Salient features of the Idea of Non-alignment:

1. The leaders of NAM were firm in their view to expand the "area of peace" instead of hostility. Hence India and other countries like Egypt, Indonesia did not approve joining of Baghdad Pact, the Manila Treaty, SEATO and CENTO, which were military blocs.

2. Non-Alignment came to symbolize the struggle of India and other newly independent nations to retain and strengthen their independence from colonialism and imperialism.

3. To pursue the dream of a peaceful world, India advocated non alignment policy by reducing the cold war tensions and contributing human resources to the UN peace keeping operations.

4. Due to acceptance of non-alignment policy, many nations of the world got their voice heard atthe United Nations. The one country, one vote system enabled the non-aligned bloc to check domination by the Western bloc. Thus, Non alignment advanced the process of democratization of international relations.