Question

Why did Nehru want India to follow the Non-Alignment Policy? 

Answer 1

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru wanted India to follow the non-alignment policy for several key reasons. The world at the time was divided into two major power blocs: the Western Bloc, led by the United States, and the Soviet Bloc, led by the Soviet Union. Nehru felt that India, newly independent and facing numerous internal challenges, should not align with either of these blocs. He believed that joining one bloc or the other would compromise India's sovereignty and limit its ability to make independent decisions. Nehru also wanted to avoid the Cold War conflict between the two superpowers, which he saw as a threat to world peace. By pursuing non-alignment, India could remain neutral, focus on its own development, and foster peaceful relations with all countries, particularly those in Asia, Africa, and other regions emerging from colonialism. This policy allowed India to play a role in promoting global peace, maintaining independence, and supporting the Third World nations seeking decolonisation and self-determination.