Non-alignment
Cold War doctrine of refusing major-power alignment, revived as states navigate the Iran conflict.
Last refreshed: 30 March 2026
Can any state stay truly neutral when both sides levy economic penalties?
Latest on Non-alignment
- What is non-alignment?
- Non-alignment is a Foreign Policy doctrine in which states refuse formal military or political alliance with major power blocs, asserting the right to independent positions in international disputes. It was codified through the Non-Aligned Movement, founded in 1961 by Yugoslavia, India, Egypt, and Indonesia.Source: Non-Aligned Movement founding charter
- Which countries are non-aligned in the Iran conflict?
- Sri Lanka denied both US and Iranian military access in early 2026. India, Pakistan, Malaysia, and China entered bilateral transit negotiations with Tehran, opting for non-aligned commercial arrangements rather than accepting the US-enforced blockade.Source: Lowdown
- What is the difference between non-alignment and neutrality?
- Neutrality is a legal status prohibiting involvement in a specific conflict; non-alignment is a broader Foreign Policy stance refusing alliance with any major power bloc. A neutral state may still be aligned; a non-aligned state may still engage with belligerents commercially or diplomatically.
- How does the Strait of Hormuz toll system affect non-aligned states?
- Iran's toll system grants passage to states that pay Tehran, creating a commercial incentive for non-aligned states to strike bilateral deals. US secondary sanctions simultaneously threaten those same states, creating an economic squeeze from both sides.Source: Lowdown
- Is the Non-Aligned Movement still relevant?
- With 120 member states, the Non-Aligned Movement is the largest international grouping outside the UN. The Iran conflict has revived its practical relevance: multiple member states are invoking non-alignment to justify refusing military cooperation with both belligerents.
Background
Non-alignment is a Foreign Policy doctrine holding that states should refuse formal military or political alliance with any major power bloc. Originating at the 1955 Bandung Conference, it was codified through the Non-Aligned Movement founded in 1961 by Yugoslavia under Tito, alongside Egypt, India under Nehru, and Indonesia. The doctrine gave newly decolonised states a framework for asserting sovereignty during the Cold War without choosing between Washington and Moscow.
The concept has regained operational relevance during the Iran conflict. Sri Lanka denied a US request to base combat aircraft at Mattala Rajapaksa airport while simultaneously refusing Iran naval access, a textbook non-aligned refusal to facilitate either belligerent . Separately, India, Pakistan, Malaysia, and China entered bilateral transit negotiations with Tehran, splitting global shipping into aligned and non-aligned tiers .
The tension non-alignment embodies is whether principled neutrality survives when major powers demand binary loyalty. The Strait of Hormuz toll system penalises states that refuse to pay Tehran for passage, while US secondary sanctions threaten states that do. Countries invoking the doctrine face not an ideological choice but a practical squeeze: economic coercion from both sides simultaneously.
