All 11 International Relations updates published in January 2026, grouped into 3 subtopics. Each one carries the exam-relevant facts and its GK Bytes; open an update for the complete note with static GK.
The 16th India-EU Summit took place at Hyderabad House, co-chaired by PM Modi, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa - the first time the EU's top leadership jointly attended.
The World Economic Forum met in Davos, Switzerland under the theme 'A Spirit of Dialogue', drawing nearly 3,000 leaders from over 130 countries; the WEF also released its Global Risks Report 2026.
India fielded one of the largest delegations - 10 states (with five CMs and two deputy CMs) and four Union ministers - to pitch investment opportunities; the WEF launched a report on India in the new geoeconomic order.
Alongside the FTA, India and the EU signed a Security and Defence Partnership (maritime security, counter-terrorism, cyberdefence) and a mobility/migration agreement expanding legal pathways for Indian students and skilled workers.
ADNOC Gas agreed to supply 0.5 million metric tonnes of LNG per year to Hindustan Petroleum for ten years in a ~US$3 billion deal, making India a top LNG customer of the UAE.
The UAE President visited India; the two sides signed a Letter of Intent for a Strategic Defence Partnership and pledged to double bilateral trade to US$200 billion, with UAE investment in Gujarat's Dholera zone.
Chancellor Merz made his first official India visit, accompanied by 23 leading German CEOs; the two sides signed multiple agreements spanning defence, semiconductors, critical minerals, telecom and bioeconomy.
The two leaders recast ties around semiconductors, critical minerals and green fuels and launched a German-Indian CEO Forum; Germany agreed to join Exercise MILAN and deploy a Liaison Officer at the IFC-IOR.
The agreement aims to raise bilateral merchandise trade to US$250 billion by 2030-31 (from ~US$136 billion in 2024-25) and services trade to US$100 billion, cushioning Indian exporters against higher US tariffs.
About 99.5% of India's exports get preferential access to the EU, while India offers preferential treatment to ~97% of EU exports; India will cut auto tariffs gradually from 110% to 10% and reduce wine and spirits duties.
After nearly two decades of talks, India and the EU concluded their landmark FTA - the largest either side has concluded - covering about 2 billion people and roughly 25% of global GDP across 20 chapters.