Society & Welfare
International Organisations and Events
International Organisations and Events — Quick Revision
One-page CGPSC quick revision for International Organisations and Events: UN organs and agencies, SAARC, BRICS, SCO and sports results as of 2026.
Every headquarters, founding date, member count and 2026 result from the International Organisations and Events chapter on one page. The IMF, World Bank, WTO, ADB, AIIB and NDB are in External Sector.
How to use this sheet
Scan top to bottom the week before Prelims. Bold lines are the facts examiners return to most often. Anything marked “as of 2026” was checked in October 2026; re-check it before the exam.
United Nations: Key Facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Declaration by United Nations | 1 Jan 1942; 26 signatories incl. India |
| Charter | Signed 26 Jun 1945, San Francisco; in force 24 Oct 1945 (UN Day) |
| Members (as of 2026) | 193; newest South Sudan (2011); observers Holy See, Palestine |
| India | Original member (1945) |
| Six organs | GA, SC, ECOSOC (54), Trusteeship Council (suspended 1994), ICJ (The Hague), Secretariat |
| Security Council | 5 permanent + 10 elected (2-year terms); 11 → 15 in 1965; veto from Art 27(3); abstention ≠ veto |
| ICJ | 15 judges, 9-year terms, elected by GA and SC |
| Charter articles | 2(7) domestic jurisdiction; 51 self-defence; 97 SG; 108 amendment; Ch VI pacific settlement; Ch VII enforcement |
| Secretary-General | António Guterres (9th), 2017 – 31 Dec 2026; successor takes office 1 Jan 2027 (2026 straw polls began 30 Jul 2026) |
| PGA, 81st session | Khalilur Rahman (Bangladesh), from 8 Sep 2026 |
| India on the SC | 8 terms, last 2021–22; candidate for 2028–29 |
| First woman PGA | Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (1953) |
| UNSC reform | G4 (India, Brazil, Germany, Japan); Uniting for Consensus; Ezulwini (Africa); IGN since 2009 |
UN Agencies: Headquarters
| City | Bodies |
|---|---|
| Geneva | ILO, WHO, ITU, WMO, WIPO, UNHCR, UNCTAD, OHCHR (and the WTO) |
| Rome | FAO, IFAD, WFP |
| Vienna | UNIDO, IAEA, UNODC |
| Nairobi | UNEP, UN-Habitat |
| New York | UNICEF, UNDP, UNFPA, UN Women |
| One-offs | UNESCO Paris; ICAO Montreal; IMO London; UPU Bern; UN Tourism Madrid |
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Oldest agencies | ITU 1865, UPU 1874, ILO 1919 (older than the UN) |
| WHO | 7 Apr 1948; DG Tedros (as of 2026); US left 22 Jan 2026 |
| UNESCO | Paris; US exit due 31 Dec 2026; India 44 World Heritage Sites (after 2025) |
| UNDP | HDR and HDI since 1990 |
| UNEP | 1972 after Stockholm; World Environment Day 5 June |
| Nobel Peace (UN bodies) | UNHCR 1954, 1981; UNICEF 1965; ILO 1969; IAEA 2005; OPCW 2013; WFP 2020 |
| India-proposed UN observances | International Day of Yoga (21 June); International Year of Millets 2023 |
Regional Groupings
| Grouping | Key facts |
|---|---|
| SAARC | 8 Dec 1985, Dhaka; 7 founders + Afghanistan (2007); Secretariat Kathmandu; SAFTA in force 2006; last summit 18th Kathmandu 2014; 2016 Islamabad summit called off |
| BRICS | BRIC term Jim O’Neill 2001; first summit Yekaterinburg 2009; SA 2010–11; Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE (1 Jan 2024); Indonesia (Jan 2025); Saudi Arabia unconfirmed; 18th summit New Delhi, 12–13 Sep 2026 |
| SCO | Shanghai Five 1996; founded 15 Jun 2001; India + Pakistan 2017, Iran 2023, Belarus 2024 → 10 members; Secretariat Beijing, RATS Tashkent; 26th summit Bishkek, 31 Aug – 1 Sep 2026 |
| BIMSTEC | 1997 Bangkok; 7 members; Dhaka; Charter in force 2024 |
| ASEAN | 1967 Bangkok; Jakarta; 11 members (Timor-Leste, Oct 2025) |
| G20 | India’s presidency 2023; African Union made permanent member |
Sports (as of 2026)
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| IOC | 1894; Lausanne; President Kirsty Coventry (first woman, first African; since June 2025) |
| FIFA / ICC / WADA | Zurich / Dubai / Montreal; ICC Chairman Jay Shah |
| Paris 2024 | India 6 medals (1 silver, 5 bronze) |
| LA 2028 | Cricket returns |
| CWG 2026, Glasgow | India 39 medals (13 gold), 4th; boxing 7 golds |
| CWG 2030 | Ahmedabad |
| Asian Games 2026 | Aichi–Nagoya, 19 Sep – 4 Oct; India 75+ medals; 2030 Doha |
| FIFA World Cup 2026 | Spain beat Argentina 1–0 aet (19 Jul 2026) |
| Men’s T20 WC 2026 | India beat NZ, Ahmedabad, 8 Mar 2026; first to 3 titles |
| Women’s ODI WC 2025 | India (first title) |
| Khelo India Tribal Games | First edition, Chhattisgarh, 25 Mar – 3 Apr 2026; Raipur, Jagdalpur, Surguja; mascot Morveer; Karnataka champion |
| Khel Ratna | Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna (renamed 2021); National Sports Day 29 Aug |
Don’t Confuse
| This | vs | That |
|---|---|---|
| ICJ (states; UN organ) | vs | ICC (individuals; not a UN organ; India not a party) |
| UNICEF / UNDP (GA programmes) | vs | WHO / ILO (specialised agencies) |
| IAEA (related organisation) | vs | UNIDO (specialised agency); both in Vienna |
| SCO Secretariat Beijing | vs | SCO RATS Tashkent |
| NDB Shanghai (BRICS) | vs | AIIB Beijing (China-led) |
| SAARC Kathmandu | vs | BIMSTEC Dhaka |
| CWG 2030 Ahmedabad | vs | Olympics 2036 (India bidding, not awarded) |
Favourite MCQ traps
- India joined the UN in 1945, not after independence.
- The Trusteeship Council is suspended, not abolished.
- Afghanistan joined SAARC in 2007; Myanmar is only an observer there.
- Argentina declined BRICS; Saudi Arabia has not confirmed.
- The SCO was founded in Shanghai but its Secretariat is in Beijing.
- Kirsty Coventry, not Thomas Bach, heads the IOC (since June 2025).
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