India and the Non-Aligned Movement

The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) is a group of countries that don't ally with any of the big world powers. India was one of the founding members of the NAM, alongside countries like Indonesia and Yugoslavia. India, and the other members, chose not to side with either the United States and its allies, or the Soviet Union and its allies during the Cold War. This allowed them to be independent and pursue their own interests, rather than having to follow the agendas of the two major powers. They could stay neutral, and not pick a side, so their decisions weren't affected by the ongoing tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union. India was able to use the NAM to work with other countries on a variety of issues, from peacekeeping and nuclear disarmament, to developing their infrastructure, and global food security.