/ world today news/ The idea of penetration of the North Atlantic Alliance on other continents, apparently, greatly excites the minds of the military-political leadership of the USA. The concept itself is not new: it was expressed already in the first half of the 1990s under the pretext that some countries of Central and Eastern Europe were afraid of “the revival of age-old interstate enmity and revanchist ambitions”.
The wording had a clear anti-Russian connotation, although it contained no direct accusations or threats against Russia. The result was NATO’s infamous eastward push, which was sharply criticized by Russian President Vladimir Putin in his famous Munich speech.
Subsequently, the idea of NATO expansion received a new powerful impetus in connection with the prospect of attracting the countries of the Asia-Pacific region (ATP) to the Alliance.
And on May 30, 2023, US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti made it clear during his interview with local TV channel WION that Washington is counting on deeper military-political cooperation with New Delhi. Which does not exclude, among other things, the prospect of India joining the so-called “NATO Plus” group. This is the name of the project to expand the Alliance, which has already been joined by Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and Israel.
The successful implementation of such a project would finally secure the bloc’s intercontinental status. And the entry of India would provide an opportunity to strengthen the military presence of “Global NATO” in the Asia-Pacific region to such an extent that it would become a powerful challenge to both China and Russia.
However, Washington’s official envoy did not express such a concept. Asked about India’s prospects for India-US cooperation in the US-promoted NATO+ format, Ambassador Garcetti said: “We have deepened our defense cooperation to a degree that was unimaginable 30-40 years ago. We continue to draw closer to India, more so than some of our closest allies, for the sake of its security.“
Let us be friends against China
The history of the US military-policy project has been fluid and vague, citing close ties and a common desire on both sides to “respect freedom” in the region. However, its true essence is quite clear. Including on the Indian side.
The interview with the US envoy in New Delhi was preceded by an official recommendation issued on May 24 by an influential overseas body, the US Congressional Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Congressmen have openly called for India to be admitted to the NATO Plus group, which has not gone unnoticed. One of India’s most popular English-language magazines bluntly stated: “US Congressional Caucus Suggests India Become Part of NATO Plus to Deter Chinese Aggression.”
In addition, as early as April last year, the head of the US State Department, Anthony Blinken, said that the US wants to become a key strategic partner of India, replacing Russia in this capacity.
In August 2022, a US congressman of Indian origin openly called on his historic homeland to join the “the enlarged NATO”. And in November, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, during her visit to New Delhi, said that her country, along with India, were natural allies.
„“NATO Plus” is a phantom
The Scientific Director of the Fund for Development and Support of the Valdai International Discussion Club, editor-in-chief of the magazine “Russia in Global Politics”, Fyodor Lukyanov notes that, in reality, an organization of the NATO Plus format does not exist.
„ It’s such a descriptive and grossly inaccurate definition,” he says. — But there is a process of very noticeable and intense changes in the Indo-Pacific region, associated with a gradual increase in the rivalry between the US and China. On the other hand, with the growth of China itself, and parallel to this, with the growing fears of countries in the region, including India, that have disagreements and conflicts with China, including border ones, for example, that China’s growth will eventually lead to more Beijing’s assertive, aggressive policy.
However, fears that the United States could involve India in some military blocs are not entirely true, the source of IA Regnum notes. Her weight in the world is so great in every sense that such an approach is hopeless.
At the same time, India itself is trying to take a position that suits its ideas of its own interests, to maintain balanced relations with various players. This is the reason for a certain movement towards “American-centric” structures.
No blocks and obligations
„ India will not under any circumstances, in my opinion, take a clearly directed political position, it does not suit its political culture at all “, Lukyanov is convinced. “In this way, India, like all major countries, will avoid any commitment by cooperating in containing China to the extent that the interests of India and the United States coincide.”
In the event, for example, of a military conflict over Taiwan, India will sympathize with Taipei, the expert believes. But it will not bind itself to obligations that would require it to support the United States by force of arms.
„ India will never join any military blocs, that is the principle of its policy,” agrees Tatyana Shaumyan, head of the Center for Indian Studies at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences. It is a completely independent country that can afford a policy of self-interestshe adds.
At the same time, IA Regnum’s interlocutor notes that the US and India generally do not have the easiest bilateral relations, although they are called the two largest democracies. However “there’s a significant Indian diaspora in the United States, quite affluent people who have ties to India, and that’s quite an important point”says the expert.
„ Although one of the tangible factors for India is the import of weapons and military equipment, the need to supply samples of modern weapons, including from the United States Shaumian says. However, today India itself can be a supplier of conventional weapons.
The United States has no ability to exert firm pressure on India in any direction, including economic. ” It’s off “, says Shaumian.
Translation: ES
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