UN System — Principal Organs & Specialised Agencies
The United Nations was established on 24 October 1945 with the signing of the UN Charter at the San Francisco Conference. It currently has 193 Member States. The six principal organs are: General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), Trusteeship Council (suspended in 1994), International Court of Justice, and the Secretariat.
| Organisation | Full Name | HQ | Head (2026) | Established | Key Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UN | United Nations | New York, USA | Antonio Guterres (Secretary-General, Portugal; term ends Dec 2026) | 1945 | Maintain international peace, security & cooperation |
| UNGA | United Nations General Assembly | New York, USA | Annalena Baerbock (President, 80th Session; Germany) | 1945 | Chief deliberative & policymaking organ; all 193 members have equal vote |
| UNSC | United Nations Security Council | New York, USA | Rotating monthly presidency (March 2026: USA) | 1945 | Primary responsibility for international peace & security; 5 permanent + 10 non-permanent members |
| ICJ | International Court of Justice | The Hague, Netherlands | Iwasawa Yuji (President, Japan; since March 2025) | 1945 | Principal judicial organ of the UN; settles legal disputes between states |
| WHO | World Health Organization | Geneva, Switzerland | Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (Director-General, Ethiopia; term ends Aug 2027) | 1948 | Direct & coordinate international health policy |
| UNESCO | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization | Paris, France | Khaled El-Enany (Director-General, Egypt; since Nov 2025) | 1945 | Promote education, science, culture & communication |
| UNICEF | United Nations Children’s Fund | New York, USA | Catherine Russell (Executive Director, USA; since Feb 2022) | 1946 | Provide humanitarian & development aid to children worldwide |
| UNDP | United Nations Development Programme | New York, USA | Alexander De Croo (Administrator, Belgium; since Dec 2025) | 1965 | Reduce poverty, support democratic governance & sustainable development |
| UNEP | United Nations Environment Programme | Nairobi, Kenya | Inger Andersen (Executive Director, Denmark; term ends June 2027) | 1972 | Coordinate UN’s environmental activities & assist countries in environmental policies |
| UNHCR | United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees | Geneva, Switzerland | Barham Salih (High Commissioner, Iraq; since Jan 2026) | 1950 | Protect refugees, forcibly displaced communities & stateless people |
| ILO | International Labour Organization | Geneva, Switzerland | Gilbert F. Houngbo (Director-General, Togo; since Oct 2022) | 1919 | Set international labour standards, promote decent work; tripartite structure (govts, employers, workers) |
| FAO | Food and Agriculture Organization | Rome, Italy | Qu Dongyu (Director-General, China) | 1945 | Lead international efforts to defeat hunger & improve food security |
| WFP | World Food Programme | Rome, Italy | Cindy McCain (Executive Director, USA; since April 2023) | 1961 | Largest humanitarian organisation addressing hunger & food security worldwide |
| IMO | International Maritime Organization | London, UK | Arsenio Dominguez (Secretary-General, Panama; since Jan 2024) | 1948 | Safety and security of international shipping & prevention of marine pollution |
| ICAO | International Civil Aviation Organization | Montreal, Canada | Juan Carlos Salazar (Secretary General, Colombia; 2nd term from Aug 2024) | 1944 | Set standards for international air navigation, aviation safety & efficiency |
| ITU | International Telecommunication Union | Geneva, Switzerland | Doreen Bogdan-Martin (Secretary-General, USA; first woman to head ITU) | 1865 | Coordinate global telecom operations & services; oldest UN specialised agency |
| WIPO | World Intellectual Property Organization | Geneva, Switzerland | Daren Tang (Director General, Singapore; 2nd term from Oct 2026) | 1967 | Promote protection of intellectual property worldwide |
| WMO | World Meteorological Organization | Geneva, Switzerland | Celeste Saulo (Secretary-General, Argentina; since Jan 2024; first woman & first South American) | 1950 | Authoritative voice on weather, climate & water |
| IAEA | International Atomic Energy Agency | Vienna, Austria | Rafael Mariano Grossi (Director General, Argentina; since Dec 2019) | 1957 | Promote safe, secure & peaceful use of nuclear technologies; not a UN specialised agency but reports to both UNGA & UNSC |
UNSC Composition (2026)
Permanent Members (P5): China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, United States — each has veto power.
Non-Permanent Members (2026):
| Country | Term Ends |
|---|---|
| Denmark | 2026 |
| Greece | 2026 |
| Pakistan | 2026 |
| Panama | 2026 |
| Somalia | 2026 |
| Bahrain | 2027 |
| Colombia | 2027 |
| DR Congo | 2027 |
| Latvia | 2027 |
| Liberia | 2027 |
Bretton Woods & International Financial Institutions
The Bretton Woods Conference (1944) at New Hampshire, USA, established the IMF and the World Bank (IBRD) to rebuild the post-war global economy and promote international monetary cooperation.
| Organisation | Full Name | HQ | Head (2026) | Established | Members | Key Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IMF | International Monetary Fund | Washington, D.C., USA | Kristalina Georgieva (Managing Director, Bulgaria; 2nd term from Oct 2024) | 1944 | 191 | Ensure stability of the international monetary system; provide loans to countries facing balance-of-payments crises |
| IBRD | International Bank for Reconstruction and Development | Washington, D.C., USA | Ajay Banga (President, World Bank Group; India-born American; since June 2023) | 1944 | 189 | Provide loans, guarantees & advisory services to middle-income & creditworthy low-income countries |
| IDA | International Development Association | Washington, D.C., USA | Same as World Bank Group | 1960 | 174 | Provide concessional loans (interest-free) and grants to the world’s poorest countries |
| IFC | International Finance Corporation | Washington, D.C., USA | Same as World Bank Group | 1956 | 186 | Provide investment, advisory & asset-management services to private sector in developing countries |
| MIGA | Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency | Washington, D.C., USA | Same as World Bank Group | 1988 | 183 | Provide political risk insurance and credit enhancement to promote FDI in developing countries |
| ICSID | International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes | Washington, D.C., USA | Same as World Bank Group | 1966 | 165 (signatories) | Provide conciliation and arbitration of international investment disputes |
| ADB | Asian Development Bank | Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines | Masato Kanda (President, Japan; since Feb 2025) | 1966 | 69 (50 regional + 19 non-regional) | Promote social and economic development in Asia-Pacific through loans, grants & technical assistance |
| AIIB | Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank | Beijing, China | Zou Jiayi (President, China; since Jan 2026) | 2016 | 111 (approved) | Finance infrastructure & sustainable development projects in Asia and beyond |
| NDB | New Development Bank (BRICS Bank) | Shanghai, China | Dilma Rousseff (President, Brazil) | 2015 | 9 (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Bangladesh, UAE, Egypt + Algeria joining) | Mobilise resources for infrastructure & sustainable development in BRICS and other emerging economies |
| WTO | World Trade Organization | Geneva, Switzerland | Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (Director-General, Nigeria; 2nd term from Sept 2025) | 1995 (successor to GATT, 1947) | 164 | Set and enforce rules for international trade; resolve trade disputes between members |
World Bank Group — Quick Mnemonic
The World Bank Group = IBRD + IDA + IFC + MIGA + ICSID
“World Bank” in common usage refers to IBRD + IDA only. The broader “World Bank Group” includes all five institutions. All are headquartered in Washington, D.C., and the World Bank Group President heads all five.
Regional & Plurilateral Organisations
| Organisation | Full Name | HQ | Head / Chair (2026) | Established | Members | Key Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASEAN | Association of Southeast Asian Nations | Jakarta, Indonesia | Kao Kim Hourn (Secretary-General, Cambodia); Chair 2026: Philippines | 1967 | 11 (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Timor-Leste — joined Oct 2025) | Promote political, economic & security cooperation in Southeast Asia |
| EU | European Union | Brussels, Belgium | Ursula von der Leyen (President, European Commission, Germany) | 1993 (Maastricht Treaty; predecessor EEC from 1957) | 27 | Economic and political union with single market, common currency (Euro — 20 Eurozone members), common foreign & security policy |
| AU | African Union | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | Mahmoud Ali Youssouf (AUC Chairperson, Djibouti; 2025-29); AU Chair 2026: President Ndayishimiye of Burundi | 2002 (successor to OAU, 1963) | 55 | Promote unity, peace, security & development across Africa |
| SAARC | South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation | Kathmandu, Nepal | Golam Sarwar (Secretary-General, Bangladesh; since March 2023) | 1985 | 8 (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka) | Promote economic & regional integration in South Asia (summits stalled since 2014) |
| BIMSTEC | Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation | Dhaka, Bangladesh | Indra Mani Pandey (Secretary-General, India; first Indian SG) | 1997 | 7 (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand) | Bridge South Asia and Southeast Asia through multisectoral cooperation |
| SCO | Shanghai Cooperation Organisation | Beijing, China (Secretariat) | Nurlan Yermekbayev (Secretary-General, Kazakhstan; since Jan 2025) | 2001 | 10 (China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, Belarus) | Political, economic & security alliance; counter-terrorism cooperation |
| BRICS | Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa + expanded members | Rotating presidency (India in 2026) | Rotating Chair: India (2026) | 2006 (BRIC); 2010 (BRICS); 2024 (expanded) | 11 full members (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Indonesia) + 10 Partner Countries | Promote cooperation among major emerging economies; advocate for reform of global financial institutions |
| G7 | Group of Seven | No permanent HQ; rotating presidency | France (2026 presidency); Summit in Evian-les-Bains, June 2026 | 1975 (as G6); G7 from 1976 | 7 (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK, USA) + EU as non-enumerated member | Coordinate economic, security & foreign policy among major advanced economies |
| G20 | Group of Twenty | No permanent HQ; rotating presidency | USA (2026 presidency); Summit in Miami, Dec 2026 | 1999 (Finance Ministers); Leaders’ Summit from 2008 | 21 (19 countries + EU + African Union) | Forum for international economic cooperation; represents ~85% of global GDP |
| OECD | Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development | Paris, France | Mathias Cormann (Secretary-General, Australia; since June 2021) | 1961 (successor to OEEC, 1948) | 38 | Promote policies to improve economic and social well-being; sets standards on tax, trade, governance |
| NATO | North Atlantic Treaty Organization | Brussels, Belgium | Mark Rutte (Secretary General, Netherlands; since Oct 2024) | 1949 | 32 (latest: Finland 2023, Sweden 2024) | Collective defence alliance under Article 5; political and military alliance |
| OPEC | Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries | Vienna, Austria | Haitham Al-Ghais (Secretary General, Kuwait; 2nd term through 2028) | 1960 | 12 (Algeria, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Venezuela) | Coordinate & unify petroleum policies among members; ensure stable oil markets |
| GCC | Gulf Cooperation Council | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi (Secretary-General, Kuwait; renewed for 2nd term from Feb 2026) | 1981 | 6 (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE) | Economic, political & security integration among Gulf Arab states |
| MERCOSUR | Southern Common Market (Mercado Comun del Sur) | Montevideo, Uruguay | Rotating presidency | 1991 | 5 full (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Bolivia — joined July 2024); Venezuela suspended since 2016 | Promote free trade & free movement of goods, people & currency in South America |
| QUAD | Quadrilateral Security Dialogue | No permanent HQ | Rotating summits | 2007 (revived 2017; Leaders’ Summit from 2021) | 4 (USA, India, Japan, Australia) | Promote free, open & inclusive Indo-Pacific; cooperation on maritime security, technology, climate, health |
| I2U2 | India-Israel-UAE-USA Group | No permanent HQ | No permanent head | 2022 | 4 (India, Israel, UAE, USA) | Joint investments in water, energy, transportation, space, health & food security |
G20 Members (21)
Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkiye, United Kingdom, United States, European Union, African Union (added at New Delhi Summit, Sept 2023).
India-Specific Groupings
| Organisation | Full Name | HQ | Established | Members | India’s Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NAM | Non-Aligned Movement | No permanent HQ; Secretariat rotates with Chair | 1961 (Belgrade Summit) | 120 | Founding member; Jawaharlal Nehru was one of the five founders alongside Tito, Nasser, Sukarno & Nkrumah. Current NAM Chair: Uganda (President Museveni, 2024-27) |
| Commonwealth | Commonwealth of Nations | London, UK (Marlborough House) | 1949 (modern form; roots in British Empire) | 56 | Member since independence (1947); Secretary-General: Shirley Botchwey (Ghana; since April 2025) |
| IORA | Indian Ocean Rim Association | Ebene, Mauritius | 1997 | 23 member states + 12 Dialogue Partners | Current Chair (2025-27); Secretary-General: Salman Al Farisi (Indonesia). India is a founding member. |
| Colombo Plan | Colombo Plan for Cooperative Economic and Social Development in Asia and the Pacific | Colombo, Sri Lanka | 1951 | 27 (after US withdrawal in Jan 2026) | Member since inception; India provides training to 18 Colombo Plan member countries under the Technical Cooperation Scheme (TCS) |
| ITEC | Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme | New Delhi, India (administered by MEA) | 1964 | Covers 161 countries across Asia, Africa, Latin America, Caribbean, Pacific Islands | India’s flagship capacity-building programme; fully funded by Government of India; offers training, project assistance, deputation of experts & study tours |
Key Points for UPSC — Quick Revision
Membership Counts (Verify-Critical for Prelims)
| Organisation | Members (2026) | Key Change |
|---|---|---|
| UN | 193 | — |
| IMF | 191 | — |
| World Bank (IBRD) | 189 | — |
| WTO | 164 | — |
| AIIB | 111 (approved) | Founded 2016 by China; India is 2nd largest shareholder |
| Commonwealth | 56 | — |
| AU | 55 | — |
| OECD | 38 | — |
| NATO | 32 | Finland (2023), Sweden (2024) |
| BIMSTEC | 7 | — |
| G20 | 21 | African Union added (2023, New Delhi) |
| BRICS | 11 full + 10 partners | Expanded Jan 2024 (Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE); Indonesia joined Jan 2025 |
| ASEAN | 11 | Timor-Leste joined Oct 2025 |
| SCO | 10 | Iran (2023), Belarus (2024) |
| OPEC | 12 | — |
| SAARC | 8 | Summits stalled since 2014 (Kathmandu) |
| ADB | 69 | — |
| G7 | 7 + EU | — |
| NDB | 9 | Bangladesh, UAE, Egypt joined 2021-23 |
| GCC | 6 | — |
| NAM | 120 | — |
Frequently Tested UPSC Facts
- Bretton Woods Twins — IMF and World Bank (IBRD) were both established at the 1944 Bretton Woods Conference, New Hampshire, USA.
- IAEA is NOT a UN specialised agency — it reports independently to both the UNGA and the UNSC. HQ: Vienna, Austria.
- ILO was established in 1919 (Treaty of Versailles) — the oldest UN specialised agency; it has a unique tripartite structure (governments, employers, workers).
- ITU (1865) is the oldest international organisation in the UN system, predating the UN by 80 years.
- WTO replaced GATT — GATT (1947) was a trade agreement, not an organisation. WTO (1995, Marrakesh Agreement) is a full international organisation with a dispute settlement mechanism.
- ICJ vs ICC — ICJ (The Hague) settles disputes between states; ICC (also The Hague, est. 2002, Rome Statute) prosecutes individuals for genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity. India is NOT a party to the ICC’s Rome Statute.
- India is a founding member of — UN (1945), NAM (1961), IORA (1997), BIMSTEC (1997), BRICS (2006), G20 (1999), AIIB (2016; 2nd largest shareholder), NDB (2015), SCO (2017 full member).
- India is NOT a member of — APEC, NATO, OECD, OPEC, EU, GCC, ASEAN, MERCOSUR, G7.
- Veto power — Only the P5 (USA, UK, France, Russia, China) have veto power in the UNSC. A single veto can block any substantive resolution.
- QUAD is not a formal treaty alliance — it is an informal strategic dialogue. No permanent secretariat or binding commitments.
- African Union was added as the 21st member of G20 at the New Delhi Summit in September 2023, under India’s presidency.
- BRICS expansion (2024) — Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE joined as full members on 1 Jan 2024. Indonesia joined in January 2025. Argentina was invited but declined under President Milei.
- ASEAN’s 11th member — Timor-Leste was formally admitted on 26 October 2025 at the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, ending a two-decade accession process.
- NDB headquarters — Shanghai, China. Not to be confused with AIIB (also Beijing, China). Both are China-headquartered multilateral development banks but serve different constituencies.
- India chairs IORA (2025-27) — India took over the IORA chairmanship from Sri Lanka in November 2025.
India’s Role in Key Organisations
| Organisation | India’s Status | Key Detail |
|---|---|---|
| UN | Founding member (1945) | Aspires for permanent UNSC seat; largest troop contributor to UN peacekeeping |
| IMF | Member since 1945 | 8th largest quota share (~2.75%) |
| World Bank | Member since 1945 | 7th largest shareholder in IBRD |
| AIIB | Founding member; 2nd largest shareholder | ~7.65% voting share; only after China |
| NDB | Founding member | Equal shareholding (20%) with other BRICS founders |
| ADB | Founding member (1966) | 4th largest shareholder |
| WTO | Founding member (1995) | Active in agriculture & services negotiations |
| BRICS | Founding member (BRIC 2006; BRICS 2010) | Chair in 2026; hosted 2016 Goa Summit |
| SCO | Full member since 2017 | Observer since 2005; hosted 2023 SCO Summit |
| G20 | Member since inception (1999) | Hosted 18th G20 Summit in New Delhi (Sept 2023) — added AU as member |
| NAM | Founding member (1961) | Nehru, along with Tito, Nasser, Sukarno, and Nkrumah; hosted 1983 Delhi Summit (7th) |
| Commonwealth | Member since 1947 | 2nd most populous Commonwealth nation |
| SAARC | Founding member (1985) | Largest member by GDP and population |
| BIMSTEC | Founding member (1997) | Current Secretary-General is Indian (Indra Mani Pandey) |
| IORA | Founding member (1997) | Current Chair (2025-27) |
| QUAD | Member since revival (2017) | Hosted first in-person Leaders’ Summit (2023) |
| I2U2 | Member since 2022 | Focus areas: food, energy, water, space cooperation |
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: HQ locations, current heads, member counts, founding years, India’s membership status, Bretton Woods institutions, UNSC P5 + non-permanent members, WTO vs GATT, ICJ vs ICC. Mains GS-2: India’s role in multilateral organisations; reform of UNSC; BRICS vs G7 dynamics; QUAD and Indo-Pacific strategy; SAARC vs BIMSTEC.
Facts Corner – Knowledgepedia
United Nations System:
- UN established: 24 October 1945 (United Nations Day)
- UN Charter signed: 26 June 1945, San Francisco
- UN Members: 193 (latest: South Sudan, 2011)
- UN Official Languages: 6 — Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish
- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres: 9th SG, from Portugal, term ends Dec 2026
- ICJ has 15 judges serving 9-year terms; current Indian judge: Justice Dalveer Bhandari (since 2012)
- UNGA follows “one country, one vote” principle; decisions on important matters require two-thirds majority
Bretton Woods & Financial:
- IMF and World Bank both HQ in Washington, D.C.; both have weighted voting (based on quota/shareholding)
- IMF’s currency: Special Drawing Rights (SDR) — basket of 5 currencies (USD, EUR, CNY, JPY, GBP)
- World Bank Group has 5 institutions: IBRD, IDA, IFC, MIGA, ICSID
- WTO’s highest decision-making body: Ministerial Conference (meets every 2 years)
- WTO dispute settlement body often called the “teeth” of the WTO
Regional Organisations:
- ASEAN: 11 members after Timor-Leste joined Oct 2025; ASEAN Way = consensus-based, non-interference
- BRICS 2024 expansion: Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE; Indonesia joined Jan 2025
- SCO: Largest regional organisation by area and population; covers ~40% of world population
- NATO Article 5: Collective defence — an armed attack on one member is an attack on all (invoked once — after 9/11)
- G20 represents ~85% of global GDP, ~75% of international trade, ~2/3 of world population
- SAARC summits stalled since 18th Summit, Kathmandu (2014), due to India-Pakistan tensions
India-Specific:
- India chairs BRICS in 2026 and IORA (2025-27)
- India’s ITEC programme covers 161 partner countries — one of the largest technical cooperation programmes globally
- India is NOT a member of OECD, APEC, NATO, G7, OPEC, or the ICC (Rome Statute)
- India is 2nd largest shareholder in AIIB after China
- Colombo Plan (1951): India is both donor and recipient; US withdrew Jan 2026
Other Relevant Facts:
- OPEC+: OPEC (12 members) + 10 non-OPEC oil-producing allies (including Russia, Mexico, Kazakhstan) — coordinates broader oil production cuts
- Eurozone: 20 EU member states use the Euro (latest: Croatia, 2023)
- African Union replaced Organisation of African Unity (OAU, 1963) in 2002
- MERCOSUR’s newest full member: Bolivia (July 2024); Venezuela suspended since 2016
- QUAD was first proposed by Japanese PM Shinzo Abe in 2007; disbanded and revived in 2017
- I2U2 stands for India, Israel, UAE, USA — also called “West Asian Quad”
Sources: United Nations, IMF, World Bank, WTO, ASEAN, NATO, OECD, AIIB, ADB, IORA, SCO, African Union
