CURRENT AFFAIRS | MAY 15, 2026
PM Narendra Modi launched a five-nation Europe tour on May 15 covering Netherlands (The Hague) for tech, water and semiconductors; Sweden (Gothenburg) where Saab’s Carl-Gustaf 100% FDI defence plant at Jhajjar (Haryana) is the showpiece; Norway (Oslo) for the second India-Nordic Summit after Stockholm 2018 and Copenhagen 2022 (defence, maritime, Arctic governance, Char Dham tunnelling tech); and Italy (Rome) with PM Giorgia Meloni on IMEEC and the India-Italy Strategic Partnership. The visit follows the historic India-EU FTA concluded in 2026 after 18 years and the India-EFTA TEPA ($100bn investments over 15 years). PM Modi has framed it as “post-tariff strategic realism”. For CLAT 2027, expect Map-work + Treaty Law passages on Nordic-5, EFTA-4, EU-27 and the IMEEC corridor.
Constitutional & Legal Framework
- Article 73 — Executive power of the Union extends to subjects in the Union List, including FTAs.
- Article 253 — Parliament can make laws to implement international treaties & agreements.
- FEMA, 1999 — regulates foreign exchange and FDI; defence sector 100% FDI for select OEMs.
- Foreign Trade (D&R) Act, 1992 — statutory base for India’s foreign trade policy.
- WTO Agreements (1995) — MFN and National Treatment principles under GATT 1994.
- India-EFTA TEPA (2024) — first FTA tying market access to $100bn investment.
- IMEEC MoU (G20 Delhi, Sep 2023) — signed by India, US, EU, Saudi, UAE, France, Germany, Italy.
Why It Matters for CLAT 2027
High-probability passage angles:
- Distinction between FTA, CECA, CEPA, TEPA — classification favourite.
- Treaty-making power — Maganbhai Patel v Union of India (1969).
- Arctic governance, UNCLOS Article 234, and India’s Arctic Policy 2022.
- Foreign Direct Investment routes: automatic vs government approval.
- Map work: identifying Gothenburg, Oslo, The Hague, Rome.
- India-EU relations and Article 218 TFEU (treaty-making by EU).
Key Facts to Memorise
- Itinerary: Netherlands (May 15-17) → Sweden (17-18) → Norway (18-19) → Italy (19-20)
- Saab Carl-Gustaf plant: Jhajjar, Haryana (100% FDI)
- India-Nordic Summit-1: Stockholm, 2018
- India-Nordic Summit-2: Copenhagen, 2022; Summit-3 Oslo, 2026
- Nordic-5: Denmark + Sweden + Norway + Finland + Iceland
- EFTA-4: Norway + Iceland + Switzerland + Liechtenstein
- EU members: 27
- IMEEC launched: G20 Delhi, Sep 2023
- India-EU FTA concluded: 2026 (after 18 years)
Mnemonic / Quick Recall
“NSFI-D climbs the Nordic ladder”
Norway
Sweden
Finland
Iceland
Denmark
— the 5 Nordic states (alphabetical N-S-F-I-D).
Sources: Indian Express p.1 & p.11 (May 15, 2026); MEA press briefing; PIB.
Practice Quiz — 10 CLAT-Style Questions
Click an option to reveal the answer and explanation.
