Priorities of independent India’s foreign policy revolved around-

♤ economic development of the country,

♤ maintenance of independence of action in foreign affairs,

♤ safeguarding country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity

♤ and world peace.

India has firmly believed that these objectives can be achieved only by keeping away from power blocs, and exercising freedom of taking foreign policy decisions.

Nehru was committed to western concept of liberalism and democracy. Nonetheless, he did not approve of the military alliance like NATO and SEATO initiated by the United States to contain communism. He opposed western alliances on the ground that they encouraged new form of colonialism; and also because these were likely to promote countermoves and race for armaments between the two camps. Nehru was impressed by socialism and strongly advocated the idea of democratic socialism. Nonetheless, he totally rejected the communist state as “monolithic” and described Marxism as an outmoded theory. Nehru was a combination of a socialist and a liberal democrat. He was opposed to the very idea of power blocs in international relations. India’s policy of non-alignment, therefore, was not to promote a third bloc, but to ensure freedom of decision-making of the recently decolonized states. Non-alignment was promoted by India as a policy of peace, as against the policy of confrontation.

India’s policy of non-alignment was against the status quo situation in international relations. That meant opposition of colonialism, imperialism, racial discrimination and now of neo- colonialism. Also, non-alignment rejects the concept of superiority of Super Powers. It advocates sovereign equality of all states. Furthermore, non-alignment encourages friendly relations among countries. It is opposed to the alliances that divide the world into groups of states, or power blocs. Non-alignment advocates peaceful settlement of international disputes and rejects the use of force. It favours complete destruction of nuclear weapons and pleads for comprehensive disarmament. It supports all efforts to strengthen the United Nations.

Thus, India’s policy of non-alignment emphasizes prioratising the social and economic problems of mankind. India has always supported the demand for a new international economic order so that the unjust and unbalanced existing economic order may be changed into a new and just economic order.