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Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) – Origin, Members & Principles

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Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)

  • The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) is an international forum of states that do not formally align with or against any major power bloc. It was a product of the Cold War era, when newly independent nations sought to maintain their strategic autonomy while promoting peace, cooperation, and development.
  • After the United Nations, it is the largest grouping of states worldwide

Origin

  • Founded: 1961, Belgrade Conference (Yugoslavia).
  • Key Founders: Jawaharlal Nehru (India), Josip Broz Tito (Yugoslavia), Gamal Abdel Nasser (Egypt), Kwame Nkrumah (Ghana), Sukarno (Indonesia).
  • Historical Background:
    • 1955: Bandung Conference in Indonesia laid the foundation of Afro-Asian solidarity.
    • 1961: NAM formally established with 25 member states.
    • The twenty-five (25) countries that attended the First Summit were: Afghanistan, Algeria, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), Congo-Leopoldville (DRC), Cuba, Cyprus, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Lebanon, Mali, Morocco, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Tunisia, Yemen and Yugoslavia.

Membership

  • 121 members 
  • Represents about two-thirds of UN members.
  • Includes countries from Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
  • India is a founding member.
  • It comprises 53 countries from Africa, 39 from Asia, 26 from Latin America and the Caribbean and 2 from Europe.
    • 18 countries including China, Ukraine, Mexico and 10 international organizations are observers at NAM.

Governance/ Working Mechanisms

The Summit

  • Held in an ordinary session once every three years, the Summit of Heads of State and Government is the highest decision making body of NAM. 
  • It is held to review progress in the implementation of the outcomes of the previous Summit, as well as addressing existing, new and emerging issues of collective concern and interest to the NAM.
  • The country hosting the Summit becomes the NAM Chair for the next three consecutive years. 
    • However, under exceptional circumstances, the chairmanship can extend beyond the three years. 
      • For example, due to the Coivd-19 pandemic outbreak, the chairmanship of Azerbaijan was extended for one (1) more year.

Do you know?

Since its inception in 1961, Indian Prime Ministers regularly attended NAM summits, with only one exception in 1979, when caretaker PM Charan Singh missed it. 

However, this trend changed under PM Narendra Modi, who has skipped the last three summits (2016, 2019, 2024), with India instead being represented by the Vice-President or the External Affairs Minister. 

This marks a shift from the earlier tradition, reflecting India’s evolving foreign policy approach from strict non-alignment to a more multi-aligned and pragmatic strategy.

17th NAM Summit – Venezuela (2016)

  • PM Modi did not attend, making him the first Indian Prime Minister to skip a NAM summit since Charan Singh in 1979.
  • India was represented by Vice‑President Hamid Ansari

18th NAM Summit – Baku, Azerbaijan (2019)

  • Again, PM Modi skipped the summit, and Vice‑President Venkaiah Naidu represented India.

19th NAM Summit – Kampala, Uganda (2024)

  • PM Modi was once more absent.
  • External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar led the Indian delegation and delivered India’s national statement.

India hosted the 7th NAM Summit in 1983 at New Delhi, chaired by Indira Gandhi.

Meetings of Ministers of Foreign Affairs

Ministers of Foreign Affairs meet usually in four forms, namely:

  • Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Coordinating Bureau – which is usually held four months before the Summit. 
    • It is held in the country holding the chairmanship, primarily to prepare for the next Summit.
  • Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs immediately preceding the Meeting of Heads of State and Government at the Summit. 
    • As with the Summit, this meeting takes place once every three years.
  • Mid-Term Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs – which is held eighteen (18) months after the Summit, to review progress in the implementation of decisions of the Summit.
  • Annual Meetings of Ministers of Foreign Affairs on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
    • These are held every September during the High-level week (General Debate) of the General Assembly.

Troika

As and when appropriate, some work and issues of common interest can be discussed by the Troika (Previous Chair; Current Chair; and Incoming Chair)

Coordinating Bureau

  • The NAM Coordinating Bureau, composed of Permanent Representatives in New York is the technical coordinating arm of the Movement. 
  • The Bureau handles NAM matters on a regular basis, usually through monthly meetings. However, the Bureau can meet as and when necessary.

Bandung principles

  • The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) was officially founded in 1961, at the Belgrade Summit, drawing on the principles (also known as Bandung Principles) agreed at the Afro-Asian Conference held in Bandung, Indonesia  in 1955.
  • Such principles were adopted later as the main goals and objectives of the policy of non-alignment. 
  • The fulfillment of those principles became the essential criterion for Non-Aligned Movement membership
  • The ten principles of Bandung are followings:
    • Respect of fundamental human rights and of the objectives and principles of the Charter of the United Nations.
    • Respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations.
    • Recognition of the equality among all races and of the equality among all nations, both large and small.
    • Non-intervention or non-interference into the internal affairs of another -country.
    • Respect the right of every nation to defend itself, either individually or collectively, in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations.
    • Non-use of collective defense pacts to benefit the specific interests of any of the great powers.
      B. Non-use of pressures by any country against other countries.
    • Refraining from carrying out or threatening to carry out aggression, or from using force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any country.
    • Peaceful solution of all international conflicts in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations.
    • Promotion of mutual interests and of cooperation.
    • Respect for justice and of international obligations.

FAQs 

Q1. What is the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)?

NAM is a global forum of countries that chose not to align with any major power bloc, especially during the Cold War. It promotes peace, sovereignty, and strategic autonomy.

Q2. When and where was NAM founded?

NAM was founded in 1961 at the Belgrade Summit in former Yugoslavia.

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