NATO plus five Status Explained - Current Affairs

 

1. What is the concept of 'NATO plus five'?

• 'NATO plus five' is a security arrangement that involves NATO and five aligned nations, namely Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Israel, and South Korea. It aims to enhance defense cooperation and intelligence sharing between these countries.

2. What are the benefits for India in being included in NATO plus five?

• By being included in NATO plus five, India would have access to seamless intelligence sharing with the member countries.
• India would gain access to advanced military technology without significant delays.
• It would strengthen global security and help deter aggression from China in the Indo-Pacific region, building upon the close partnership between the US and India.

3. What are the concerns associated with India joining NATO plus five?

• Joining the US-led NATO alliance could negatively impact India's relations with Russia, which has historically been a close defense partner.
• It goes against the principles of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), which emphasizes neutrality and avoiding alignment with any power bloc.

4. What is India's stance on joining NATO plus five?

• India has refused to join NATO plus five, stating that it is not in India's favor to join the Western alliance.

5. What is NATO, and when was it established?

• NATO, also known as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, is an intergovernmental military alliance.
• It was established in 1949 with the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty in Washington, D.C., by 12 countries from Europe and North America.

6. What is the principle of collective defense in NATO?

• According to Article 5 of NATO, an attack on any member country is considered an attack on all member countries. This principle promotes collective defense among NATO members.

7. How many member states are currently part of NATO?

• NATO comprises 31 member states, including two North American countries (USA and Canada), 28 European countries, and one Eurasian country (Turkey). Finland became the 31st member in 2023.

8. What are the criteria for NATO membership?

• Under NATO's "open door policy" based on Article 10, membership is currently open to European nations.
• Prospective member countries must fulfill certain criteria, including having a functioning democracy based on a market economy, fair treatment of minorities, a commitment to peaceful conflict resolution, and making military contributions to NATO operations.
• New members are admitted with the unanimous consent of all existing NATO members.