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As Prime Minister, Nehru crafted a foreign policy that reflected India’s postcolonial values and aspirations for global peace and justice. He became the chief architect of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) during the Cold War, a time when the world was sharply divided between two superpowers. Nehru believed that newly independent nations should not align with either the US-led capitalist bloc or the Soviet-led communist bloc, but instead pursue an independent path in global affairs, maintaining sovereignty in decision-making.
Together with leaders like Josip Broz Tito of Yugoslavia, Sukarno of Indonesia, and Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt, Nehru helped establish NAM in 1961. The movement advocated for peaceful coexistence, decolonisation, disarmament, and economic cooperation among developing countries. It offered a platform for the Global South to assert its voice on international matters
Nehru’s foreign policy also supported China diplomatically, even endorsing its place in the United Nations. However, the Sino-Indian War of 1962 severely damaged India’s defense credibility and Nehru’s popularity. Critics accused him of being overly idealistic in trusting China, which led to unpreparedness for war.
Nonetheless, Nehru’s legacy in international diplomacy remains respected for promoting neutrality, peaceful negotiation, and solidarity among developing nations.