Important International Treaties, Conventions and Agreements: Environment, Nuclear, Trade and India-Related Treaties for SSC
Rahul Kumar
SSC Exam Expert & Content Editor
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Treaties and agreements are a staple of SSC general awareness. Questions ask which treaty deals with which subject, the year and the place of signing, and the key points of India-related treaties. This guide on international treaties and agreements for SSC gives the important environment conventions, nuclear treaties, historic treaties and India’s bilateral agreements, with practice questions and FAQs.
Environment Treaties and Conventions
| Treaty | Year | Subject |
|---|---|---|
| Ramsar Convention | 1971 (Ramsar, Iran) | Conservation of wetlands |
| Stockholm Conference | 1972 | First UN conference on the human environment; led to UNEP; World Environment Day on 5 June |
| CITES | 1973 (Washington) | Control of trade in endangered species |
| Montreal Protocol | 1987 | Phasing out ozone-depleting substances; the Vienna Convention (1985) is its parent |
| Basel Convention | 1989 | Control of transboundary movement of hazardous waste |
| Rio Earth Summit (UNCED) | 1992 | Led to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the UNFCCC and Agenda 21 |
| Kyoto Protocol | 1997 (in force 2005) | Binding emission reduction targets for developed countries |
| Cartagena Protocol | 2000 | Biosafety |
| Stockholm Convention | 2001 | Persistent organic pollutants |
| Nagoya Protocol | 2010 | Access and benefit sharing of genetic resources |
| Minamata Convention | 2013 | Reducing mercury pollution |
| Paris Agreement | 2015 (COP21); in force 2016 | Limit global warming to well below 2°C and pursue 1.5°C; Nationally Determined Contributions |
| Kigali Amendment | 2016 | Phase down of HFCs under the Montreal Protocol |
Nuclear and Arms Treaties
| Treaty | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty) | 1968 (in force 1970) | Prevents the spread of nuclear weapons; India has not signed it |
| CTBT (Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty) | 1996 | Bans all nuclear explosions; India has not signed it |
| Partial Test Ban Treaty | 1963 | Bans tests in the atmosphere, space and underwater; India signed it |
| START and New START | 1991 and 2010 | Reduction of strategic arms between the USA and Russia |
| Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons | 2017 | UN treaty banning nuclear weapons |
Historic Treaties
| Treaty | Year | Parties and Result |
|---|---|---|
| Treaty of Westphalia | 1648 | Ended the Thirty Years War; modern state system |
| Treaty of Versailles | 1919 | Ended World War I; imposed on Germany |
| Treaty of Sevres / Lausanne | 1920 / 1923 | Settlement with Turkey |
| Treaty of Brest-Litovsk | 1918 | Russia and Germany |
| Atlantic Charter | 1941 | Roosevelt and Churchill |
| Treaty of Rome | 1957 | Created the European Economic Community |
| Maastricht Treaty | 1992 | Created the European Union (in force 1993) |
| Good Friday Agreement | 1998 | Peace agreement for Northern Ireland |
India-Related Treaties
| Treaty | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Treaty of Sugauli | 1816 | Between the British East India Company and Nepal |
| Treaty of Amritsar | 1809 and 1846 | 1809 between Ranjit Singh and the British; 1846 gave Kashmir to Gulab Singh |
| Treaty of Lahore | 1846 | After the first Anglo-Sikh war |
| Panchsheel Agreement | 1954 | Between India and China; five principles of peaceful coexistence |
| Indus Waters Treaty | 1960 | Between India and Pakistan, mediated by the World Bank; India has the three eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas, Sutlej) and Pakistan the three western rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab); in April 2025 India announced that the treaty was being held in abeyance |
| Tashkent Agreement | 1966 | Between India (Lal Bahadur Shastri) and Pakistan (Ayub Khan), after the 1965 war; Shastri died at Tashkent |
| Indo-Soviet Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation | 1971 | Signed in August 1971 |
| Simla Agreement | 1972 | Between Indira Gandhi and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto after the 1971 war |
| Indo-Sri Lanka Accord | 1987 | Between Rajiv Gandhi and J. R. Jayewardene |
| Ganga Water Treaty | 1996 | Between India and Bangladesh; for 30 years |
| Land Boundary Agreement | 1974; implemented 2015 | With Bangladesh, exchange of enclaves |
| Indo-US Civil Nuclear Deal (123 Agreement) | 2005 and 2008 | Allowed civil nuclear cooperation |
| SAARC | 1985, Dhaka | Regional grouping of South Asian countries |
Tricks to Remember
- Ramsar (wetlands), CITES (trade in species), Basel (hazardous waste), Minamata (mercury) – match each with its subject.
- Ozone is the Montreal Protocol (1987); climate change is the Kyoto Protocol (1997) and the Paris Agreement (2015).
- India has not signed the NPT and the CTBT.
- Tashkent (1966) is linked to Shastri; Simla (1972) is linked to Indira Gandhi.
- The Indus Waters Treaty gives India the eastern rivers and Pakistan the western rivers.
Quick Tips
- Match each treaty to its subject.
- Learn the year and city of the major treaties.
- Remember India is not a signatory to the NPT and the CTBT.
- Link the India treaties with the leaders who signed them.
Quick Revision Points
- Montreal Protocol (1987) is for the ozone layer.
- Kyoto Protocol (1997) and the Paris Agreement (2015) are for climate change.
- Ramsar Convention (1971) is for wetlands.
- Indus Waters Treaty (1960) was mediated by the World Bank.
- Simla Agreement (1972): Indira Gandhi and Bhutto.
Practice Questions With Answers
- Which treaty is for the protection of the ozone layer?
Answer: Montreal Protocol - Which convention is for wetlands?
Answer: Ramsar Convention - In which year was the Paris Agreement adopted?
Answer: 2015 - Which agreement was signed between India and Pakistan in 1966?
Answer: Tashkent Agreement - Which agreement followed the 1971 war?
Answer: Simla Agreement - Which treaty has India not signed: NPT or PTBT?
Answer: NPT - Which convention controls the trade in endangered species?
Answer: CITES - Which treaty created the European Union?
Answer: Maastricht Treaty (1992) - Which treaty gave the three eastern rivers to India?
Answer: Indus Waters Treaty (1960) - Which convention deals with mercury pollution?
Answer: Minamata Convention
How to Practise This Chapter
Practise 10 questions every day and write the steps on paper. Then attempt timed sets from our practice papers and the previous year papers page. See all topics on the Current Affairs notes page, read the previous topic Olympics and Paralympics.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Montreal Protocol?
A 1987 treaty to phase out the substances that deplete the ozone layer.
What is the Kyoto Protocol?
A 1997 treaty that set binding emission cuts for developed countries.
What is the Paris Agreement?
A 2015 climate agreement to limit global warming to well below 2°C and aim for 1.5°C.
What is the Ramsar Convention?
A 1971 convention for the conservation of wetlands.
What is CITES?
A 1973 convention on the international trade in endangered species.
What is the NPT?
The Non-Proliferation Treaty of 1968, to stop the spread of nuclear weapons.
Has India signed the NPT?
No.
What is the Indus Waters Treaty?
A 1960 water-sharing treaty between India and Pakistan mediated by the World Bank.
What is the Tashkent Agreement?
A 1966 peace agreement between India and Pakistan after the 1965 war.
What is the Simla Agreement?
A 1972 agreement between India and Pakistan after the 1971 war.
What is the Panchsheel Agreement?
A 1954 agreement between India and China on five principles of peaceful coexistence.
Is this topic asked in SSC?
Yes. Treaties and conventions are common in general awareness.
Rahul Kumar
SSC Exam Expert & Content Editor
Rahul is a senior SSC exam strategist with 8+ years of experience helping aspirants crack CGL, CHSL and MTS exams. He writes in-depth notification breakdowns, exam pattern guides and preparation strategies.