Before G20; When India Hosted More Than Hundred Countries 40 Years Ago (Image: twitter.com/deepanshuS27/status)

Forty years ago, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi addressed the 7th Non-Aligned Summit (NAM) hosted by India, in which delegates from around 140 countries participated.

Why the “83 NAM is being discussed now in the context of 2023 Delhi G20?

As India with all grandeur concluded the eighteenth chapter of G20 World Summit on September 10, which opens in New Delhi one day earlier, all eyes are now to a “remember”, that proves India is no stranger to hosting large international conferences. The country had done the same in past, now, and looking forward to host many more.

Some of the biggest international summits, hosted by India, to recollect from the past includes he Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in March 1983, the Commonwealth Heads of Government (CHOGM) Summit in November 1983, and the Third India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) in March 2015.

Among this the 1983 Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit, according to reports, had delegations from more than 100 countries. It was the seventh edition of NAM, a forum of 120 countries that are not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. After the United Nations, it was the largest grouping of states worldwide.

The conference was held in New Delhi from 7 to 12 of March 1983, the largest ever such in history, representing two thirds of world”s humanity.

The opposition party Congress has recently took a blow at the federal government, explaining the 7th NAM summit in Delhi under the presidency of then Prime Minister and Congress leader Indira Gandhi as “without much hype and self-serving publicity”. The comment was made by the Congress leader and MP Jairam Ramesh on September 3.

“The 7th Non-Aligned Summit took place without much hype and self-serving publicity in New Delhi for five days in March 1983”, said Mr Ramesh on X (formerly Twitter)..

“Incidentally, this was the Summit to which Fidel Castro brought along Gabriel Garcia Marquez as part of the Cuban delegation. Now, of course, the self-styled Vishwaguru refers to these countries as the Global South”, added Mr Ramesh sharing a video footage in which former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi is seen receiving world leaders at the NAM summit.

The congress was accusing the Union government as it was running an election campaign using the 2023 G20 Delhi conference.

The 7th Non-Aligned Summit took place without much hype and self-serving publicity in New Delhi for five days in March 1983. Incidentally, this was the Summit to which Fidel Castro brought along Gabriel Garcia Marquez as part of the Cuban delegation. Now, of course, the… pic.twitter.com/Cf1o5UTQlq

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) September 3, 2023

Attacking Prime Minister Modi as he is representing himself as a “Vishwaguru” (global leader) by hosting 2023 G20, Congress is saying that the “83 NAM Summit, the least controversial and most constructive, emerged India as the leading voice of the developed world.

In 1983 NAM, PM Indira Gandhi called the world leaders for a global pledge against the use of nuclear arms as well as a fresh collective look at the major problems of the world, reported the Indian Express.

It was the then biggest-ever conference of heads of state and government, held at Vigyan Bhawan in Delhi, and Mrs Gandhi made an impassioned appeal to Iran and Iraq to end their “tragic” war, says reports.

Mrs Gandhi took over as chairman of the seventh non-aligned summit and  led the movement till the next summit in three years. According to Indian Express, she received a standing ovation when the outgoing chairman Fidel Castro announced her unanimous election as chairman. Mr Castro, the Cuban revolutionary and politician, handed over the PM the wooden gavel, the symbol of the chair’s authority.

“In the face of the nuclear tragedy threatening us, the drama of under-development and exploitation that oppresses us and the economic and social crisis that scourges us, there is no place for resignation or accommodation. The only solution in keeping with man’s stature is to struggle”, Indian Express quoted Mr Castro”s then speech.

As per the official final document of the Seventh Conference of Heads of State or Government of Non-Aligned Countries, the Conference was preceded by another of Foreign Ministers of Non-Aligned Countries from 3 to 5 March 1983.

The representatives of the countries and organizations which are members of the Movement participated in the Seventh Conference includes: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Bahamas, Bahrai, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Burundi, Cope Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Cormoros, Congo, Cuba, Cyprus, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamhariya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine Liberation Organization, Panama, Peru, Qatar, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, South West Africa People’s Organization, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syrian Arab Republic, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Cameroon, United Republic of Tanzania, Upper Volta, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen Arab Republic, Yemen, People’s Democratic Republic of, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Kunwar Natwar Singh, former Minister of External Affairs, was the Secretary-General of the Seventh Non-aligned Summit hosted at New Delhi in 1983.

“The very first international conference in New Delhi was held even before our independence, between March 23 and April 2, 1947. It is known as the Asian Relations Conference and many books have been written on it. 28 countries participated”, said Jairam Ramesh citing another international event hosted by India, on X (formerly Twitter).

“It was held publicly under a big pandal in Purana Qila, and also had Australia, USA, USSR, UK and the UN as observers. Mahatma Gandhi spoke at the closing and his speech is available on YouTube”, Mr Ramesh added.

The very first international conference in New Delhi was held even before our independence, between March 23 and April 2, 1947. It is known as the Asian Relations Conference and many books have been written on it. 28 countries participated.

In the current ruling dispensation,… pic.twitter.com/dAoF6v4RXl

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) September 8, 2023