‘Shifting from non-alignment to global alignment beneficial’

Mumbai

Federal Minister Piyush Goyal has said that the country is set to reap large scale benefits from its new foreign policy of global alignment.

Speaking at a symposium organised by Vishwa Adhyayan Kendra (Centre for International Studies) to mark the 9th Universal Brotherhood Day, in Mumbai on Saturday, Goyal said the shift from non-alignment to global alignment was based on a long term vision and helped India gain greater acceptability in the world. He was speaking on the topic, “From Non-Alignment to Global Alignment: Significance of New Foreign Policy.”

Outdated concept

Goyal, who is the Minister of State with Independent Charge for Coal, New and Renewable Energy said that the concept of non-alignment, as advocated by the country’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru was relevant during the post-Second World War period.

“We needed the Eastern Block led by the Soviet Union to safeguard our strategic interests, while we also needed the support of the West to achieve our developmental goals. The non-aligned group also served as a balancing power in the bipolar world,” he observed.

The minister termed the Pokhran II nuclear tests during the Atal Behari Vajpayee regime as the turning point in India’s international affairs. “There were sanctions that followed, no doubt, but the world also took note of India’s emerging strength.”

He said, carrying forward the legacy of the Vajpayee government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was working on broad basing India’s engagement with the world. In a globalised world, India could not afford to remain isolated, he said, adding that India was no more just a balancing power, but was emerging as a leading power.