SCO,BRICS,IMEC,G20

GLOBAL BIOFUEL ALLIANCE

Context: Supported by G20 countries and organisations like IAE, ICAO, WEF, World LPG Foundation and on the side-

lines of the latest G20 meeting at New Delhi, the Global Biofuels Alliance was announced

• Leaders of India, Singapore, Bangladesh, Italy, USA, Brazil, Argentina, Mauritius and UAE have launched 

Global Biofuel Alliance.

• Global Biofuel Alliance is an initiative by India as the chair of G20 that aims to serve as a catalytic platform, 

fostering global collaboration for the advancement and widespread adoption of biofuels.

• It is an alliance of governments, international organisations and industry to facilitate adoption of 

biofuels. 

ABOUT BRICS

• The members of BRICS are Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa (Added in 2010), Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi

Arabia and UAE (5 new members added in 2024)

• The grouping was formalized with the first meeting of BRIC Foreign Ministers in 2006. The BRIC’s first summit

was held in Yekaterinburg, Russia in 2009.

• A decision to expand BRIC into BRICS with the inclusion of South Africa was taken at BRIC Foreign Ministers’

meeting in 2010. South Africa became member of expanded BRICS in the 3rd Summit at Sanya, China in 2011.

• The 15th BRICS summit held in Johannesburg, formally admitted 5 more members. They are Egypt, Ethiopia,

Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as new members. These countries will formally join the

grouping during the 16th Summit, 2024, to be held in Kazan, Russia.

• This was only the second round of expansion after South Africa in 2010.

Note: Argentina was also given ascent to enter the grouping but Argentina government later was not

interested. Pakistan too wants to be admitted in the group during the 16th summit.

• The grouping was formalized with the first meeting of BRIC Foreign Ministers in 2006.

• The BRIC’s first summit was held in Yekaterinburg, Russia in 2009.

• A decision to expand BRIC into BRICS with the inclusion of South Africa was taken at BRIC Foreign Ministers’

meeting in 2010.

• South Africa became member of expanded BRICS in the 3rd Summit at Sanya, China in 2011.

INDIA SPECIFIC DEVELOPMENT IN BRICS

• The BRICS Summit in India was the 8th BRICS Summit that was held in Goa in 2016.

• Establishment of the Coordination Centre of BRICS Agriculture Research Platform, a virtual network in India.

• It intends for intra-BRICS collaboration under the Basic Agriculture Information Exchange System (BAIES). It was

decided during the 9th BRICS Summit in Xiamen, China in 2017.

• It brings together biggest consumers and producers of biofuels aiming to drive biofuels development and 

deployment and position biofuels as a key to energy transition and economic growth

 G20

• Group of Twenty is the premier forum of international economic cooperation. It plays an important role in

shaping and strengthening global architecture on all major international economic issues.

• Members of G20: 19 Countries and EU. Countries include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France,

Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, UK and USA. G20 members

represent around 85% of global GDP and 75% of global trade and 2/3rd of global population.

• G20 does not have a permanent secretariat or staff.

INDIA MIDDLE EAST EUROPE ECONOMIC COORIDOR

(IMEC)

India Middle East Europe Economic Corridor was launched during G-20 summit in September 2023.

ABOUT IMEC CORRIDOR

• Governments of Saudi Arabia, EU, India, UAE, France, Germany, Italy and USA signed an MoU to commit to work

together to establish the IMEC Corridor which aims to stimulate economic development through enhanced

connectivity and economic integration between Asia, Arabian Gulf and Europe.

• IMEC comprises of two corridors:

(i) East Corridor connecting India to Arabian Gulf

(ii) Northern Corridor connecting Arabian Gulf to Europe.

• It will include a railway that will provide a reliable and cost-effective cross-border ship to rail transit network

to supplement existing maritime and road transport routes – enabling goods and services to transit between

India, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel and Europe.

• Along the railway route, cables will be laid for electricity and digital connectivity and pipelines for clean hydrogen

exports.

• The funding for the IMEC project

is expected to come from G7’s

Partnership for Global

Infrastructure and Investment

Initiative (PGII).

IMPORTANT LOCATIONS

ON IMEC CORRIDOR

• Ports in India: Kandla Port,

JNPT Port, Mundra Port

• Ports in Persian Gulf: (i)

Fujairah, Jebel Ali & Abu Dhabi

Ports in UAE (ii) Dammam and

Ras Al Khair Ports in Saudi

Arabia

SHANGHAI COOPERATION AGREEMENT (SCO)

SAMARKAND DECLARATION

• The presidentship was handed over to India for 2023 as the membership is on a rotational basis.

• IRAN was accepted as a permanent member of SCO.

• VARANASI was accepted as the SCO cultural and tourism capital.

• The declaration also urged for commitment to peaceful resolution of disagreements and issues among

countries via communication and consultation.

• It is a permanent intergovernmental international organisation and was formed in 2001.

SHANGHAI FIVE

Shanghai Five, a political association based on the Agreement on Confidence-Building in the Military Field in the

Border Area and the Agreement on the Mutual Reduction of Armed Forces Members: (SCO - UZBEKISTAN)

WORKING

• The Heads of State Council (HSC) is the highest decision-making body in the SCO.

• The secretary general and executive director of RATS is appointed by HSC for 3 Year term.

• The Heads of Government Council (HGC) meets once per year to discuss a strategy for multilateral cooperation

and priority directions within the Organisation's framework.

• Organisation has two permanent bodies — the Secretariat in Beijing (China) and the Regional Anti-Terrorist

Structure (RATS) in Tashkent.

SCO RATS: Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) of SCO is a permanent body based in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

The objective of RATS is based upon the Shanghai Convention on Combating Terrorism, Separatism and

Extremism. RATS possess information on terrorist organisations and terrorists.

MEMBERS

• Nine countries are currently SCO full members: Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan,

Uzbekistan, India, and Pakistan became full members in 2017 and IRAN in 2023.

• Observer countries of SCO: Afghanistan, Belarus, Mongolia. However, Belarus has applied for becoming a full

member of SCO.

• SCO decided to admit India & Pakistan at the Ufa summit of 2015.

• India participated for the first time as a full member at the recently held 18th Qingdao Summit of SCO in China

that was held in 2018