INDIA'S ROLE IN THE NON-ALIGNMENT MOVEMENT

The concept of non-alignment emerged during the Cold War. After the Second World War, the world was divided into two power blocs – USA and Soviet Union. 

The origin of the Non-Alignment Movement can be traced back to the Asian Relations Conference held in New Delhi in March 1947. At this conference, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru highlighted the dangers posed by the hostility between the two power blocs. He also stressed the need for the Asian countries to work for maintaining world peace.

India had adopted the policy of non-alignment as it did not want to lose its freedom of decision making and because India’s primary concern, soon after independence, was economic development. Besides, India felt that it had a positive role to play in reducing international tension, promoting peace and serving as a bridge between the two power blocs. It meant that India wanted freedom to decide every issue on its merit. 

Essentially, non- alignment is an anti-imperialist and anti racist movement. Nehru frequently referred to the importance of India’s location and size as a determinant of the policy of non alignment. By virtue of location, he argued, India not only occupied a pivotal position in Asia, but also a king of meeting ground between the east and the west. He was also aware of the geopolitical significance of Kashmir, Nepal and the northern frontier in general.

Nehru said that ‘India did not belong to any of the power blocs. India’s policy of non-alignment is a positive or dynamic neutralism, in which a country acts independently, and decides its position on each international issue on the merit of the case’.

The policy of non alignment, which has constituted the very foundation of India foreign policy to this day, is probably Nehru’s greatest contribution to international relations.