Non-Aligned Movement: Unipolar World and Beyond

Non aligned originated in response to the complex challenges of Post Second World War World reality. Emerging from the nightmare of a global war, the world found itself on the threshold of an era of escalating international tensions and Cold War politics. Non-alignment was an anxious appeal to the nations of the world for a retreat to peace and sanity. The movement envisioned a radical restructuring of the principles and perceptions of international relations and policies. The initiative came in the 1950s from three nations – India, Yugoslavia and Egypt respectively represented by the three statesmen – Nehru, Tito and Nasser. From its modest beginnings at the Belgrade Conference in 1961, with a participation of 25 nations, the Non-aligned Movement has expanded to include 114 nations in the Kuala Lumpur Summit Conference in 2003.