Bandung Conference, the first meeting of the newly independent states of Africa and Asia was a clarion call for the independence of the subjugated people. Marking the germination of the ideas of South-South Cooperation, this Conference was a collective effort by the Afro­ Asian nations to assert their presence on the world stage.

The Conference was a path-breaking meeting, convened upon the invitation of the Prime Ministers of Bunna (now Myanmar), Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), India, Indonesia and Pakistan, and was attended by 24 other countries of Africa and Asia. Held in Bandung, Central Java, Indonesia in April 18-24, 1955, this Conference brought together some of the towering personalities of that time who envisaged a global order based on equality among nations, territorial integrity, sovereignty and development for all. The leaders were concerned not only with the great issues of the day - freedom, economic and political, fundamental human rights etc. but were gifted with a vision for the combined future of entire community. Emerging from the yoke of colonialism and the ravages of the Second World War into a world divided between conflicting ideologies, the leaders gathered at Bandung steadfastedly refused to join any pre existing and dominant alignments.

The neo independent countries participating in this meeting firmly believed that another world order was not only conceivable but also possible. Envisaging an independent frame of moral power as a counterweight to the bipolar world, the leaders wished to work together to see the new world order emerge.

Bandung initiated the process of the nations of the South coming together, to renew their ancient links - economic, cultural, political and social- that had been severed under colonialism, and to cooperate through exchange of experts & know-how, through establishment of national and regional technical institutions, promotion of joint-ventures, collective actions to safe-guard the interests etc. The Conference was the harbinger of many economic ideas such as diversification of export baskets, value addition to exports, intra-regional economic and commercial links and exchange of commercial information.

The Department of Posts is happy to issue a commemorative postage stamp on Bandung Conference, 1955.

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