UPSC Prelims 2007 Q34: Current Affairs – International Organisations & Groupings
Consider the following statements:
1. China has observer status at the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.
2. India has observer status at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 2 only
- (c) Both 1 and 2
- (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2
Explanation
SAARC and SCO observer statuses
| Statement | Fact check |
|---|---|
| 1. China has observer status at SAARC | True — granted in 2005 |
| 2. India has observer status at SCO | True — granted in 2005 (India became a full member only in 2017) |
Both statements are correct — a rare case of two regional blocs granting each other's rival power observer status in the same year.
Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Statement 2 is also true, so it isn't "1 only".
- (b) Incorrect. Statement 1 is also true, so it isn't "2 only".
- (c) CORRECT. Both China's SAARC observer status and India's SCO observer status (both granted in 2005) are correct.
- (d) Incorrect. Both statements are true, so it isn't "neither".
Key point
China held SAARC observer status and India held SCO observer status, both granted in 2005.
Remember
China: SAARC observer; India: SCO observer (both since 2005).
Common mistakes
- Confusing observer status with full membership (India became a full SCO member only in 2017).
- Assuming reciprocal observer arrangements between regional blocs don't happen, when in fact this is a real, symmetric case.
- Mixing up which country held observer status at which organisation.
Exam tip
2005: China-SAARC observer, India-SCO observer — both were observer-only at the time of this 2007 paper.
Sources
- South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation — Dhaka Declaration, Thirteenth SAARC Summit (12–13 November 2005)
- Shanghai Cooperation Organisation — Astana Declaration of the Heads of State of the SCO member states (5 July 2005)