Write a brief note on the …

. (i) SAARC South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was established on 8th December, 1985 to encourage cooperation among member countries in the fields of agriculture, health, population control, anti-terrorism measurs, rural development, science and technology and narcotics control Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Pakistan are its members. It was formed on the proposal of Zia-Ur-Rehman, the then President of Bangladesh. Its head quarter is in Kathmandu. (ii) ASEAN Association of South East Asian Nation (ASEAN) was created on 8th August, 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand with objectives to accelerate economic growth, social progress, regional stability and to resolve their differences peacefully. Subsequently, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam also joined this association. It is headquartered at Jakarta. (iii) European Union It is a political and economic union of 27 member states that is primarily located in Europe. It was formed to develop an internal single market regulated by a same set of laws to ensure free movement of people, goods and services between the member nations. A common currency ‘Euro’ circulates in all the member nations. Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Sweden are important member nations. Brussels is the defacto capital of the European Union. (iv) G-8 It is an inter-governmental political forum of the industrialised economies of the world, which are democratic in character. Initially, formed in 1975, with six member countries, viz. France, Germany, Italy, Japan, The United Kingdom and The United States, this association came to be known as G-8 with the inclusion of Canada in 1976 and of Russia in 1997. However, in 2014 Russia has been expelled from the membership of G-8, temporalily. This forum represents about 65% of the world economy. (v) G-20 It is an international form comprising of the governments and Central Bank governors of 20 major economies. It was founded in 1999 with an objective to study, review and promote high-level discussions of measures to promote international financial stability. The members include 19 individual countries, viz. Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, The United Kingdom, The United States, alongwith the European Union. (vi) BRICS BRICS is the acronym representing association of five major emerging national economies, viz. Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. All the member countries are leading developing or newly industrialised countries and are characterised by their fast growing economies and those who significantly influence their regional affairs. It was formed in 2011 and works on the principles of non-interference, equality and mutual benefit

Ans. (i) SAARC South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was established on 8th December, 1985 to encourage cooperation among member countries in the fields of agriculture, health, population control, anti-terrorism measurs, rural development, science and technology and narcotics control Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Pakistan are its members. It was formed on the proposal of Zia-Ur-Rehman, the then President of Bangladesh. Its head quarter is in Kathmandu. (ii) ASEAN Association of South East Asian Nation (ASEAN) was created on 8th August, 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand with objectives to accelerate economic growth, social progress, regional stability and to resolve their differences peacefully. Subsequently, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam also joined this association. It is headquartered at Jakarta. (iii) European Union It is a political and economic union of 27 member states that is primarily located in Europe. It was formed to develop an internal single market regulated by a same set of laws to ensure free movement of people, goods and services between the member nations. A common currency ‘Euro’ circulates in all the member nations. Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Sweden are important member nations. Brussels is the defacto capital of the European Union. (iv) G-8 It is an inter-governmental political forum of the industrialised economies of the world, which are democratic in character. Initially, formed in 1975, with six member countries, viz. France, Germany, Italy, Japan, The United Kingdom and The United States, this association came to be known as G-8 with the inclusion of Canada in 1976 and of Russia in 1997. However, in 2014 Russia has been expelled from the membership of G-8, temporalily. This forum represents about 65% of the world economy. (v) G-20 It is an international form comprising of the governments and Central Bank governors of 20 major economies. It was founded in 1999 with an objective to study, review and promote high-level discussions of measures to promote international financial stability. The members include 19 individual countries, viz. Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, The United Kingdom, The United States, alongwith the European Union. (vi) BRICS BRICS is the acronym representing association of five major emerging national economies, viz. Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. All the member countries are leading developing or newly industrialised countries and are characterised by their fast growing economies and those who significantly influence their regional affairs. It was formed in 2011 and works on the principles of non-interference, equality and mutual benefit