NATO (the North Atlantic Treaty Organization) and NATO PLUS

 

                                                                       image- mapsofworld.com

NATO, officially known as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, is an intergovernmental military alliance.

•  31 member states – 29 European countries and two North American countries. 
•  Established in the aftermath of World War II, NATO implemented the North Atlantic Treaty.
•  signed in Washington, D.C., on 4 April 1949.

 NATO is a collective security system:  its independent member states agree to defend each other against attacks by third parties. During the Cold War, NATO operated as a check on the threat posed by the Soviet Union. The alliance remained in place after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact and has been involved in military operations in the Balkans, the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa. The organization’s motto is “animus in consul Endo liber” (Latin for ‘a mind unfettered in deliberation’).

 NATO’s main headquarters are located in Brussels, Belgium, while NATO’s military headquarters are near Mons, Belgium. The combined militaries of all NATO members include around 3.5 million soldiers and personnel. Their combined military spending as of 2022 constituted around 55 percent of the global nominal total. Moreover, members have agreed to reach or maintain the target defense spending of at least two percent of their GDP by 2024.

NATO formed with twelve founding members and has added new members nine times, most recently when Finland joined the alliance on 4 April 2023, exactly 74 years after NATO’s formation. Following the acceptance of its application for membership in June 2022, and the approval of all 31 member states, concluding with Hungary in February 2024, Sweden will be the 32nd member state to accede to the alliance. In addition, NATO currently recognizes Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, and Ukraine as aspiring members.

ARTICLE 5 OF NATO

Article 5 is the cornerstone of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and states that an attack on one member of NATO is an attack on all of its members.

Despite its importance, NATO has only invoked Article 5 once in its history—in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 20011. This article is complemented by Article 6, which stipulates:

"For the purpose of Article 5, an armed attack on one or more of the Parties is deemed to include an armed attack: 2 The principle of providing assistance With the invocation of Article 5, Allies can provide any form of assistance they deem necessary to respond to a situation."

ARTICLE 3 OF NATO

• Article 3 states:

  “In order more effectively to achieve the objectives of this Treaty, the Parties, separately and jointly, by means of continuous and effective self-help and mutual aid, will maintain and develop their individual and collective capacity to resist armed attack.”    

   NATO Plus   is a significant initiative that strengthens the strategic and defence partnership between India and the United States. Let’s explore the key aspects of this collaboration:

  1. Objective:

     • NATO Plus aims to deepen the partnership between the U.S. and Indian defence innovation sectors.
     • It focuses on advancing high-tech cooperation and fostering joint research, development, and production opportunities in the defense sector.

  2. Launch and Co-Organizers:

     • NATO Plus was launched at an event in Washington DC, USA on 21 June 2023.
     • The event was co-organized by:
       • Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX), Ministry of Defence (India).
       • U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).
       • Hosted by the U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC).

  3. Key Participants and Remarks:

     • Shri Anurag Bajpai, Joint Secretary (Defence Industries Promotion), MoD, led the Indian delegation during the two-day NATO Plus event.
     • Mr. Frank Kendall, U.S. Secretary of the Air Force, emphasized the enormous potential for startups from both nations to collaborate in deeptech innovations, especially in the Space and Artificial Intelligence (AI) domains.
     • The event witnessed a joint showcasing of innovative technologies by Indian and U.S. start-ups across multiple domains.

  4. Areas of Focus:

     • Maritime, AI, autonomous systems, and space were among the domains showcased by start-ups.
     • Panel discussions and roundtables explored deepening collaborations across government, academia, and industry, with a focus on startups.

  In summary, NATO Plus represents a significant step toward enhancing defense innovation partnerships and cooperation between India and the United States.