In a significant development ahead of PM Modi’s visit to the United States, a powerful Congressional Committee has recommended strengthening NATO Plus by including India. The suggestion of including India in the five-member grouping has been made by the committee to win the “strategic competition with the Chinese Communist Party”.
Presently, NATO Plus 5 is a security arrangement that works towards boosting global defence cooperation and comprises NATO and five aligned countries, viz. Australia, Japan, Israel, New Zealand and South Korea. India getting included in NATO Plus would mean facilitation of seamless intelligence sharing between these nations and India and access to latest military technology with minimal time lag.
At a meeting on MMay 24th, the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition between the US and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), led by Chairman Mike Gallagher and Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi, had made the resounding decision. The committee rolled out a policy proposal that aims to bolster Taiwan’s deterrence capabilities, primarily by reinforcing NATO Plus with the inclusion of India.
“Winning the strategic competition with the Chinese Communist Party and ensuring the security of Taiwan demands the United States strengthen ties to our allies and security partners, including India. Including India in NATO Plus security arrangements would build upon the US and India’s close partnership to strengthen global security and deter the aggression of the CCP across the Indo-Pacific region,” suggested the Select Committee.
The select committee is an initiative of the Republican leadership and is called the China Committee popularly. The committee recommendations said that imposition of economic sanctions on China in case of an attack on Taiwan will be prove to be most effective when key allies like G7, NATO, NATO 5, and Quad members join, and negotiating a joint response.
The committee also stressed on the need to pass legislation that are able to counter the economic coercion tactics employed by CCP. This includes providing tools and support to foreign partners who are targeted by the PRC’s economic coercion. Congress should also support initiatives aimed at reducing the taxation burden on cross-border investment between the US and Taiwan, suggested the committee.
“Much like we do joint contingency planning for war fighting, we need to coordinate in peacetime with US allies. To that end, Congress should pass legislation similar to the STAND with Taiwan Act of 2023 that mandates the development of an economic sanctions package to be employed in the event of a PRC attack on Taiwan,” said the committee proposal.
According to the committee, the United States, in order to “win the strategic competition with the CCP and ensure the security of Taiwan”, must focus on strengthening ties to with allies and security partners, including India. “Including India in NATO Plus security arrangements would build upon the US and India’s close partnership to strengthen global security and deter the aggression of the CCP across the Indo-Pacific region,” the Select Committee said in its recommendations.
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