalisation
Bogor Goals
Trade Facilitation Action Plan (TFAP)
Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP)
Non-binding principles and consensus approach
APEC links with RCEP and CPTPP
Reduction of business transaction costs
APEC and regional economic integration

30.4 SAARC

Formation of SAARC (Dhaka Charter)
South Asian Preferential Trade Arrangement
South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA)
India-Pakistan rivalry and SAARC paralysis
Non-tariff barriers to intra-regional trade
Economic asymmetry and India's dominance
Lack of political will
Weak institutional mechanisms
Pivot from SAARC to BIMSTEC
People-to-people cooperation

30.5 NAFTAUSMCA

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
NAFTA and US-Mexico migration
NAFTA's impact on Mexican farmers
Job losses and wage suppression
Trump's NAFTA withdrawal threat
Transition to USMCA
USMCA labour and wage standards
USMCA environmental provisions
Modernised IP and digital trade rules
USMCA dispute resolution mechanism
NAFTA/USMCA and regionalisation of world politics

Chapter 31 · Contemporary Global Concerns

31.1 Democracy

Struggle for democracy (Pakistan, Nepal, Myanmar)
Democratic transition and consolidation
Democracy promotion in developing countries
Liberal institutionalism (Fukuyama)
Democratic Peace Theory (Russett, Lake)
Cultural relativism critique (Huntington)
Organic versus imposed democracy (Sen)
Conditionality versus engagement debate
Military intervention in politics
Third wave of democratisation
India as a democracy promoter

31.2 Human Rights '

Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Universalism versus cultural relativism
"Asian Values" debate (Lee Kuan Yew, Mahathir)
Amartya Sen's critique of Asian Values
Women's rights as human rights
Intersectionality (Crenshaw)
Three generations of human rights
Personal data protection and privacy
Right to privacy (Puttaswamy judgment)
Human rights and state sovereignty
Human security paradigm
Human rights and cross-border terrorism

31.3 Environment

Emergence of global environmental politics
Stockholm Conference
Rio Earth Summit
Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR)
Montreal Protocol
Kyoto Protocol
Paris Agreement
US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement
UNFCCC and climate governance
North-South divide on historical responsibility
Sustainable development
International Solar Alliance
Ecofeminism and the commons (Shiva, Ostrom)

31.4 Gender Justice

Feminist approach to international politics
Feminist critique of realist IR
Cynthia Enloe and feminist IR
Gendered dimensions of conflict ;
Women, Peace and Security (Resolution 1325)
Global South feminism (Mohanty)
Women's rights as human rights
Gender-based violence in conflict zones
Gender pay gap and economic inequality
Ecofeminism (Vandana Shiva)
Women in peacebuilding and peacekeeping

31.5 Terrorism

Transnational terrorism
UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy
UNSC Resolution 1373
Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism
Financial Action Task Force (FATF)
Convention on Suppression of Terror Financing
UN Office of Counter-Terrorism CUNOCT)
Problem of defining terrorism
Selective enforcement and state sponsorship
Rise and fall of ISIS
Technology and cross-border terrorism
Regional counter-terrorism cooperation

Chapter 32 · Security Challenges and Ideological Shifts in Foreign Policy

32.1 Contemporary Security Challenges and

Global conventions against terrorism
Counter-terrorism frameworks CFATF, UNODC)
Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism
EU as an influential regional organisation
European integration and supranational governance
Eurozone and economic integration
Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP)
European Neighbourhood Policy CENP)
Regional cooperation in security
Complex interdependence (Keohane, Nye)
Interdependence and regional peace
EU as a model for regional integration

32.2 National Characteristics and Ideological

National identity and foreign policy
George Kennan (Mr. 'X')
Containment doctrine
"Sources of Soviet Conduct"
Realism versus idealism in foreign policy
Kissingers realpolitik and Ping-Pong diplomacy
Woodrow Wilson and the League of Nations
Gorbachev's Perestroika and Glasnost
Schabowski and the fall of the Berlin Wall
Ideological shifts reshaping alliances
Leadership and critical decisions in foreign policy

PAPER II-B · India & the World

Chapter 33 · India's Foreign Policy: Evolution, Challenges, and Dynamics

33.1 Historical Foundations and Evolution

Indian National Movement as foreign policy
Geographical determinants of foreign policy
Nehruvian idealism and moral diplomacy
Panchsheel principles C1954)
Non-Alignment and strategic autonomy
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and civilisational ethos
Kautilya's Arthashastra and strategic culture
Gandhian non-violence in diplomacy
Soft power diplomacy
Peaceful coexistence as cornerstone ‘
Transition from Nehruvianism to Neoliberalism
Post-1991 economic liberalisation shift
Continuity and change in core principles

33.2 Regional Relations and Strategic

Economic diplomacy as foreign policy driver
Maritime security in India's foreign policy
India's response to the Indo-Pacific concept
Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad)
Securing Sea Lanes of Communication (SLOCs)
SAGAR maritime initiative
India-Central Asia connectivity CINSTC, Ashgabat
Chabahar Port
Look East Policy and North-East India
India-Myanmayr-Thailand Trilateral Highway
Cultural and pragmatic basis of nuclear policy ‘
Blue-water navy modemisation
ASEAN centrality in Indo-Pacific

33.3 Institutional and Structural Influences

PMO versus MEA in policy-making
Federal units and para-diplomacy
West Bengal's role vis-a-vis Bangladesh
Constituent states and Inter-State Council CArticle
Social structure's influence on foreign policy
Parliament's constitutional mandate (Article 246)
Parliamentary diplomacy
Standing Committee on External Affairs
ICCR and cultural diplomacy
National Security Council structure
Diaspora diplomacy
Chief Ministerial foreign engagements

33.4 Economic and Security Dimensions

Determinants of India's foreign policy
Neoliberal outlook and market-driven diplomacy
Free Trade Agreements (India-ASEAN AIFTA)
Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat
WTO engagement and agricultural subsidies
Qualitative shifts from Nehruvian idealism
Neighbourhood First policy
Strategic autonomy and Non-Alignment 2.0
Climate diplomacy and International Solar Alliance
Energy security partnerships
S-400 deal and defence-economic balance
Digital and technological diplomacy
Diaspora in economic-security diplomacy

Chapter 34 · India's Diplomatic Relations

34.1 India's Foreign Policy and Non-Aligned

Origins of Non-Alignment under Nehru
Bandung Conference C19sS)
Founding of the Non-Aligned Movement (1961)
NAM principles and decolonisation advocacy
Non-Alignment 1.0 versus 2.0
Non-Alignment 2.0 document (2012)
Multi-alignment and strategic autonomy
Contemporary relevance of NAM
Non-Alignment as rational strategy in bipolarity
Indo-Soviet Treaty of 197]

34.2 SAARC and Regional Cooperation ‘

Constraints to South Asian regional cooperation
SAARC institutional weaknesses
Low intra-SAARC trade and SAFTA
India-Pakistan rivalry impeding SAARC
Rohingya refugee issue and India's stance
India's Afghanistan policy post-Taliban (2021)
BIMSTEC as SAARC alternative
BBIN sub-regional cooperation
China's Belt and Road influence in South Asia
SAARC versus ASEAN comparison
Regional connectivity projects (Chabahar, Kaladan)
South Asia as least integrated region

34.3 India-Pakistan Relations

Pathankot attack and policy shift (2016)
Surgical strikes across the Line of Control
Cross-border terrorism from Pakistan
Indus Waters Treaty (1960)
Kishanganga and Ratle hydroelectric disputes
Permanent Indus Commission and treaty
Revocation of Most Favoured Nation status
Kashmir dispute
Diplomatic isolation of Pakistan ;
Confidence-building measures

34.4 India-Bangladesh Relations

Hydropolitics and transboundary rivers
Farakka Barrage legacy
Ganges Water Sharing Treaty (1996)
Teesta River water-sharing dispute
Joint river basin management
Land Boundary Agreement (2015)
Political instability and anti-India sentiment
China's role in South Asian water politics
Cross-border trade (Petrapole-Benapole)
Illegal migration and border management

34.5 India-Nepal Relations

Kalapani-Lipulekh-Limpiyadhura territorial dispute
Nepal's new political map (2020)
Mahakali River boundary interpretation
1950 Treaty of Peace and Friendship
China's growing influence in Nepal
Nationalism in Nepalese domestic politics
Cultural and religious ties
Cross-border trade and connectivity
Joint water resource management
Open border management

34.6 India-Sri Lanka Relations

China's economic influence in Sri Lanka
Hambantota Port lease
Colombo Port City and BRI
Debt-trap diplomacy
2022 economic crisis and India's assistance
Sri Lankan Tamil minority issue
LTTE legacy and Tamil Nadu politics
Fishermen and Katchatheevu issue
Indian Ocean strategic balance
Adani Group projects

34.7 India-Bhutan Relations

1999 Treaty of Friendship Crevised 2007)
China-Bhutan border dispute
Doklam standoff (2017)
Doklam plateau and tri-junction
Siliguri Corridor (Chicken's Neck) vulnerability
Hydropower cooperation
Chinese infrastructure encroachment
Bhutan as strategic buffer
India's security and diplomatic support

34.8 Look East Policy

Look East Policy (1991)
Transformation to Act East Policy (2014)
ASEAN-India Free Trade Agreement '
Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project .
India-Myanmayr-Thailand Trilateral Highway
North-East India integration
Concerns of indigenous peoples
Counterbalancing China in Indo-Pacific
RCEP negotiations and opt-out
Cultural diplomacy through Buddhism
ASEAN and East Asia Summit engagement

34.9 Cross-Border Issues

Ethnic conflicts and insurgencies in North-East
Cross-border insurgent sanctuaries
River water disputes with neighbours
Cross-border terrorism in South Asia
Illegal cross-border migration ;
Scrapping of Free Movement Regime with Myanmar
India-Myanmar border ethnic kinship ties
Demographic change in Assam
Citizenship Amendment Act and NRC
Counter-insurgency cooperation (Operation All Clear)

34.10 Impediments to Regional Cooperation

Lack of 'regionness' in South Asia
Colonial boundaries and Partition legacy
India-Pakistan rivalry
Economic disparities and dependency
Ethnic diversity and identity politics
Cross-border terrorism and mistrust
Weak regional institutions (SAARC)
External powers’ influence
Insurgencies and economic marginalisation
Trust deficit among member states

Chapter 35 · India's Relations with Global South

35.1 India-Africa Relations

South-South Cooperation
Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation CITEC)
Research and Information System (RIS)
IBSA Dialogue Forum
India-Africa Forum Summit
Guiding principles of India-Africa relations (2018)
Pan-African e-Network and e-VBAB
African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)
Counterbalancing China in Africa
Energy and resource security
Development and capacity-building diplomacy
Vaccine Maitri
African Union's G20 membership

35.2 India-Latin America Relations

Decline of India's presence in Latin America
India-CELAC Forum
India-CARICOM engagement
India-Brazil strategic partnership
Competition with China's BRI
Trade imbalance and diversification
Energy and resource partnerships
IBSA Forum's diminished momentum
Focus LAC programme
Cultural and educational exchanges

35.3 India's Role in the Global South

Doha Development Round negotiations
Coalitional diplomacy (G-33, G-77)
Special and Differential Treatment
Agricultural subsidies and food security
COVID-19 vaccine TRIPS waiver
New International Economic Order CNIEO)
India as Global South leader
Voice of Global South Summit
G20 presidency (2023)
Public stockholding for food security
Duty-Free Tariff Preference for LDCs
Technology transfer advocacy

Chapter 36 · India's Relations with Global Powers

36.4 India-China Relations ‘

1962 war and continuity in foreign policy
Line of Actual Control disputes
Galwan Valley clash (2020)
Belt and Road Initiative / OBOR
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)
String of Pearls and strategic encirclement
Brahmaputra water-sharing
South China Sea dispute
Quad as strategic balancing
Trade deficit and interdependence
Feasibility of the ‘Asian Century’
China blocking NSG membership

36.5 India-Russia Relations

Post-Cold War drivers of relations
Declaration on Strategic Partnership (2000)
Defence cooperation and S-400 systems
Arms trade diversification
Energy cooperation Coil, Kudankulam)
Indo-Soviet Treaty of 197]
Multilateral forums CBRICS, SCO, RIC)
International North-South Transport Corridor
Russia-Ukraine war and India's neutrality
Russia's alignment with China
Strategic autonomy and multipolarity

Chapter 37 · India's Role in the UN System

37.1 India's Claim for a Permanent Security

India's bid for a permanent UNSC seat
Justifications (population, economy, peacekeeping)
China's opposition to India's candidature
PS resistance and veto-dilution fears
G4 coalition advocacy
Uniting for Consensus (Coffee Club) opposition
Semi-permanent membership proposal
Permanent seat without veto debate
UNSC reform and legitimacy
Regional rivalry with Pakistan

37.2 India's Role in UN Peacekeeping

India as largest troop contributor
Historical contributions (Congo, Korea)
Multidimensional peacekeeping shift
Women in peacekeeping missions
Peacekeeping as UNSC-claim justification
Leadership in force-command positions
Contemporary missions (DRC, South Sudan)
Protection of civilians mandate
South-South cooperation dimension

37.3 India's Advocacy for UN Reforms

Comprehensive UN reform agenda
Security Council expansion (permanent and non-
General Assembly democratisation
Secretariat and bureaucratic reforms
G4 coalition for reforms
Uniting for Consensus objections
Regional representation concerns
Veto power reform debate
Democratisation of global governance
Legitimacy of post-194S structures

37.4 India's Broader Engagement with the UN

Sustainable Development Goals (2015)
SDGs versus Millennium Development Goals
SDG localisation CNITI Aayog SDG Index)
Domestic schemes aligned with SDGs
International Solar Alliance and SDG 7
South-South cooperation for development
India's approach to human rights at the UN
Climate action and disarmament engagement
COVAX and global health governance
Financing sustainable development

Chapter 38 · India and the Nuclear Question

38.1 Impact of Nuclear Weapons on

Socio-economic impact of the arms race
Obstacles to global disarmament
Security dilemma and deterrence theory
Military-industrial complex
India's No First Use policy
Nuclear deterrence and regional stability
Ams control treaties (START, NPT, CTBT)
Resource diversion from development ‘
Nuclear-weapon-free zones
South Asian nuclear rivalry

38.2 Non-Proliferation and Arms Control

Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)
NPT's discriminatory structure (NWS/NNWS)
India's refusal to sign the NPT
India as a de facto nuclear power
Lack of time-bound disarmament commitments
Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT)
IAEA safeguards
Strategic autonomy and sovereignty concerns
Indo-US Civil Nuclear Agreement (2008)
Peaceful Nuclear Explosions

38.3 India's Position on CTBT and Global

India's rejection of the CTBT
1993 nuclear-weapon-state declaration
Minimum credible deterrent
Implications of signing NPT and CTBT
Nuclear Suppliers Group membership bid
Evolution in the global nuclear order
1974 and 1998 nuclear tests
Voluntary testing moratorium
Advocacy for universal disarmament
India's responsible nuclear behaviour

38.4 India's Nuclear Policy and Strategy

Cultural ethos Cahimsa) in nuclear policy
Credible minimum deterrence
No First Use doctrine
Massive retaliation posture
Civilian control and Nuclear Command Authority
Grounds for opposition to the NPT
Self-reliance and strategic autonomy
1974 Smiling Buddha and 1998 Operation Shakti
Deterrence against China and Pakistan
Balancing deterrence and disarmament

38.5 India's Defence and Strategic

India's No First Use doctrine
Debate on revising NFU policy
Pakistan's tactical nuclear weapons
China's nuclear modernisation
Emerging threats Chypersonic, cyber)
Chemical and biological weapons caveat
Credible minimum deterrence
1999 Draft Nuclear Doctrine (NSAB)
Strategic stability in South Asia
Command and control systems

Chapter 39 · Recent Developments in Indian Foreign Policy

39.1 India's Relations with Israel

Normalisation of ties (1992)
De-hyphenation of Israel and Palestine
Defence cooperation (Barak-8, drones)
Agriculture Centres of Excellence
Water management cooperation
India-Israel 19F innovation fund
12U2 Group
Abraham Accords
Balancing |srael and the Arab world
Support for a two-state solution
Continuity and change in Palestine policy
Israel-Hamas war and India's stance
Foreign policy autonomy

39.2 India's Involvement in West Asia

Energy security and Gulf oil dependence
Operation Raahat (Yemen evacuation, 2015)
Humanitarian diplomacy in West Asia
Chabahar Port and connectivity
India-lran relations and challenges
US sanctions and JCPOA impact
West Asia Quad (12U2)
‘Look West’ policy
Gulf diaspora and remittances
Strategic petroleum reserves and diversification
Balancing Iran, Israel, and Gulf states

39.3 India's Global Diplomacy and New World

Vision of a multipolar world order |‘
Reform of global governance CUN, IMF, WTO)
COP-26 Panchamrit commitments
Net-zero by 2070 target
Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI)
India's increased clout in the WTO
Public diplomacy and soft power
Vaccine Maitri diplomacy
External determinants of foreign policy
Digital diplomacy and Digital India
Leadership of the Global South
Mualti-alignment strategy

39.4 India's Strategic Partnerships and

Afghanistan as litmus test for India's power
Capacity building in Afghanistan (Salma Dam)
Taliban takeover (2021) and strategic interests
Countering Pakistan's strategic depth
Chabahar Port connectivity
Growing significance of the Quad
Asia-Pacific to Indo-Pacific shift
Free and Open Indo-Pacific
Maritime security and Malabar exercises
Dual-track policy on Afghanistan
Counter-terrorism cooperation

Chapter 40 · Miscellaneous Topics in Global Politics

40.1 Bilateral Relations (independent of India)

US-China strategic rivalry and trade war
US-Russia relations
China-Russia strategic partnership
Israel-Palestine conflict
Saudi Arabia-lran rivalry
China-Taiwan and Taiwan Strait tensions
Korean Peninsula (North-South Korea)
China-Pakistan all-weather partnership
Russia-Ukraine conflict
US-lran nuclear standoff

40.2 Global Policies and Doctrines

Monroe Doctrine
Truman Doctrine
Bush Doctrine of pre-emption
Nixon Doctrine
Belt and Road Initiative as grand strategy
One China Policy
Responsibility to Protect (R2P)
US ‘Pivot to Asia’ rebalancing
Debt-trap diplomacy
Non-proliferation and arms-control regimes

40.3 Strategic and Economic Systems

Bretton Woods system
Washington Consensus
Petrodollar system
Economic sanctions as statecraft
Global supply chains and de-risking
String of Pearls strategy
SWIFT and financial weaponisation
Regional trade architectures (RCEP, CPTPP)
BRICS and alternative financial institutions
Nuclear deterrence architecture

40.4 Geopolitical Dynamics

Multipolarity and shifting world order
Balance of power dynamics
Thucydides Trap and power transition
Clash of Civilizations thesis
End of History thesis
Indo-Pacific geopolitics
Arctic geopolitics
Rise of China and hegemonic transition
New Cold War and bloc politics
Geopolitics of energy and resources
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