GWIC is affiliated with the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP) as its Working Group 11 (WG11). In 1999, GWIC was adopted by an earlier IUPAP Working Group, the Particle and Nuclear Astrophysics and Gravitation International Committee (PaNAGIC). PaNAGIC was created to support international exchange of ideas and to support the convergence of the international scientific community with respect to large-scale activities on particle and nuclear astrophysics, gravitation and cosmology. It adopted GWIC as a sub-panel specializing in gravitational waves. PaNAGIC was dissolved by IUPAP in 2011, but the important role of GWIC was recognized and it was promoted to full Working Group status.