India was a foundational pillar of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), playing a pivotal role in its conceptualization and establishment. Spearheaded by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, alongside leaders like Tito (Yugoslavia), Nasser (Egypt), Sukarno (Indonesia), and Nkrumah (Ghana), India championed the idea of strategic autonomy for newly independent nations during the bipolar Cold War era. India's contribution was rooted in its commitment to peace, anti-colonialism, anti-racism, and the right of nations to pursue independent foreign policies without aligning with either the US or Soviet blocs. The Bandung Conference (1955) and the first NAM Summit in Belgrade (1961) were critical milestones where India's vision for a non-aligned world gained traction, advocating for disarmament, self-determination, and a more equitable international order.

In the contemporary world, despite the end of the Cold War, NAM retains significant relevance, albeit with an evolved focus. India continues to view NAM as a platform for South-South cooperation and a collective voice for developing countries on global issues. Its contemporary relevance lies in addressing new challenges such as climate change, global terrorism, pandemics, economic inequality, and the reform of international institutions. NAM provides a forum for member states to advocate for a multipolar world order, resist unilateralism, and promote multilateralism based on international law. For India, NAM remains a valuable diplomatic tool to build consensus among a diverse group of nations, amplify its voice on global platforms, and promote its vision of a just and inclusive international system, even as India itself engages in strategic partnerships with various global powers.