The First ASEAN Summit was held in Bali, Indonesia, in 1976.

Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) was signed.

UN (1945)

NAM (1961)

ASEAN (1967)

SAARC (1985)

EU (1993)

There were five founding members of ASEAN in 1967:

1. 🇮🇩 Indonesia
2. 🇲🇾 Malaysia
3. 🇵🇭 Philippines
4. 🇸🇬 Singapore
5. 🇹🇭 Thailand

📌 Exam Point: ASEAN was established on 8 August 1967 through the Bangkok Declaration.

Memory Trick: I–M–P–S–T → Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand.

Some Important facts about ASEAN:

1. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was preceded by the Association of Southeast Asia (ASA), which was established on July 31, 1961.
2. ASEAN was formed in 8th August 1967 in Bangkok.
3. Its headquarter is in Jakarta, Indonesia.
4. ASEAN's total members are 10. At present 11. (August 2026)
5. ASEAN Regional forum formed in 26th ministerial meeting 1993.
6. India participated ASEAN inaugural meeting in 1994 and became member of this forum.
7. ASEAN Plus three initiated in 1997, three countries are China, Japan and South Korea.
8. East Asia Summit held on 2005.

INDIA-ASEAN Relations -

• India Became Sectoral Dialogue Partner in 1992.
• India Became Full Dialougue Partner in 1995.
• India Became Summit Level Partner in 2002.
• India Became Strategic Partner in 2012.

Important Organizations and their Declaration of Formation

• International Labour Organization (ILO) --> 1919 --> Treaty of Versailles
• United Nations (UN) --> 1945 --> UN Charter (San Francisco)
• International Monetary Fund (IMF) --> 1944/45 --> Bretton Woods Agreement / Articles of Agreement
• World Bank (IBRD) --> 1944/45 --> Bretton Woods Agreement
• Commonwealth of Nations --> 1949 --> London Declaration
• North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) --> 1949 --> North Atlantic Treaty / Washington Treaty
• European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) --> 1951 --> Treaty of Paris
• European Economic Community (EEC) --> 1957 --> Treaty of Rome
• Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) --> 1960 --> Baghdad Conference / Baghdad Agreement
• Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) --> 1961 --> Belgrade Declaration
• Organization of African Unity (OAU) --> 1963 --> Charter of the OAU / Addis Ababa Charter
• Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) --> 1967 --> Bangkok Declaration
• Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) --> 1969 --> Rabat Declaration
• Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) --> 1981 --> Abu Dhabi Declaration
• South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) --> 1985 --> Dhaka Declaration
• MERCOSUR --> 1991 --> Treaty of Asunción 
• European Union (EU) --> 1993 --> Maastricht Treaty
• World Trade Organization (WTO) --> 1995 --> Marrakesh Agreement
• International Criminal Court (ICC) --> 2002--> Rome Statute
• African Union (AU) --> 2002 --> Constitutive Act of the African Union
• BRICS --> 2009 --> *Yekaterinburg Declaration (BRICS is slightly different from the others: the first BRIC summit was held in 2009, while South Africa joined in 2010, making it BRICS).

ASEAN came into existence on 8 August 1967.

• Place: Bangkok, Thailand
• Founding document: Bangkok Declaration
• Founding members: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand

Adopted: 2008, with the ASEAN Charter

The Ganga-Mekong Cooperation (GMC) involves India and five ASEAN countries:

1. Cambodia
2. Laos (Lao PDR)
3. Myanmar
4. Thailand
5. Vietnam

📌 Exam Point: The Ganga-Mekong Cooperation was established in 2000 through the Vientiane Declaration.

Its major objectives are:

1. Cultural cooperation – Strengthen historical and cultural ties among member countries.
2. Tourism promotion – Encourage tourism based on shared civilizational and cultural heritage.
3. Education – Promote cooperation in education and capacity building.
4. Transportation & communication – Improve connectivity among the member states.
5. Trade and investment – Promote economic cooperation, trade and investment.
6. Agriculture – Share knowledge and cooperate in agricultural development.
7. ICT cooperation – Promote information and communication technology.
8. Human resource development – Develop skills and strengthen institutional capacities.
9. People-to-people contacts – Increase interaction among the societies of participating countries.
10. Sustainable development – Encourage cooperation for sustainable economic and social development.

ASEAN came into existence on 8 August 1967.

• Place: Bangkok, Thailand
• Founding document: Bangkok Declaration
• Founding members: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand

The ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) was founded to discuss political and security issues in the Asia-Pacific region, with particular emphasis on confidence-building, preventive diplomacy, and conflict resolution.

📌 Exam Point:

• Established: 1994
• First meeting: Bangkok, Thailand
• Purpose: Promote peace, security and stability through dialogue and confidence-building.
• Key focus: Regional political and security issues.

Important Organizations and their Declaration of Formation

• International Labour Organization (ILO) --> 1919 --> Treaty of Versailles
• United Nations (UN) --> 1945 --> UN Charter (San Francisco)
• International Monetary Fund (IMF) --> 1944/45 --> Bretton Woods Agreement / Articles of Agreement
• World Bank (IBRD) --> 1944/45 --> Bretton Woods Agreement
• Commonwealth of Nations --> 1949 --> London Declaration
• North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) --> 1949 --> North Atlantic Treaty / Washington Treaty
• European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) --> 1951 --> Treaty of Paris
• European Economic Community (EEC) --> 1957 --> Treaty of Rome
• Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) --> 1960 --> Baghdad Conference / Baghdad Agreement
• Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) --> 1961 --> Belgrade Declaration
• Organization of African Unity (OAU) --> 1963 --> Charter of the OAU / Addis Ababa Charter
• Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) --> 1967 --> Bangkok Declaration
• Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) --> 1969 --> Rabat Declaration
• Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) --> 1981 --> Abu Dhabi Declaration
• South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) --> 1985 --> Dhaka Declaration
• MERCOSUR --> 1991 --> Treaty of Asunción 
• European Union (EU) --> 1993 --> Maastricht Treaty
• World Trade Organization (WTO) --> 1995 --> Marrakesh Agreement
• International Criminal Court (ICC) --> 2002--> Rome Statute
• African Union (AU) --> 2002 --> Constitutive Act of the African Union
• BRICS --> 2009 --> *Yekaterinburg Declaration (BRICS is slightly different from the others: the first BRIC summit was held in 2009, while South Africa joined in 2010, making it BRICS).

Reasons for the Formation of ASEAN

ASEAN was established on 8 August 1967 through the Bangkok Declaration by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. The major reasons were:

1. Regional peace and stability – To prevent conflicts and maintain peace in Southeast Asia.
2. Cold War tensions – To reduce the impact of US–Soviet rivalry on Southeast Asia.
3. Containment of communism – To address the perceived threat of communist movements and expansion in the region.
4. Economic development – To accelerate economic growth and improve living standards.
5. Regional cooperation – To promote cooperation in economic, social, cultural, technical and educational fields.
6. Political stability – To strengthen the independence and stability of newly independent Southeast Asian states.
7. Non-interference – To establish a principle of respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of member states.
8. Conflict management – To encourage peaceful settlement of disputes among Southeast Asian countries.
9. Reduction of external dependence – To enhance regional self-reliance and reduce excessive dependence on major powers.
10. People-to-people cooperation – To strengthen cultural and social ties among Southeast Asian societies.

⭐ Most important for exams

ASEAN = Peace + Stability + Economic Development + Regional Cooperation + Non-interference

Key background: The failure of earlier regional initiatives such as ASA (1961) and MAPHILINDO (1963), combined with regional tensions and the wider Cold War environment, encouraged the five founding states to create a more durable regional organization.

The COP27 climate conference was held in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, from November 6 to 20, 2022. Major Outcome: Loss and Damage Fund
The most significant achievement of COP27 was the agreement to establish a Loss and Damage Fund to provide financial assistance to developing countries particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.

______________

19th ASEAN Summit

• Year: 2011
• Venue: Bali, Indonesia
• Chair: Indonesia
• Indonesian President: Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
• Theme: “ASEAN Community in a Global Community of Nations”

Major outcome:

• Bali Concord III — Bali Declaration on ASEAN Community in a Global Community of Nations
• ASEAN–UN: Leaders moved toward a Comprehensive Partnership between ASEAN and the United Nations.
• ASEAN Community: Emphasis was placed on achieving the ASEAN Community by 2015.
• Regional security: Discussions included the South China Sea, Thailand–Cambodia issues, maritime security and the ASEAN nuclear-weapon-free zone.
• ASEAN Connectivity: The East Asia Summit Declaration on ASEAN Connectivity was adopted.
• Disaster management: The AHA Centre (ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management) was launched/operationalised.

_______________

31st Arab League Summit

• Summit: 31st Ordinary Session of the Arab League Summit
• Year: 2022
• Date: 1–2 November 2022
• Venue: Algiers, Algeria
• Host/Chair: Algeria
• President/Chair: Abdelmadjid Tebboune
• Theme: “Reunification of ranks” / strengthening joint Arab action
• Major declaration: Algiers Declaration

Major Issues & Outcomes

• Palestinian Question – The summit reaffirmed the centrality of the Palestinian cause and supported the establishment of an independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
• Arab Peace Initiative (2002) – Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the initiative.
• Palestine's UN membership – Supported Palestine's efforts to obtain full UN membership.
• Syria, Libya and Yemen – Called for political solutions while emphasizing sovereignty and territorial integrity.
• Arab food and energy security – Emphasized greater collective cooperation in response to global food and energy challenges.
• Foreign interference – Rejected foreign interference in Arab states and promoted “Arab solutions to Arab problems.”
• Terrorism and extremism – Called for stronger collective action against terrorism.
• Climate change – Recognized climate change as one of the challenges requiring collective Arab action.

_____________

7th BRICS Summit

• Year: 2015
• Venue: Ufa, Russia
• Date: 9 July 2015
• Chair/Host: Russia
• Members: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa
• Theme: “BRICS Partnership – a Powerful Factor of Global Development”
• Declaration: Ufa Declaration

Major outcomes

• New Development Bank (NDB) and Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA) entered into force at the Ufa Summit.
  BRICS Strategy for Economic Partnership was adopted.
• Cooperation was expanded in trade, investment, finance, energy, agriculture, science and technology, connectivity and ICT.
  Leaders emphasized a stronger strategic partnership and greater coordination in international affairs.

Current Members of Important Organizations 

• SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation): 10 members — Belarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
• ASEAN: 11 members — Timor-Leste became the 11th member in October 2025.
• AU (African Union): 55 members.
• EU (European Union): 27 members.
• UN (United Nations): 193 members.
• NATO: 32 members.
• QUAD: 4 countries — India, Australia, Japan and the United States.
• BIMSTEC: 7 members — Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
• NAFTA: No current members — NAFTA ceased to exist as the operative trade agreement when USMCA replaced it on 1 July 2020. The USMCA has 3 parties: USA, Canada and Mexico.
• WTO (World Trade Organization): 166 members.
• IMF (International Monetary Fund): 191 members.
• World Bank: 189 member countries — this figure refers to the IBRD/World Bank membership.
• BRICS: 11 members — Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia.
• RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership): 15 members — the 10 ASEAN states plus China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.
• IPEF (Indo-Pacific Economic Framework): 14 partner countries.
• I2U2: 4 countries — India, Israel, UAE and United States.
• NSG (Nuclear Suppliers Group): 48 participating governments.

• 1992 → Sectoral Dialogue Partner
• 1995 → Full Dialogue Partner
• 2012 → Strategic Partner
• 2022 → Comprehensive Strategic Partner (CSP)

ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) — 27 Participants

1. Australia
2. Bangladesh
3. Brunei Darussalam
4. Cambodia
5. Canada
6. China
7. Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea)
8. European Union
9. India
10. Indonesia
11. Japan
12. Laos (Lao PDR)
13. Malaysia
14. Mongolia
15. Myanmar
16. New Zealand
17. Pakistan
18. Papua New Guinea
19. Philippines
20. Republic of Korea (South Korea)
21. Russia
22. Singapore
23. Sri Lanka
24. Thailand
25. Timor-Leste
26. United States
27. Vietnam

📌 Important for exams

• ARF established: 1994
• First ARF Meeting: Bangkok, Thailand
• Current participants: 27
• India joined: 1996
• India joined with: Myanmar
• Main purpose: Political and security dialogue in the Asia-Pacific/Indo-Pacific region.
• ASEAN members are automatically participants in ARF.

Explanation

• ASEAN was established in 1967, amid the Cold War.
• The founding states were concerned about communist insurgencies and the spread of communism in Southeast Asia.
• The rise of communist regimes in North Vietnam, Laos and later Cambodia reinforced these security concerns.
• However, ASEAN was not formally created as an anti-communist military alliance; its official founding objectives emphasized regional peace, stability, cooperation and protection from external interference.

• 1992 → Sectoral Dialogue Partner
• 1995 → Full Dialogue Partner
• 2002 → Summit Level Partner
• 2012 → Strategic Partner
• 2022 → Comprehensive Strategic Partner (CSP)

India's Major Regional Trade Agreements

1. ASEAN — Association of Southeast Asian Nations
   India–ASEAN Free Trade Agreement: 2010 — The Trade in Goods Agreement came into force on 1 January 2010.
2. SAARC — South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
   SAFTA — South Asian Free Trade Area: 2006 — Came into force on 1 January 2006.
3. EFTA — European Free Trade Association
   India–EFTA TEPA — Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement: 2025 — Entered into force on 1 October 2025.
4. MERCOSUR — Southern Common Market
   India–MERCOSUR Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA): 2009 — Entered into force on 1 June 2009.
5. APTA — Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement
   Year: 1975 — India is a founding participant. It was originally known as the Bangkok Agreement.
6. GSTP — Global System of Trade Preferences among Developing Countries
   Year: 1989 — India is a participant in this preferential trading arrangement.

FTAs / FTA-type agreements:

• ASEAN → 2010
• SAFTA (SAARC) → 2006
• EFTA–TEPA → 2025

Preferential Trade Agreements:

• MERCOSUR → 2009
• APTA → 1975
• GSTP → 1989

FTA vs PTA 
FTA removes or substantially reduces tariffs among members; PTA provides preferential tariff reductions on selected products, while leaving many tariffs and trade barriers unchanged.

Important Organizations and their Declaration of Formation

• International Labour Organization (ILO) --> 1919 --> Treaty of Versailles
• United Nations (UN) --> 1945 --> UN Charter (San Francisco)
• International Monetary Fund (IMF) --> 1944/45 --> Bretton Woods Agreement / Articles of Agreement
• World Bank (IBRD) --> 1944/45 --> Bretton Woods Agreement
• Commonwealth of Nations --> 1949 --> London Declaration
• North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) --> 1949 --> North Atlantic Treaty / Washington Treaty
• European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) --> 1951 --> Treaty of Paris
• European Economic Community (EEC) --> 1957 --> Treaty of Rome
• Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) --> 1960 --> Baghdad Conference / Baghdad Agreement
• Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) --> 1961 --> Belgrade Declaration
• Organization of African Unity (OAU) --> 1963 --> Charter of the OAU / Addis Ababa Charter
• Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) --> 1967 --> Bangkok Declaration
• Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) --> 1969 --> Rabat Declaration
• Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) --> 1981 --> Abu Dhabi Declaration
• South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) --> 1985 --> Dhaka Declaration
• MERCOSUR --> 1991 --> Treaty of Asunción 
• European Union (EU) --> 1993 --> Maastricht Treaty
• World Trade Organization (WTO) --> 1995 --> Marrakesh Agreement
• International Criminal Court (ICC) --> 2002--> Rome Statute
• African Union (AU) --> 2002 --> Constitutive Act of the African Union
• BRICS --> 2009 --> *Yekaterinburg Declaration (BRICS is slightly different from the others: the first BRIC summit was held in 2009, while South Africa joined in 2010, making it BRICS).

Important Organizations, Formation Declaration & Headquarters

• International Labour Organization (ILO) → 1919 → Treaty of Versailles → 📍 Geneva, Switzerland
• United Nations (UN) → 1945 → UN Charter (San Francisco) → 📍 New York, USA
• International Monetary Fund (IMF) → 1944/45 → Bretton Woods Agreement / Articles of Agreement → 📍 Washington, D.C., USA
• World Bank (IBRD) → 1944/45 → Bretton Woods Agreement → 📍 Washington, D.C., USA
• Commonwealth of Nations → 1949 → London Declaration → 📍 London, United Kingdom
• North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) → 1949 → North Atlantic Treaty / Washington Treaty → 📍 Brussels, Belgium
• European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) → 1951 → Treaty of Paris → 📍 Brussels, Belgium (historical; ECSC ended in 2002)
• European Economic Community (EEC) → 1957 → Treaty of Rome → 📍 Brussels, Belgium (historical; incorporated into the EU)
• Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) → 1960 → Baghdad Conference / Baghdad Agreement → 📍 Vienna, Austria
• Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) → 1961 → Belgrade Declaration → ⚠️ No permanent headquarters/secretariat
• Organization of African Unity (OAU) → 1963 → Charter of the OAU / Addis Ababa Charter → 📍 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (replaced by AU in 2002)
• Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) → 1967 → Bangkok Declaration → 📍 Jakarta, Indonesia
• Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) → 1969 → Rabat Declaration → 📍 Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
• Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) → 1981 → Abu Dhabi Declaration → 📍 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
• South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) → 1985 → Dhaka Declaration → 📍 Kathmandu, Nepal
• MERCOSUR (Southern Common Market) → 1991 → Treaty of Asunción → 📍 Montevideo, Uruguay
• European Union (EU) → 1993 → Maastricht Treaty → 📍 Brussels, Belgium (principal political institutions; EU institutions are distributed among Brussels, Strasbourg, Luxembourg and Frankfurt)
• World Trade Organization (WTO) → 1995 → Marrakesh Agreement → 📍 Geneva, Switzerland
• International Criminal Court (ICC) → 2002 → Rome Statute → 📍 The Hague, Netherlands
• African Union (AU) → 2002 → Constitutive Act of the African Union → 📍 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
• BRICS → 2009 → Yekaterinburg Declaration → ⚠️ No permanent headquarters; BRICS does not have a permanent secretariat.

⭐ Particularly Important Headquarters for Exams

UN → New York
IMF → Washington, D.C.
World Bank → Washington, D.C.
NATO → Brussels
OPEC → Vienna
ASEAN → Jakarta
OIC → Jeddah
GCC → Riyadh
SAARC → Kathmandu
MERCOSUR → Montevideo
EU → Brussels
WTO → Geneva
ILO → Geneva
ICC → The Hague
AU → Addis Ababa

⚠️ Three Common MCQ Traps

• NAM → No permanent headquarters.
• BRICS → No permanent headquarters/secretariat.
• OIC → Jeddah, not Riyadh.
• GCC → Riyadh, not Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi is where the GCC was established in 1981.

The ASEAN Declaration or Bangkok Declaration is the founding document of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). It was signed in Bangkok on 8 August 1967 by the five ASEAN founding members, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.

Objectives of ASEAN Plus Three (APT)

ASEAN Plus Three (APT) consists of the 10 ASEAN member states + China, Japan and South Korea. It was established in 1997 to strengthen cooperation in East Asia.

Major Objectives

1. East Asian cooperation – Promote closer regional cooperation among ASEAN, China, Japan and South Korea.
2. Economic cooperation – Increase trade, investment and economic integration.
3. Financial cooperation – Strengthen regional financial stability and prevent future financial crises.
4. Political and security cooperation – Promote peace, stability and security in East Asia.
5. Social and cultural cooperation – Strengthen people-to-people contacts and cultural exchanges.
6. Connectivity – Improve physical, institutional and people-to-people connectivity.
7. Food and energy security – Cooperate on food security, agriculture and energy.
8. Public health cooperation – Coordinate responses to regional health emergencies and pandemics.
9. Human resource development – Promote education, skills, science and technology cooperation.
10. Regional integration – Contribute to the broader goal of East Asian community building.

⭐ Important Exam Points

• Established: 1997
• Members: ASEAN + China + Japan + South Korea
• Initiated during: 2nd ASEAN Informal Summit, Kuala Lumpur, 1997
• First APT Summit: 1997, Kuala Lumpur
• Key areas: Finance + Trade + Food Security + Energy + Health + Connectivity

📌 Easy way to remember:
APT = ASEAN + 3 East Asian powers → China, Japan & South Korea.

The First ASEAN Summit was conducted at Bali, Indonesia, in 1976.

• Date: 23–24 February 1976
• Host: Indonesia
• Major outcome: Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC)
• Declaration: Bali Declaration of 1976

Founding Members of ASEAN

ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) was established on 8 August 1967 through the Bangkok Declaration.

The five founding members were:

1. 🇮🇩 Indonesia
2. 🇲🇾 Malaysia
3. 🇵🇭 Philippines
4. 🇸🇬 Singapore
5. 🇹🇭 Thailand

🧠 Memory Trick: I-M-P-S-T

Indonesia → Malaysia → Philippines → Singapore → Thailand

📌 Exam Point: The five countries signed the Bangkok Declaration in Bangkok on 8 August 1967, creating ASEAN.

Important Organizations and their Declaration of Formation

• International Labour Organization (ILO) --> 1919 --> Treaty of Versailles
• United Nations (UN) --> 1945 --> UN Charter (San Francisco)
• International Monetary Fund (IMF) --> 1944/45 --> Bretton Woods Agreement / Articles of Agreement
• World Bank (IBRD) --> 1944/45 --> Bretton Woods Agreement
• Commonwealth of Nations --> 1949 --> London Declaration
• North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) --> 1949 --> North Atlantic Treaty / Washington Treaty
• European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) --> 1951 --> Treaty of Paris
• European Economic Community (EEC) --> 1957 --> Treaty of Rome
• Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) --> 1960 --> Baghdad Conference / Baghdad Agreement
• Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) --> 1961 --> Belgrade Declaration
• Organization of African Unity (OAU) --> 1963 --> Charter of the OAU / Addis Ababa Charter
• Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) --> 1967 --> Bangkok Declaration
• Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) --> 1969 --> Rabat Declaration
• Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) --> 1981 --> Abu Dhabi Declaration
• South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) --> 1985 --> Dhaka Declaration
• MERCOSUR --> 1991 --> Treaty of Asunción 
• European Union (EU) --> 1993 --> Maastricht Treaty
• World Trade Organization (WTO) --> 1995 --> Marrakesh Agreement
• International Criminal Court (ICC) --> 2002--> Rome Statute
• African Union (AU) --> 2002 --> Constitutive Act of the African Union
• BRICS --> 2009 --> *Yekaterinburg Declaration (BRICS is slightly different from the others: the first BRIC summit was held in 2009, while South Africa joined in 2010, making it BRICS).

• ASEAN → 1967
• SAARC → 1985
• EU → 1993
• NAFTA → 1994

Global Multilateral Institutions — India's Membership Year

• United Nations (UN) → 1945 — India was a founding member; admitted on 30 October 1945.
• International Monetary Fund (IMF) → 1945 — India was an original member; membership effective 27 December 1945.
• World Bank / International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) → 1945 — India was an original member.
• UNESCO — United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization → 1946 — India became a member on 4 November 1946.
• ILO — International Labour Organization → 1919 — India was an original member of the ILO.
• GATT — General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade → 1948 — India became an original contracting party; membership effective 8 July 1948.
• WHO — World Health Organization → 1948 — India was a founding member.
• FAO — Food and Agriculture Organization → 1945 — India was a founding member.
• ICAO — International Civil Aviation Organization → 1944/1947 — India was an original signatory to the Chicago Convention and became a member when ICAO came into force.
• ITU — International Telecommunication Union → 1865 — India is an original/long-standing member, dating from the organization's predecessor period.
• WMO — World Meteorological Organization → 1950 — India was among the founding members of the WMO.
• IAEA — International Atomic Energy Agency → 1957 — India was a founding member.
• UNIDO — United Nations Industrial Development Organization → 1966 — India was among the founding members.
• UNCTAD — United Nations Conference on Trade and Development → 1964 — India was a founding participant.
• WTO — World Trade Organization → 1995 — India became an original WTO member on 1 January 1995; India had already been a GATT member since 1948.
• ICC — International Criminal Court → Not a member organization in the conventional sense — India is NOT a State Party to the Rome Statute.
• OPCW — Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons → 1997 — India is a State Party to the Chemical Weapons Convention.
• CTBTO — Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization → India is NOT a member/State Party, because India has not signed the CTBT.
• UNFCCC — United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change → 1993 — India ratified the Convention in 1993.
• Paris Agreement → 2016 — India ratified the Paris Agreement on 2 October 2016.
• International Maritime Organization (IMO) → 1959 — India became a member in 1959.
• International Civil Defence Organisation (ICDO) → 1970 — India is a member.
• International Organization for Migration (IOM) → 2008 — India became an IOM member in 2008.
• World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) → 1975 — India became a member of WIPO in 1975.
• International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) → 2010 — India was a founding signatory/member.
• International Solar Alliance (ISA) → 2017 — India is a founding member; ISA was initiated jointly by India and France.
• Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) → 2016 — India is a founding member and its second-largest shareholder.
• New Development Bank (NDB) → 2015 — India is a founding member.
• Asian Development Bank (ADB) → 1966 — India is a founding member.
• International Development Association (IDA) → 1960 — India became a member on 24 September 1960.
• Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) → 1994 — India became a member on 6 January 1994.

Inclusion of Member Countries into ASEAN — Chronological Order

ASEAN was established with 5 founding members in 1967. Subsequently, membership expanded in stages. As of 2026, ASEAN has 11 member states, following Timor-Leste's admission in 2025.

1. 1967 — Founding Members (ASEAN-5)

   • 🇮🇩 Indonesia
   • 🇲🇾 Malaysia
   • 🇵🇭 Philippines
   • 🇸🇬 Singapore
   • 🇹🇭 Thailand

   ASEAN established: 8 August 1967, Bangkok, Thailand.

2. 1984 — Brunei Darussalam
   • Joined: 7 January 1984
   • Became the 6th member.
3. 1995 — Vietnam
   • Joined: 28 July 1995
   • Became the 7th member.
4. 1997 — Laos and Myanmar
   • 🇱🇦 Lao PDR — 23 July 1997
   • 🇲🇲 Myanmar — 23 July 1997
   • Became the 8th and 9th members, respectively.
5. 1999 — Cambodia
   • Joined: 30 April 1999
   • Became the 10th member.
6. 2025 — Timor-Leste
   • Joined: 26 October 2025
   • Became the 11th member of ASEAN.

India–Myanmar–Thailand Trilateral Highway (IMT Highway)

The India–Myanmar–Thailand Trilateral Highway is a major connectivity project designed to connect India with mainland Southeast Asia by road.

Key Facts

• Countries: 🇮🇳 India → 🇲🇲 Myanmar → 🇹🇭 Thailand
• Proposed length: Approximately 1,360 km
• Indian starting point: Moreh, Manipur
• Myanmar route: Moreh → Tamu → Kalewa → Monywa → Mandalay → Naypyidaw → Meiktila → Bago → Myawaddy
• Thai endpoint: Mae Sot, Thailand
• Indian objective: Connect India's Northeast with Southeast Asia under the Act East Policy.

Historical Background

• The project was conceived in 2002 during the India–ASEAN Summit process.
• The Trilateral Highway Agreement was associated with the 2002 Phnom Penh ASEAN–India Summit.
• India undertook construction/upgrading of sections in Myanmar, particularly the Tamu–Kalewa–Kalemyo road section.
• The project is intended to eventually connect with the East–West Economic Corridor in mainland Southeast Asia.

• ASEAN → 1967
• SAARC → 1985
• EU → 1993
• NAFTA → 1994