On 3 November 1948, Jawaharlal Nehru became the first Prime Minister of independent India to address the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), meeting in Paris. In his address he acknowledged the weight of the Assembly representing the “world community,” saying the lofty charter of the UN laid down the guiding principles of peace, equality and cooperation.
Nehru drew attention to Asia’s emerging role and stressed that the UN must not limit itself to grand political statements but should focus on economic and social problems - improving living standards, ending ignorance and disease. His speech underscored India’s vision: independent, non-aligned, seeking neither dominance nor subservience, and promoting collective security and shared prosperity.

By taking this global platform, India asserted its place on the world stage and pledged to the ideals of the UN charter. The address remains a landmark in India’s foreign policy - the moment when the newly sovereign nation expressed its ambition to contribute to a fairer global order.