50 Years  ago, on this day, our  country, then not  yet  fully independent,  took  its first  big  step in foreign policy. It joined the United Nations as one of its founder members. Through turbulent times and  difficult  years, the United  Nations has been a major factor in  maintaining peace and in changing the world, slowly and often imperceptibly, into a visibly different place.

India became  independent  within two  years of  the setting up of the United Nations. The  two  grew together, giving strength and inspiration to each other in a symbolic relationship. Each was the product of a long  struggle, one  of the embers of a violent world war and the other of the sacrifices of a non-violent freedom movement.

The UN was founded on the age old dream of one world, envisioned for centuries by enlightened humanbeings. India's foreign  policy has been deeply  influenced by the universal outlook of the stalwarts who led us to freedom. India and the United Nations worked in tandem; their policies in harmony and their goals common.

India-championed decolonisation, opposed racialism, spoke up for the sovereignty and equality of the newly independent countries and articulated the aspirations of their people for economic development.  India stood for peace and disarmament. It stood for democracy and  human rights. In the United Nations, India stood tall, independent and non-aligned.

Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru explained this relationship very effectively in his speech to the Constituent  Assembly  in January, 1947, 'The only possible real objective that we, in common with other nations, can have is the objective of cooperating  in  building up some kind of world structure, call it One World, call it what you  like. The  beginnings of this world structure have been laid in  the United Nations Organisation. It is still feeble; it  has many defects; nevertheless, it is the  beginning of the world structure. And India has pledged herself to co-operate in its work'.

This solemn pledge has been honoured with full dedication in word and indeed. India has been an active participant in the UN Peace-Keeping Operations. This participation, for which India is uniquely qualified as a peace-­loving nation, has contributed to international stability and security.

Eradicating poverty, providing employment and creating a just, fair and equitable international economic order are prime concerns of the international community.  As a developing country, devoted to social uplift, India was happy to add its effort to the United Nations and  the international community focussing its  energies on these crucial issues during the World Summit for Social  Development.

India has been playing an active role in the UN's activities to promote global co-operation to prevent environmental degradation and promote sustainable growth.

India welcomed the decision of the United Nations General Assembly to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the UN in an appropriate manner, in furtherance of the theme "we the peoples of the United Nations, .......... united for a better world' and a high-powered National Commit­tee was established to oversee the commemorative activities planned in India.

The Dept. of Post is privileged to issue a set of two commemorative postage stamps on the occasion.

Source : Information Folder issued by Indian Posts & Telegraph Department, Government of India