India is often described as a leading voice in the Non-Aligned Movement, but “non-alignment” can sound like simply staying neutral. How did the movement affect India’s actual choices during the Cold War, especially when relations with the United States and the Soviet Union shifted over time?
I’m curious whether it gave India meaningful room to act independently, or whether its influence was limited by military and economic realities. Which episodes best show the difference between the principle of non-alignment and day-to-day diplomacy?