INDIA AND NON-ALIGNED MOVEMENT

India in its recent statement said that,India shall never be a part of any alliance system and even called upon the USA to look beyond alliances or power block against  Geo political rivals.The foreign ministry also said that India recognizes the non alignment principles are outdated and in today's multi polar world,a major power like India needs to take a definitive stand even at cost of taking crucial issues such as connectivity,maritime and security etc.See the non alignment principal served very well in bipolar world,between the then superpower USA & Soviet Union,it was because of this policy India managed to retain strategic autonomy and independence in its foreign policy even though it was forced to choose side between two super powers.

But,the year 1971 was turning point for India's foreign policy because during the liberation of Bangladesh war as the USA chose to sign with Pakistan and as it started threatening India with military consequences,India was forced to abandon the non alignment principle and India chose to side with Soviet Union in order to secure its national security.But after the collapse of USSR during the cold war era,the non alignment principle has lost its relevance and this has been rightly pointed out with India's foreign minister.The bipolar world of cold war has been replaced by multi polar world.

This means principle of non alignment requires different meaning in multi polar world.Today non alignment does not necessarily refers to choosing of side between super powers instead it refers to once independence in foreign policy without being seen as an ally of any country or being part of any alliance system.See,this stand publicly brought out by foreign ministry is a well thought out calibrated policy that has been adopted by the government of India.This policy that has been stated by foreign minister came under right time because currently we are dealing with double crisis one is challenge posed by COVID 19 and the other of ongoing border tension with China.In the middle of this challenging geopolitical tension the USA has been pushing India to join an alliance system known as QUAD,this group has been projected as a military alliance lead by USA against China's influence and aggression in Indo Pacific region,at a time when geopolitical tensions are at peak between USA and China and at a time when India is dealing with its own border tension with China,The USA has been pushing India into a alliance system and this undermines India's autonomy and national interest.

See,it is only India that shares land boundary with China and that too disputed one.India siding with like minding countries definitely provide a strategic leverage for India but projecting the grouping as military alliance goes against India's interest because the consequences of any Chinese aggression will have to bone only by India and not by any other QUAD  member.India's interest will be served if it establish a well coordinated relation with JAPAN,AUSTRALIA,USA and maintain a stable relation with China instead of moving towards constant conflict by becoming part of military alliance.But,in order to pursue such a diversified foreign policy differing interest and differing objective,India will have to retain its autonomy and independence in its foreign policy and this can be never achieved by an alliance system.