About Non-Aligned Movement

• The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) was formed during the Cold War as an organization of States that did not seek to formally align themselves with either the United States or the Soviet Union, but sought to remain independent or neutral.
• NAM was officially founded in 1961, at the Belgrade Summit, drawing on the principles (also known as Bandung Principles) agreed at the Afro-Asian Conference held in Bandung, Indonesia in 1955.
• Such principles were adopted later as the main goals and objectives of the policy of non-alignment. The fulfillment of those principles became the essential criterion for Non-Aligned Movement membership.
• The ten principles of Bandung are followings:
  • Respect of fundamental human rights and of the objectives and principles of the Charter of the United Nations.
  • Respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations.
  • Recognition of the equality among all races and of the equality among all nations, both large and small.
  • Non-intervention or non-interference into the internal affairs of another -country.
  • Respect the right of every nation to defend itself, either individually or collectively, in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations.
  • Non-use of collective defense pacts to benefit the specific interests of any of the great powers.
    B. Non-use of pressures by any country against other countries.
  • Refraining from carrying out or threatening to carry out aggression, or from using force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any country.
  • Peaceful solution of all international conflicts in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations.
  • Promotion of mutual interests and of cooperation.
  • Respect of justice and of international obligations.
• India is one of the founding members of the NAM.
• The following are considered to be the founding fathers and historic leaders of the Movement: Joseph Broz Tito (President of Yugoslavia), Gamal Abdel Nasser (President of Egypt), Jawaharlal Nehru (Prime Minister of India), Sukarno (President of Indonesia), and Kwame Nkrumah (President of Ghana).

Why in the news?

• External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said that non-alignment as a concept belonged to a bygone era.

News in detail:

• Multipolarity in the world necessitated that India would have to take a definite stand, and even take “risks” on issues such as connectivity, maritime security, terrorism and climate change. However, the Minister made clear that India does not reject non-alignment in its entirety, and that it would not compromise on its independence.

Instances that indicate India still remains Non-Aligned:

• While non-alignment worked for India during the Cold War era between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, the fact that India and China share a land boundary would always be a factor in a “new cold war” between the U.S. and China.
• Despite multiple references by the U.S. Secretary of State to the India-China clashes and his call for India and the U.S. to jointly “counter” China, the government has rightly chosen not to raise its tensions with China in any forum other than bilateral talks with Beijing.

Significance

• The assertion of India’s strategic independence and resistance to joining any alliance comes as a timely reminder amid speculation that tensions with China will push India into a stronger relationship with Washington.

Conclusion

• At a time of a double crisis for India battling the novel coronavirus pandemic in the country and Chinese aggression at the border  the message from New Delhi is one of a carefully calibrated balance.

https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/calibrated-balance-the-hindu-editorial-on-india-and-non-alignment/article32175684.ece