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Contents
Source– The post is based on the article “Non-alignment 2.0 has high chance of success” published in the mint on 20th September 2022.
Syllabus: GS2- Bilateral, regional and global grouping
Relevance– About non-alignment policy
News– The article explains India foreign policy of non-alignment. It also explains India principle stand at SCO summit in Samarkand and lessons from our position at Samarkand
How India foreign policy of non-alignment was perceived by other countries?
Western powers looked at India’s policy of non-alignment with suspicion. The reason was that our economy was closed and Russia was the main supplier of arms.
On the other hand, Russia did not have any issue with our position of neutrality in world affairs.
Our tilt towards Russia was India’s way to protect our strategic autonomy in world affairs. It helped India to protect its national interest.
What was our stand during the SCO summit?
During the SCO summit in Samarkand, Our PM advised Putin that, “today’s era is not an era of war.
It was an articulation of the long-held policy of India’s principled stand in world affairs.
The Western world appreciated our position. But it was not rebuke to Russia.
What are the lessons from the SCO summit?
India should take a cue from its stand at SCO. It should be used by our diplomats at various international forums for consolidating global conviction in India neutrality. Recently India been accused of supporting autocratic regimes by western powers.
Non-alignment as the guiding principle of our foreign policy should be guided by proper sense of what is good for the world. It favours not only India but other countries also.
What are the impacts of western sanctions on Russia?
It has raised energy costs and inflated other prices.
The EU is finding ways to decrease its dependence on Russian gas.
Russia needs external buyers for its crude oil to reduce volatility in oil prices.
India as a bulk buyer due to its foreign policy of non-alignment can purchase Russian oil. But it is a very difficult choice for India.
