NATO – NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANISATION
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is a military alliance established by the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) in April 1949 by the United States, Canada, and several Western European nations to provide collective security against the Soviet Union.
Recent development: India is now on a par with America’s NATO allies Japan, Australia, and South Korea following the passage of a bill by the US Senate in a key move to increase defense partnership, including advanced technology transfer.
Objectives of NATO:
- Security: NATO’s essential and enduring purpose is to safeguard the freedom and security of all its members by political and military means.
- Political objectives: NATO promotes democratic values and enables members to consult and cooperate on defense and security-related issues to solve problems, build trust, and, in the long run, prevent conflict.
- Military Objectives: NATO is committed to the peaceful resolution of disputes. If diplomatic efforts fail, it has the military power to undertake crisis-management operations.
NATO – Ally-like status: What?
- Strategic ally: “Major non-NATO ally” is a designation given to close allies that have strategic working relationships with the US Armed Forces but are not members of NATO.
- Defence Advantages: This status confers a variety of military and financial advantages without a formal defense pact, which are not available to non-NATO countries.
- Global partners: This designation will put India on par with America’s NATO allies and countries like Israel and South Korea.
Significance of this to India
- Increased US-India defense cooperation: The National Defense Authorization Act provides for increased US-India defense cooperation in the Indian Ocean region.
- Defence Technologies: Allows India to buy more advanced and sensitive technologies from the US on par with its closest allies and partners.
- Special Treatment: Paves the way for priority delivery of military surplus and advanced technology transfer.
- India’s status: Elevates India’s role in defense deals and increases its standing in the international arena.
- R&D: Makes India eligible for entry into cooperative research and development projects with the US Department of Defense (DoD) on a shared-cost basis.
- Other benefits: Includes participation in certain counter-terrorism initiatives and access to depleted uranium anti-tank rounds.
Arguments in Favor of NATO alliance for India
- Productive development: Engagement with NATO could facilitate productive developments against changing geopolitical dynamics, the evolving nature of military conflict, emerging military technologies, and new military doctrines.
- International support: NATO members can support the strengthening of India’s national capabilities on a bilateral front.
- Non-relevance of non-alignment: The concept of non-alignment has diminished relevance after the Cold War.
- For example: After the Cold War, NATO built partnerships with many neutral and non-aligned states.
- Already established partnership: Most NATO members are already well-established partners of India.
- For example: India has military exchanges with several NATO members, including the US, Britain, and France.
- Indo-Pacific role: For NATO and European members to play any role in the Indo-Pacific, they need partners like India, Australia, and Japan.
- Russia support on Indo-Pacific: If India wants to bring Russia into discussions on the Indo-Pacific, engaging with NATO is significant because NATO has regular consultations with both Russia and China.
- On par with Russia-China: Russia and China have intensive bilateral engagement with Europe, and India cannot afford to miss out.
- Will keep Pakistan under control: With the influence of NATO, Pakistan’s terror activities could be kept in check.
Arguments against India joining the NATO Alliance
- Strategic Autonomy: India’s concern that joining NATO would upset its relationship with Russia is significant. Engagement with the Quad and closer ties with the US have already strained India-Russia relations. The deepening China-Russia alliance calls for India to maintain its strategic autonomy.
- Unnecessary geopolitics: NATO’s collaborative decisions could draw India into unnecessary conflicts.
- Use India as a front: NATO members might use India as a front against Russia and China.
- Stain India-China relations: Joining NATO could further strain the already tense India-China relationship.
- Harm to India’s image as a regional leader: By joining NATO, India risks losing its independent identity, which could damage its image as a regional leader.
- Extra monetary burden: Membership would require India to make financial contributions.
Recent development
- Finland seeks membership: After previous reluctance, Finland is now actively pursuing NATO membership, marking a monumental shift for a nation with a long history of wartime neutrality and non-alignment.
- Russia’s warning: Russia has warned Finland and Sweden against joining NATO, arguing that this move could destabilize Europe.
Finland Case
- Initially sought balance: Finland has historically stayed out of alliances to maintain cordial relations with neighboring Russia, with non-alignment seen as essential for survival.
- Change of perception: The invasion of Ukraine shifted public opinion, with strong support emerging for NATO membership to bolster Finland’s security and defense.
- Practical concerns: Finland shares an 810-mile (1,300 km) border with Russia, gained independence in 1917 after more than a century under Moscow’s rule, and fought Soviet forces during WWII, losing about 10% of its territory.
- Historical context: Events in Ukraine bring back memories for Finns of the Soviet invasion of Finland in late 1939, which resulted in Finland losing 10% of its territory after fierce resistance.
Sweden Case
- Waiting for Finland’s decision: Sweden is likely to apply for membership after Finland’s final decision. If Finland joins, Sweden will be the only Nordic country outside NATO.
- Ideological barrier: Unlike Finland, Sweden’s policy stance on NATO has been based on ideological reasons rather than survival.
Challenges faced by NATO
- Lack of coherence: For example, France prioritizes the fight against terrorism in northeast Syria, while the US under Trump sought to reduce its presence in the Middle East.
- US withdrawal from Afghanistan: This decision has caused concern among other NATO partners.
- Finances to NATO: The US is the largest contributor to NATO, and the US President has criticized other members for not contributing enough to NATO.
- No convergence on decision making: There is no convergence in decision-making on issues related to Russia, the Middle East, and China.
- USA’s unilateralism: With the “America First” policy, the U.S.’s commitment to NATO is changing.
- Increasing conflicts: Conflicts among NATO members have grown, such as between Greece and Turkey.
- Rising China: China poses a continuous threat to NATO with its expansion in the Indian Ocean region.
- Threatening efficiency: NATO’s recent operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya have faced challenges.
- Ukraine Crisis: NATO faces a potential threat from a Russian invasion of Ukraine, threatening NATO’s strategic presence in Eastern Europe along Russia’s borders.
Conclusion
NATO must reorient its priorities and actively engage with countries like India that can support its mandate for a peaceful global order. NATO should also counter the China-Russia nexus, which challenges the current global status quo.