What is the common examiner trap about Intl. Relations in UPSC exams?

Examiners will swap dates and numbers: TRIPS waiver (October 2020) vs TRIPS agreement effective date (January 1995); total sanctions (1,325) vs US-imposed (486); BRICS summit dates (Sep 12-13) vs US mid-term elections (November). They may also replace 'SWIFT' with 'clearing house' or 'CBAM' with 'carbon credit trading'.

International RelationsEconomy

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News 10 of 26

BRICS Summit 2026: India Hosts Xi Jinping, Putin Amid Western Sanctions, TRIPS Waiver, CBAM Concerns

Q: Which intergovernmental organisation mentioned in the article is named after its founding members Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa?

BRICS, The article defines BRICS as the intergovernmental organisation named after its founding members Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The other options are also mentioned in the article but do not match the founding-members description.

Q: Consider the following statements: 1. India and South Africa sought a TRIPS waiver for all WTO members in October 2020 in relation to the prevention, containment or treatment of Covid-19. 2. The TRIPS Agreement came into effect in January 1995 and is administered by the United Nations. 3. The demand for the TRIPS waiver was turned down by developed countries at the peak of the pandemic. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Both 1 and 3, Statement 1 is correct as the article says India and South Africa sought the waiver in October 2020. Statement 2 is incorrect because TRIPS is administered by the WTO, not the United Nations. Statement 3 is correct as the waiver demand was turned down by developed countries at the pandemic's peak. Hence option C is correct.

Q: According to Urjit Patel's working paper mentioned in the article, how many global sanctions have been imposed since 1949, and how many of these were imposed by the US?

1,325 total sanctions; 486 by the US, The article states that out of 1,325 global sanctions since 1949, 486 have been imposed by the US, which administers over 30 sanctions programmes. The other options use incorrect combinations as distractors.

Q: What was the estimated impact of the European Union's carbon tax according to the UNCTAD study released in 2021?

It would reduce global carbon emissions by only 0.1% but substantially impede exports of developing countries, The article cites UNCTAD's 2021 study estimating that the EU's controversial carbon tax would reduce global carbon emissions by merely 0.1%, while substantially impeding developing countries' exports. This highlights the double standards in Western climate-trade policies.

Q: What should UPSC aspirants remember about Intl. Relations for Prelims?

1. Target this Data: BRICS summit dates — September 12-13, 2026 2. Target this Data: 1,325 global sanctions since 1949; 486 by the US; over 30 US sanctions programmes 3. Target this Data: TRIPS waiver sought by India & South Africa in October 2020; TRIPS in effect since January 1995 4. Target this Nodal Body: WTO — administers the TRIPS Agreement 5. Target this Report: 'Asphyxiation by Sanctions: Harm, Fear and Smog' by Urjit R Patel

Intl. Relations EconomyHIGH

Target:UPSC GS-IIMPSCBankingSSC GATeachingPrelims HighMains HighStatic GK Link

11 Sept 2026

~2 min

Source: Indian Express

Key Data:BRICS summit: September 12-13, 20261,325 global sanctions since 1949; 486 by USOver 30 US sanctions programmesTRIPS waiver sought: October 2020TRIPS in effect: January 1995Chabahar Port: 2003; revived 2015-17; 10-year pact 2024

Bodies:BRICSWTOSWIFTAIIBUNCTADEUG7RBIUS State Department

Practice MCQs from today's news ▸

~2 min · Quick mode

What This Article Covers

1.India is hosting the two-day BRICS summit on September 12-13, 2026, with Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin and Iran's Masoud Pezeshkian among attendees.

2.The article highlights the weaponisation of the Western financial system through US sanctions, SWIFT removals, Chabahar hurdles, TRIPS waiver denial and EU's CBAM.

3.For exams, the core theme is Global South's demand for alternative financial architecture (BRICS, AIIB) and fair trade/IP rules.

The Big Picture

Prelims · HighMains · High

India hosts the 2026 BRICS summit (September 12-13) with Xi Jinping, Putin and Iran's President amid escalating Western sanctions against key members. The article explains why India may need BRICS as a risk mitigant against the weaponisation of the Western financial system, covering SWIFT bans, TRIPS waiver denial, Chabahar sanctions and CBAM trade barriers. For exams, this is a ready case study on Global South's push for alternative financial architecture.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

BRICS Summit DatesSeptember 12-13, 2026

Founding MembersBrazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa

TRIPS WaiverSought by India & South Africa in October 2020

TRIPS EffectiveJanuary 1995

Global Sanctions Since 19491,325 total; 486 by US

US Sanctions ProgrammesOver 30

Chabahar PortStarted 2003; revived 2015-17; 10-year pact 2024

UNCTAD on EU Carbon TaxCuts global emissions by 0.1%; impedes developing exports

1-Minute Revision

›BRICS Summit Dates: September 12-13, 2026
›Founding Members: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa
›Target this Data: BRICS summit dates — September 12-13, 2026
›Target this Data: 1,325 global sanctions since 1949; 486 by the US; over 30 US sanctions programmes
›Target this Data: TRIPS waiver sought by India & South Africa in October 2020; TRIPS in effect since January 1995
›Target this Nodal Body: WTO — administers the TRIPS Agreement

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News Snapshot

🌍

BRICS Summit 2026

India hosts Xi Jinping, Putin and Pezeshkian for a two-day summit on September 12-13 amid deteriorating Western ties with key members.

💳

Financial Weaponisation

US sanctions data, SWIFT removals and Chabahar hurdles show the risks of over-reliance on the Western financial system.

📜

Trade & IP Inequity

TRIPS waiver denial and EU's CBAM highlight double standards in Western patent and climate-trade policies.

Detailed Analysis & Strategic Depth

Context / Background

India is hosting the two-day BRICS summit on September 12-13, 2026, with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian among attendees. The summit comes as Western ties with key BRICS members deteriorate — Russia and Iran are out of SWIFT and engaged in military conflicts, while the US-China trade war continues. The article asks whether India needs BRICS, framing the bloc as a response to Western economic dominance.

Sanctions as a Weapon: India's Experience

Urjit Patel's working paper 'Asphyxiation by Sanctions' notes that of 1,325 global sanctions since 1949, the US imposed 486 and currently administers over 30 sanctions programmes — three times as many as any other country or international body. The US has pioneered secondary sanctions on an industrial scale, often with G7 and EU allies. India's Chabahar Port project started in 2003, faced a US-imposed 'hard break', revived in 2015-17, and again faced US warning after the 2024 10-year India-Iran agreement.

IP Regime and the TRIPS Waiver

In October 2020, India and South Africa sought a TRIPS waiver for all WTO members for prevention, containment or treatment of Covid-19, supported by 60 developing countries. Developed nations rejected it at the pandemic's peak. TRIPS, administered by WTO, came into effect in January 1995. Experts argue the patent regime expands monopolistic control and imposes dynamic costs on technology-consuming developing countries — 'patents over patients'.

Trade Barriers: CBAM and Double Standards

The US has imposed tariffs and introduced subsidy schemes like the 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act', while the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) acts as a trade barrier for developing countries. UNCTAD's 2021 study estimated the EU carbon tax would cut global emissions by only 0.1% but substantially impede developing exports. BRICS nations have condemned CBAM, seeing it as externalising climate adaptation costs onto the Global South.

Future Outlook / Way Forward

The BRICS platform and AIIB are viewed by experts like Urjit Patel as 'risk mitigants' against the ever-expanding sanctions regime. India must balance its Western economic ties with strategic autonomy, push for WTO reform and TRIPS flexibility, and ensure climate-trade measures do not become protectionist. Watch the summit's outcome documents for new financial mechanisms or expansion decisions.

Key Facts at a Glance

BRICS Summit DatesSeptember 12-13, 2026

Founding MembersBrazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa

TRIPS WaiverSought by India & South Africa in October 2020

TRIPS EffectiveJanuary 1995

Global Sanctions Since 19491,325 total; 486 by US

US Sanctions ProgrammesOver 30

Chabahar PortStarted 2003; revived 2015-17; 10-year pact 2024

UNCTAD on EU Carbon TaxCuts global emissions by 0.1%; impedes developing exports

You've read the full analysis. Now test your understanding.

Practice exam-style questions based on this article.

Q1Static LinkageEasyUPSC, SSC, State PSC

Which intergovernmental organisation mentioned in the article is named after its founding members Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa?

Q2Statement-basedHardUPSC, SSC

Consider the following statements:

1. India and South Africa sought a TRIPS waiver for all WTO members in October 2020 in relation to the prevention, containment or treatment of Covid-19.

2. The TRIPS Agreement came into effect in January 1995 and is administered by the United Nations.

3. The demand for the TRIPS waiver was turned down by developed countries at the peak of the pandemic.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMediumUPSC, Banking, SSC

According to Urjit Patel's working paper mentioned in the article, how many global sanctions have been imposed since 1949, and how many of these were imposed by the US?

Q4Application/ImpactMediumUPSC, Banking, State PSC

What was the estimated impact of the European Union's carbon tax according to the UNCTAD study released in 2021?

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BRICS Summit 2026: India Hosts Xi Jinping, Putin Amid Western Sanctions, TRIPS Waiver, CBAM Concerns

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

1-Minute Revision

News Snapshot

BRICS Summit 2026

Financial Weaponisation

Trade & IP Inequity

Detailed Analysis & Strategic Depth

Context / Background

Sanctions as a Weapon: India's Experience

IP Regime and the TRIPS Waiver

Trade Barriers: CBAM and Double Standards

Future Outlook / Way Forward

Prelims Flashpoints

Key Facts at a Glance