Though Indian PM Modi’s decision – as per media reports on 23th October 2019 -to not attend the 18 th NAM Summit at Baku in Azerbaijan commencing on 25-26 th October, 2019 may be interpreted as his possible disenchantment with the Non Aligned Movement (NAM), but that does mean that he has lost interest or is deliberately diluting the doctrine of nonalignment. Of course, this will be second time in row as he had earlier skipped the 17 th Margarita NAM Summit, 2017 in Venezuela too wherein India was represented by the then Vice-President Mr. Hamid Ansari. This time again the country will be represented by the Vice President of the country Mr. V. Naidu. And that clearly proves that India is fully consciousness of its duties and responsibilities as a founding member of the Movement as well as the progenitor of the doctrine.

As had been the customary practice ever since the inception of NAM that India had always participated into the summit meetings through its prime minister, with single exception of late Choudhary Charan Singh. In fact, India’s first PM Late Jawahar Lal Nehru is regarded as the brain-child of the doctrine of the nonalignment who along with few other prominent leaders of Third World, like Marshal Tito of Yugoslavia, President Sukarno of Indonesia and President Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt felt the urgent need of the independent foreign policy of all those nations who were gradually becoming independent from the yoke of the long period of pernicious colonialism during the post second-World War years, after successfully fighting their tumultuous national liberation struggles. Indeed, PM Nehru was the moving spirit in the Bandung Conference, 1955 in Indonesia which paved the way for the formal launching of the First Summit of the Non Aligned Movement in 1961 at Belgrade in Yugoslavia.

Indeed, the doctrine gradually became so attractive and consequently powerful that it got essentially symbolized with ‘independence of judgment’ and ‘freedom of action’ for large number of all those underdeveloped and developing countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America – altogether grouped as Third World – which were suffering the trauma and agony of the worst forms of colonialism under the self-defined white man’s burden principle, propagated by the rich and powerful colonial masters in the West for the past many decades or even centuries.

Obviously, these countries were struggling for complete or total independence so that they might realize their natural right to self-determination as a sovereign nation in accordance with the spirit of Peace Treaty of Westphalia of 1648, which for the first time propounded the principle of sovereign equality of nation-state system in the world. Carrying forward this spirit, PM Modi has been striving hard ever since assuming office to propagate and popularize all those ideals and values like freedom or liberty, equality, truth, justice or equity, peace and non-violence, brotherhood, solidarity and security in all over the world for which the doctrine as well as the NAM distinctly stand for, though these universal moral values are under serious threat due to rising sway of consumer culture and the so-called western modernization. Unfortunately, there are many more grave challenges today before the humanity viz terrorism including global terrorism, clandestine nuclear proliferation and consequent arms race, environmental degradation, violation of human rights, woman and child abuse, human trafficking and rising porn culture even in traditional-cultural societies, to cite only few among them.

As the possible solution to these challenges and threats, PM Modi, like a true statesman, has come out with new ideas like sabka saath, sabka vikas and also jag ka vikaas, hygiene and cleanliness, fitness drive, yoga and meditation besides reviving and revamping the ancient Indian ethical-cultural values and philosophical approach towards life with the unique spirit of sharing and caring, so as to connect each human being with the other one and that may resultantly lead to evolving a new socio-cultural order with human face. All these obviously demand a meticulous planning and sound strategy on the part of Indian leadership which must not land the country into any kind of controversy or confrontation with any of the major or other powers in the world including America, Russia and China, particularly against the backdrop of North Korea’s mounting nuclear arms buildup with the clandestine support of China, emerging Sino-US Cold War and China’s mounting aggressions in South China Sea and also elsewhere.

In this scenario, PM Modi’s non-participation in the Baku NAM Summit may be a covert strategy to not displease the US and other Western nations and also China with a view to consolidate and expand India’s infrastructure, economy, military modernization and also securing a permanent seat in the United Nation’s Security Council, besides pressurizing Pakistan to stop cross-border terrorism against New Delhi. As these powers had always been suspicious about the doctrine as well as the NAM, lest the Movement may emerge as third powerful bloc in international relations as a possible counter-weight to their untrammeled dominance and hegemony in all over the world, PM Modi’s skipping in the 18 th NAM Summit may alleviate their suspicion about India’s real intentions because he has undoubtedly emerged as a prominent global leader matching with his other global counter-parts due to his self-confidence, vision and statesmanship. He has, indeed, restored India’s real strength as a founder of the NAM which derives sustenance from the country’s ancient ethical-cultural roots and so-evolved rich traditional heritage, characterised by peace, truth, love and non-violence etc.. And these are truly imbibed in the doctrine of the nonalignment. Thus his absence in this NAM summit may prove to be more productive as regards protecting India’s national interests. This is possible as nothing is beyond human endeavour.