International Relations Syllabus for UPSC

International relations is part of mains General Studies Paper II, whose title ends with "International relations". The paper's last lines cover India and its neighbourhood, groupings and agreements involving India or affecting its interests, the effect of other countries' policies and politics on India's interests, the Indian diaspora, and important international institutions.

Prelims names no separate area for it; in our reading, it falls under current events of national and international importance. General Studies Paper IV adds ethical issues in international relations and funding. This page puts these lines together in UPSC's words from the CSE 2026 notice.

The international relations syllabus, paper by paper

UPSC groups its syllabus by paper, not by subject, so the choice of which lines count as international relations is Decode Civils' reading of the official syllabus. The lines themselves are quoted exactly. One line can belong to more than one subject; where only part of a line concerns international relations, that part is highlighted.

How UPSC asks about international relations

• India is the point of view. Three of the four GS Paper II lines are framed around India: its neighbourhood, groupings and agreements "involving India and/or affecting India's interests", and the effect of other countries' policies on "India's interests".
• Both developed and developing countries count. The line on other countries names the policies and politics of both, and their effect on India.
• Institutions: structure and mandate. The line on important international institutions, agencies and fora asks for their structure and mandate.
• The diaspora is named. The Indian diaspora appears in the same line as other countries' policies and politics.
• Ethics reaches into international relations. GS Paper IV lists ethical issues in international relations and funding among the areas it covers.

For every mains GS paper, the notice also says questions are likely to test your basic understanding of the issues and your ability to analyse and take a view on conflicting socio-economic goals, objectives and demands.

How to prepare from the international relations syllabus

• Ask what it means for India. End your notes on every development with its effect on India's interests, because that is how the lines are framed.
• Keep a file for each neighbour and each grouping. Note agreements, visits, disputes and areas of cooperation, with dates, so you can trace how a relationship has changed.
• Learn institutions by structure and mandate. For each institution, agency or forum, note its members, how it is organised, what it is meant to do, and India's role in it.
• Read India's position in its own words. Use the official statements of the Ministry of External Affairs alongside your other reading.
• Pair current events with background. For prelims, learn the basics behind each event: where a place is, who belongs to a grouping, what an agreement covers.

Related guides

For each paper's complete syllabus, see the prelims syllabus, the GS Paper 2 syllabus and the GS Paper 4 syllabus. Governance and the Constitution, which share GS Paper II with international relations, are on our Indian polity page.

The Political Science and International Relations optional covers this ground as a subject of its own: its second paper deals with comparative politics and international relations, and has a section on India and the world.