New Delhi, August 29: Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju will lead the Indian delegation at a high-level commemorative meeting in Belgrade, Serbia, from August 31 to September 1. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced this on Saturday, stating that the meeting marks the 65th anniversary of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit.
According to the MEA, this gathering celebrates the 65th anniversary of the first conference of heads of state/government of NAM. The theme for the meeting is “The Legacy of Non-Alignment: Lessons for Today’s World.”
The MEA emphasized, “India is a founding member of this movement. NAM brings together 121 developing countries on this historically significant platform, and India remains committed to the principles and values of the movement.”
NAM originated from the Asian-African Conference held in Bandung, Indonesia, in 1955, where countries from Asia and Africa promoted principles such as sovereignty, peaceful coexistence, non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, and opposition to colonialism.
Six years later, in 1961, the first summit in Belgrade formally established the Non-Aligned Movement. Today, NAM continues to advocate for multilateralism and strengthen the voice of developing countries, particularly within the United Nations system.
Previously, at the 19th NAM mid-term ministerial meeting held in Kampala, Uganda, in October 2025, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh emphasized the need for global cooperation to address the shared threat of cross-border terrorism.
Addressing the meeting, Singh stated that terrorism is a common threat that can only be countered through comprehensive international cooperation. He highlighted that India has been a victim of cross-border terrorist attacks for decades, citing the recent killing of innocent tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, 2025, as a prime example.
He remarked that when a country adopts terrorism as state policy, allows terrorist bases to flourish without punishment, and glorifies terrorists, such actions must be unequivocally condemned.
Singh pointed out that nearly all NAM member countries are familiar with the challenge of terrorism and are committed to fighting against it.
Indirectly referencing Pakistan, he expressed deep concern that when the United Nations Security Council discussed the Pahalgam terrorist attack, one member country allegedly defended the organization responsible for the attack, demanding the removal of its public mention.
He concluded that NAM should adopt a “zero tolerance” approach towards terrorism. Any attempts to sponsor, support, justify, or conceal terrorism must ultimately face consequences.
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