GK · Chapter 15

International Organization / Institution

United Nations · Financial Bodies · Regional Blocs · Treaties · Indian Research Institutes

United Nations — Overview

Established: 24 October 1945
Founding Member Countries: 51 (Poland was the 51st)
Predecessor Organisation: League of Nations
Headquarters: New York (Manhattan Island)
Official Languages: English, French, Chinese, Spanish, Arabic, Russian; Working Languages: English & French
Logo: World map between two olive branches on light blue background
Member Countries: 193 (South Sudan — 193rd, 2011)

Six Organs of the United Nations

Organ	Key Details
General Assembly	All member states; equal voting rights; "Mini Parliament of the World"; session held once a year in September
Secretariat	Administrative organ; Head: Secretary-General (5-year term); Current: António Guterres; First: Trygve Lie (Norway)
Economic & Social Council (ECOSOC)	54 members; studies economic, social, educational, health issues
Trusteeship Council	Administered non-self-governing territories post-WWII; not operational now
Security Council	15 members total: 5 Permanent (Veto power: USA, Britain, France, Russia, China) + 10 Non-Permanent (elected by General Assembly for 2 years)
International Court of Justice (ICJ)	HQ: The Hague, Netherlands; 15 judges (quorum 9); 9-year term; 5 judges retire every 3 years

Indian Judges at ICJ: Sir Benegal Rau, Nagendra Singh, Raghunandan Swarup Pathak, Dalveer Bhandari

⚠ EXAM TRAP The Trusteeship Council still technically exists as an organ of the UN but has been INACTIVE since 1994 — don't say it was "abolished," just non-operational.

United Nations Agencies & Specialised Bodies

Organisation	Established	HQ	Key Facts
UNEP	1972	Nairobi	Global leader in environmental initiatives
UNESCO	1945; effective 1946	Paris, France	Educational, Scientific and Cultural
ITU	1865	Geneva, Switzerland	194 members; 194th — Republic of Palau
IMO	1948	London, UK	176 members; navigation safety regulations
ILO	1919	Geneva, Switzerland	Improves worker conditions; Nobel Peace Prize 1969; publishes WSPR
IFAD	1977	Rome, Italy	—
UNICEF	1946	New York, USA	190 members
ICAO	1944	Montreal, Canada	193 members; civil aviation standards
WMO	1950	Geneva, Switzerland	185 members + 6 territorial members
UNWTO	1975	Madrid, Spain	Promotes economic growth via tourism
WHO	1948	Geneva, Switzerland	World Health Organization

⚡ QUICK RECALL Most UN agencies are headquartered in GENEVA (ITU, ILO, WMO, WHO, WIPO) — a common grouping fact useful for elimination-based MCQs.

Financial & Economic Organisations

Organisation	Established	HQ	Key Facts
IMF	27 Dec 1945	Washington DC	191 members; President: Kristalina Georgieva; promotes monetary cooperation
World Bank	1945	Washington DC	189 members; President: Ajay Banga; provides development loans
WTO	1 Jan 1995	Geneva, Switzerland	166 members; Timor-Leste 166th; sets trade rules, resolves disputes
ADB	1966	Manila, Philippines	69 members; 2025 Annual Meeting: Tbilisi, Georgia
UNIDO	1966	Vienna, Austria	Prepares industrial base for prosperity
WIPO	1969	Geneva, Switzerland	193 members

⚠ EXAM TRAP IMF and World Bank were BOTH founded in 1945, both HQ'd in Washington DC — but IMF ensures monetary/financial stability while World Bank provides development LOANS. Don't confuse their functions.

Regional & Political Organisations

Organisation	Established	HQ	Key Facts
BRICS	2009	—	11 members; 5 new: Egypt, Iran, UAE, Ethiopia, Indonesia; 2025 Summit: Brazil
European Union (EU)	1959 (EEC); 1993 (EU)	Brussels	27 member countries; 2025 Summit: London
SCO	2001	Beijing, China	10 members; latest: Belarus; 2025 Summit: China
Commonwealth of Nations	1926	London	56 members
Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)	1961	—	Founders: Nehru, Sukarno, Tito, Nasser, Nkrumah; 120 members
NATO	1949	Brussels, Belgium	32 members; 32nd: Sweden
BIMSTEC	1997	Dhaka, Bangladesh	7 members; 2025 Summit: Bangkok, Thailand
ASEAN	1967	Jakarta, Indonesia	10 members; 2025 Summit: Kuala Lumpur
SAARC	1985	Kathmandu, Nepal	8 members
G20	1999	—	19 countries + EU + African Union
G7	1975	—	7 members: US, UK, Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada, France

⚡ QUICK RECALL NAM founding fathers: Nehru (India), Sukarno (Indonesia), Tito (Yugoslavia), Nasser (Egypt), Nkrumah (Ghana) — a classic "5 leaders" recall question.

Nuclear & Arms Control

Body/Treaty	Details
Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)	Established 1974–75; 48 members; controls export of nuclear weapons, materials, technology
Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT)	Treaty 1996; prohibits all nuclear test explosions; India is NOT a signatory

Environment & Climate Agreements

Agreement	Year	Details
Earth Summit	1992	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Montreal Protocol	1987	Montreal, Canada; protects ozone layer
Kyoto Protocol	1997	Kyoto, Japan; reduces greenhouse gas emissions
Vienna Convention	1985	Protects ozone layer
Paris Agreement	2015	Limit global warming below 2°C; pursue 1.5°C target
International Solar Alliance (ISA)	2015	India's concept (Narendra Modi); HQ: Gurugram; 120 members, 116 signatories

⚠ EXAM TRAP Vienna Convention (1985) and Montreal Protocol (1987) BOTH protect the ozone layer — Vienna Convention is the framework, Montreal Protocol is the specific action plan under it. Don't treat them as unrelated.

Major Agricultural Research Institutions

Institution	Location
Central Rice Research Institute	Cuttack, Odisha
Indian Agricultural Research Institute	Pusa, New Delhi
Central Potato Research Institute	Shimla, Himachal Pradesh
Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research	Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
Central Tobacco Research Institute	Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh
Central Coconut Research Institute	Kasaragod, Kerala
Indian Institute of Pulses Research	Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh
National Coffee Research Institute	Chikmagalur, Karnataka
National Dairy Research Institute	Karnal, Haryana
Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture	Bengaluru, Karnataka
National Sugarcane Breeding Institute	Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu

Food / Nutrition Related Institutions

Institution	Location
Indian Food Corporation	New Delhi
National Institute of Nutrition and Research	Hyderabad, Telangana
Central Drug Research Institute	Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
Central Food Technological Research Institute	Mysore, Karnataka

Mining, Energy & Industrial Institutions

Institution	Location
Central Leather Research Institute	Chennai, Tamil Nadu
National Metallurgical Laboratory	Jamshedpur, Jharkhand
Textile Industry Research Association	Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Central Mining & Fuel Research Institute	Dhanbad, Jharkhand
Central Salt & Marine Chemicals Research Institute	Bhavnagar, Gujarat
Indian Institute of Petroleum Research	Dehradun, Uttarakhand

Environment / Wildlife Related Institutions

Institution	Location
Indian Institute of Forest Management	Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy	Dehradun, Uttarakhand
Centre for Ecological Sciences	Bengaluru, Karnataka
Wildlife Institute of India	Dehradun, Uttarakhand
Central Forest Research Institute	Dehradun, Uttarakhand
Indian Meteorological Observatory	Pune, Maharashtra
National Environmental Engineering Research Institute	Nagpur, Maharashtra
Central Avian Research Institute	Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh
Zoological Survey of India	Kolkata, West Bengal

⚡ QUICK RECALL Dehradun hosts FOUR environment/forest institutions — Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy, Wildlife Institute of India, Central Forest Research Institute, and Indian Institute of Petroleum Research. Remember Dehradun as a forestry/petroleum research hub.

Defence Production Institutions

Institution	Location
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)	Bengaluru, Karnataka
Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML)	Bengaluru, Karnataka
Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders	Mumbai, Maharashtra
Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL)	Hyderabad, Telangana
Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited	Kolkata, West Bengal

Other Major Organisations/Institutions

Institution	Location
National Institute of Oceanography	Goa
Indian Institute of Astrophysics	Bengaluru, Karnataka
National Institute of Ocean Technology	Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Indian Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering	Gulmarg, Jammu & Kashmir
Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)	Bengaluru, Karnataka
Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO)	New Delhi

Quick Reference Summary

United Nations (UN)New York; est. 1945; 193 members; 6 organs

UN Secretary-GeneralAntónio Guterres (Current); Trygve Lie (First)

Security Council15 members; 5 permanent (P5)

ICJThe Hague; 15 judges; 9-year term

UNESCOParis; est. 1945/46; Educational, Scientific & Cultural

WHOGeneva; est. 1948

IMFWashington DC; est. 1945; 191 members; Georgieva (President)

World BankWashington DC; est. 1945; 189 members; Banga (President)

WTOGeneva; est. 1995; 166 members

ADBManila; est. 1966; 69 members

BRICSEst. 2009; 11 members (5 new: Egypt, Iran, UAE, Ethiopia, Indonesia)

EUBrussels; 27 member countries

SCOBeijing; est. 2001; 10 members; latest: Belarus

NATOBrussels; est. 1949; 32 members; latest: Sweden

SAARCKathmandu; est. 1985; 8 members

ASEANJakarta; est. 1967; 10 members

G20Est. 1999; 19 countries + EU + African Union

NSGEst. 1974–75; 48 members; nuclear export control

ISAGurugram; est. 2015; India's concept; 120 members

CTBT1996; bans all nuclear tests; India not a signatory

Paris Agreement2015; limit warming below 2°C / 1.5°C

Montreal Protocol1987; protects ozone layer