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Module - III Geo-Politics

Security and Geo-Strategy
are these in bringing lasting peace and development? Let us learn more about treaties
and alliances.
Treaties are written agreements entered into between independent states and legally
binding on each other. They are referred to by various names such as international
agreements, international conventions, international treaty, international pact and
international accord etc., Basically there are two broad categories of treaties: bilateral
Note
and multilateral. Bilateral treaties are those that are signed between any two independent
countries where as multilateral treaties are signed between two or more countries.

All treaties whether bilateral or multilateral are legally binding on the parties that have
signed and accepted to be members to the treaty. However, alliances are different.
They are formed for mutual benefit or support is for security considerations. Alliances
are not legally binding.
Alliances are not for ever, they can change. Why are such bilateral and multilateral
treaties entered into and for what reasons? You will learn this in the next section. Some
examples of treaties are worth noting.

Examples of bilateral treaties are:

1) Indo - Sri Lanka Accord
2) Indus Water Treaty between India and Pakistan

3) India - Russia Friendship Treaty
4) India - U.S. Treaty on Nuclear Cooperation

Examples of Multilateral treaties are:

1) South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)
2) Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

World Organisations:

1) United Nations Organizations (UN)

2) World Trade Organizations (WTO)

3) World Bank (WB)

8.3.1 SAARC and ASEAN

Multilateral treaties through multilateral cooperation are strategies that countries adopt
to co-exist and cooperate with other countries with the aim of development. One such
attempt, the first of its kind in South Asian Region, is the formation of South Asian
Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). The second was The Association
of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN. ASEAN is an association of all 10 countries

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