The success of the non-aligned summit in Colombo in August, 1976 was ensured by elaborate and intense preparations to resolve the political and economic questions of global magnitude. These were hammered out at meetings of the non-aligned countries at several levels. The more significant of them were those held in Havana, Lima and Algiers. In all these international gatherings the need was to reconcile the divergent tendencies coming to the surface. Such divergent attitudes were inevitable with the rapid spread of the non-aligned movement and the participation of representatives of more than a hundred nations as full members, observers or guests -- the largest assembly of nation-states outside the United Nations.
Such a large assemblage of non-aligned, sovereign nations, notwithstanding the voices of dissent, was near unanimous on most questions and worked as a cohesive force for the peace and progress of the developing countries and for the birth of a new economic order which should provide answers to the pressing needs of the poorest of the poor in the world.
Policy was geared to forging closer bonds of friendship with Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand and the Maldives were milestones in its diplomatic relations. We believe that the oceans and the seas, with their almost unlimited resources, are the common heritage of man, and therefore we attatched great importance in evolving a unity of approach.
I like to refer to an event of particular importance. The Indo-Soviet summit re-affirmed the understanding between India and the Soviet Union dating back to the pre-independence days which had acquired depth and maturity in political, technological and scientific fields. In our relations with the United 'States of America as well, the imbalance on their part was rectified in some measure, so that there was a degree of support by the U.S. leadership to the principles of India's foreign policy including non-alignment.
I have repeatedly emphasized in my speeches and articles during the years between 1974 and 1977 that India's foreign policy was geared to forging closer bonds of friendship with neighbours and with great powers separately but not at each other's expense. All this called for renewed and unvarying attention all the time to the changing political and economic contours of the world. Friendship and understanding have to be guarded, broadened and deepened unceasingly in the stream of international relations, for there are hidden shoals and crosscurrents which are thrown up by contemporary events none of which 'may' be of one's own making.
