Assess India’s role in Non-aligned movement.

With India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, being one of the founders of Non-aligned Movement, India has played a significant role in it.

• India, stayed away from both the superpowers and the alliances during the Cold War.

• India, also opposed the inclusion of the newly decolonised countries in any of the alliances. With NAM, India offered these decolonised nations a third front in the then bipolar world.

• India was not neutral in its dealing with the superpowers as evidenced by its interference during the Korean War in the 1950s. India actively intervened in international affairs to reduce Cold War rivalries.

• India also included other non-aligned nations in its endeavour towards economic upliftment and retention of world peace. It did so by backing all regional and international organizations that were not in alliance with either of the superpowers.

India thus played a very active role in the Non-aligned movement which also served India’s interest in the international arena. India has often been criticised for its stance in the movement but it has been a successful policy movement by the country.