The US established the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) on April 4, 1949, after the Second World War. NATO is basically a collective security system, as its independent member-states agreed to defend each other against attacks by third parties. This Intergovernmental Military Alliance has a total of 31 member-states, including 29 from Europe and two from North America. The US recently invited India to join the Alliance!

Although India has been maintaining cordial ties with the US since the 1990s, New Delhi is yet to decide whether to accept the invitation. Usually, India maintains balanced ties with powerful nations in world politics. New Delhi is well aware of the fact that joining the North Atlantic Alliance might irk other countries, especially Russia, Iran and some West Asian nations.

Since its Independence (in 1947), India has maintained friendly ties with erstwhile Soviet Union. New Delhi refused to criticise Moscow even after the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Hence, there is a fair amount of doubt whether India will become the 32nd member-country of NATO. In fact, the Narendra Modi Government in New Delhi is in a state of dilemma. If India does not respond to the US’ call, then it might have a negative impact on the Indo-US relationship. Again, a NATO membership will be problematic for India in view of its relationship with Russia.

A group of experts in International Relations believe that the US has invited India to join NATO with a different game-plan. The history of NATO suggests a conspiracy. In the past, tiny nations, like Lithuania, Estonia and Azerbaijan, fell into such a trap by joining the US-led Alliance. Many believe that developed countries, like South Korea, are also the victims of NATO’s conspiracy; although Seoul is yet to join the Alliance. The US has put these countries under indirect pressure to join NATO. At the same time, Washington DC is trying to influence them with an anti-Russia attitude. This policy has prompted several countries to join NATO.

The US has made a serious effort to include India in NATO in recent times. Apart from encouraging New Delhi to sign the treaty, NATO member-states have stood by India in various situations. France, a NATO member, offered to send troops to India during the border standoff between India and China in 2020.

A number of experts are of the opinion that although the main aim of NATO is to ensure global security and to maintain peace, there is also a hidden purpose of the Alliance. The US wants to include small nations in this organisation in an attempt to control them. It seems that Washington DC is trying to do the same with India, this time. Ukraine is the latest victim of the US’ NATO diplomacy. NATO has been building close ties with this former Soviet Republic for a long time. However, Kiev did not receive the expected support or help from NATO after Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

The question arises here: Does India need NATO? Here, the issue of India’s national security comes first. As long as the South Asian nation is secure and is able to defend itself from external enemies, New Delhi does not need to become a member of NATO. India has no enmity with any country, other than Pakistan and China, which could lead to a war-like situation. Of course, NATO membership will prompt Pakistan or China to think twice before attacking India. NATO membership shall also allow India to receive the most advanced weapons from other members of the Alliance. In that case, the security system of the country could take a positive turn.

India should take a very cautious step after considering all the pros and cons of joining NATO. A slight miscalculation shall be a disaster for the country. Now, India’s main challenge is to maintain its so-called neutral image in Global Geopolitics.

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Published by Koushik Das

Koushik Das (born on May 16, 1976 in Kolkata) is a career journalist. Based in the Indian capital of New Delhi, Koushik writes mainly about foreign policies and current geopolitical issues, and rarely about other topics. His own political ideas are highly influenced by Antonio Gramsci, Louis Althusser, Michel Foucault, Michael Oakeshott and others. English philosopher and political theorist Oakeshott (Dec 11, 1901-Dec 19, 1990) says that “in political activity, men sail a boundless and bottomless sea. There is neither harbour for shelter nor floor for anchorage, neither starting-place, nor appointed destination. But we have to keep afloat”. (Rationalism in Politics, 1962) As a student of Political Science, Koushik loves to share his views on issues, which have great impacts on his thought process (and also on India, South Asia and of course on the global community), with his readers through his website – Boundless Ocean of Politics. By doing so, he tries to keep himself afloat. You will find some of his articles in https://inserbia.info/today/ (https://inserbia.info/today/author/kou_das13_i/), as he has been trying to assess the global geopolitics since 2003. You can also mail him at kousdas@gmail.com View all posts by Koushik Das