Gulf Cooperation Council Latest News
Recently, India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have signed the Terms of Reference for a Free Trade Agreement in New Delhi.
About Gulf Cooperation Council
- It is a regional political and economic alliance established in 1981.
- Member countries: It comprises Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
- Objective: To foster economic, security, cultural, and social cooperation among its members.
- Background: It was formed in response to escalating regional tensions, particularly the Iranian Revolution (1979) and the Iran-Iraq War (1980–1988).
- Headquarters: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Organizational Structure of the Gulf Cooperation Council
- Supreme council
- It is the highest authority of the GCC, composed of the heads of the member states.
- Its presidency rotates alphabetically according to the names of the countries.
- It convenes in a regular session annually.
- Ministerial council
- It is composed of foreign ministers or their representatives from member states.
- It proposes policies and implements decisions of the Supreme Council.
- Secretariat general: Its responsibilities include preparing studies to enhance cooperation, coordination, and integration in joint Gulf projects and initiatives.
India –GCC Free Trade Agreement
- Key exports from India to GCC include engineering goods, rice, textiles, machinery, gems and jewelry.
- Key sectors of imports from GCC primarily comprise crude oil, LNG, petrochemicals, and precious metals such as gold.
Source: News On Air
Last updated on March, 2026
→ UPSC Final Result 2025 is now out.
→ UPSC has released UPSC Toppers List 2025 with the Civil Services final result on its official website.
→ Anuj Agnihotri secured AIR 1 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2025.
→ UPSC Marksheet 2025 is now out.
→ UPSC Notification 2026 & UPSC IFoS Notification 2026 is now out on the official website at upsconline.nic.in.
→ UPSC Calendar 2026 has been released.
→ Check out the latest UPSC Syllabus 2026 here.
→ UPSC Prelims 2026 will be conducted on 24th May, 2026 & UPSC Mains 2026 will be conducted on 21st August 2026.
→ The UPSC Selection Process is of 3 stages-Prelims, Mains and Interview.
→ Prepare effectively with Vajiram & Ravi’s UPSC Prelims Test Series 2026 featuring full-length mock tests, detailed solutions, and performance analysis.
→ Enroll in Vajiram & Ravi’s UPSC Mains Test Series 2026 for structured answer writing practice, expert evaluation, and exam-oriented feedback.
→ Join Vajiram & Ravi’s Best UPSC Mentorship Program for personalized guidance, strategy planning, and one-to-one support from experienced mentors.
→ Shakti Dubey secures AIR 1 in UPSC CSE Exam 2024.
→ Also check Best UPSC Coaching in India
Gulf Cooperation Council FAQs
Q1. What is the Gulf Cooperation Council?+
Q2. What is the primary goal of GCC?+
Tags: gulf cooperation council prelims pointers upsc current affairs upsc prelims current affairs
