Vice-President Hamid Ansari may lead India at NAM Summit in Venezuela

NEW DELHI: The Modi government is likely to depute Vice-President Hamid Ansari to lead India at the 17th Non-Aligned Movement ( NAM) Summit in Venezuela from September 13-18, after the PM decided to skip the event.

While Modi will be the second prime minister, after Charan Singh, to skip the NAM Summit since its inception in 1961, the government is keen to send VP — constitutionally second most important post —to thwart any criticism of India downgrading importance of NAM, a grouping that Delhi co-founded.

“By deputing VP, the Modi government wants to give a signal that it is not downgrading the importance of the NAM,” a person familiar with the developments claimed.

A formal announcement on Ansari’s trip to Porlamar at Margarita Island in Venezuela is expected in near future, official sources hinted to ET. While Venezuela was keen to host the Indian PM, Caracas is now preparing for possible trip by Ansari. Ansari’s presence will enable India to engage with a host of countries at one platform. NAM comprises 120 members and 15 member states.

The organization was founded in Belgrade in 1961, and was largely conceived by India’s first prime minister, JN Nehru; Indonesia’s first president, Sukarno; Egypt’s president, Nasser; Ghana’s first presid e n t Kw a m e Nkrumah; and Yugoslavia’s president, Josip Broz Tito. India has only once organised the NAM Summit – 1983. The last and the 16th edition of the NAM summit was held in Tehran in 2012 and was attended by PM Manmohan Singh.