- Research Paper 73: “NATO – India: Prospects of a Partnership”, by Robert Helbig.
A core task for the Atlantic Alliance consists in further developing its partnerships. One of the potential partners is India, as the largest democracy in the world – arguably an imperfect one, but certainly more democratic than some other countries NATO is partnering with.
The latest Research Paper from the NATO Defense College analyzes the relations between NATO and India. The two parties share a number of security challenges, ranging from terrorism and piracy to instability in Afghanistan. This is why India seems to be a natural partner for NATO in a region which is of crucial interest to the Alliance. At the same time, India harbours traditional concerns vis-à-vis security alliances in general and NATO in particular.
The paper argues that in order to build a partnership with India, NATO needs to understand Indian foreign policy principles. In turn, India has to make an effort to understand the basics of the Alliance and its intentions to build a closer relationship. Cooperation between NATO and India could take place in specific fields such as counter-terrorism, as well as maritime and cyber security. Only if both sides communicate openly and effectively what they can offer for their mutual benefit can a fruitful partnership work.
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