How is India helping in the work of the UN?

India is a peace-loving country. It is the largest democracy in the world. It is one of the founder members of the United Nations. It has always worked to make the world a better place to live in. Our country has always actively participated in the working of the United Nations and its agencies.

Mrs. Vijayalakshmi Pandit was once elected the President of the General Assembly of Indian forces on a UN Peace Mission the United Nations. Our country has also been a non-permanent member of the Security Council of the UN. India has agreed to send forces to Korea, Congo, and other places to bring about peace. We opposed the policy of apartheid in South Africa. Apartheid is racial discrimination, in which the Blacks in South Africa were oppressed by the white minority. We also helped the people of Palestine, who had no homeland and were denied their rights by Israel.

India has always supported the use of atomic energy for peaceful purposes. It has opposed the accumulation of arms by countries, A large number of Indian experts and officers are working in the United Nations and its agencies, Two of our eminent jurists have served as judges of the International Court of Justice. Many experts from other countries have also come to our country to provide technical and scientific help in the development of agriculture and industries.

The Non-Aligned Movement :

After the end of World War II in 1945, the USA and the erstwhile USSR became the most powerful countries. These two countries did not see eye to eye on many points and thus created two camps. These camps or groups were based on military pacts. Many small and newly independent countries were forced to join these groups. This grouping of countries in two camps was known as

Alignment

This was creating the possibilities of another World War. The powerful nations were producing nuclear and other destructive weapons. They posed a threat to the freedom and development of small and poor countries.

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of our country, understood this problem. He wanted the countries to be friendly with both the USA and the erstwhile USSR. He discussed this problem with Mr. Nasser of Egypt and Mr. Tito of Yugoslavia and they decided not to join any of the military groups. They laid the foundation of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). They urged the smaller and poorer nations to keep away from these groups. In the beginning, a few countries agreed to become members of the NAM. Now there are more than one hundred member countries in the movement. Most of them are smaller and poor nations. They are helping each other and trying to solve the problems of poverty, ignorance, ill-health and lack of development. They want to protect their freedom.

The members of the NAM have always been active in the United Nations, The opinion of the NAM members is respected and considered. This is one of the most important contributions of India towards the work of progress and peace in the world. The members of the NAM seek help from each other rather than from the big and powerful countries.

The NAM is now a powerful group, advocating and working for disarmament and peace. It is trying and supporting the reduction of nuclear weapons. Non-alignment has now become a movement for world peace, progress and development.

The UN agencies and many rich and developed countries of the world are giving India much help in the fields of science, technology, agriculture, education and health. We still have many problems, but we are facing them with confidence. Thus India continues to play whatever role is assigned to it to make the United Nations a strong, useful and effective organization.