ONE of the major developments in the post-pandemic world is the emergence of multilateralism and the United States’ attempts at reinvigorating the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). This has not only put Ukraine in a difficult position, but also affected the global supply chains. The NATO summit at Vilnius is doing little to reimagining the concept of NATO. Rather, the developments of the recent past suggest that the summit is reinforcing the global perception that NATO is nothing but an extended arm of the US’ defence-industrial complex. Formed in 1949, NATO is the largest peacetime military alliance in the world, led by the US and comprising several Western powers. While giving military aid, the US also started using NATO to serve its diplomatic goals. Gradually, NATO became an organisation fighting to contain the expansion of Communism. During the Cold War between the US and the Soviet Union, NATO added to the strength of the US. However, since then, a lot has changed. Several important developments in the world ranging from nature of conflicts to economic rise to globalisation to the beginning of the process of reshaping of the World Order, have taken place.

 

This has led to rise of new powers that are pursuing the path of multilateralism, multi-alignment, and even strategic autonomy. The after-effects of COVID-19 on the world economy hit the so-called developed nations very hard and stable powers like India have started ascendance on the world scene. China also emerged as stronger than Russia of today, and became the Number Two economy after the US. Probably, all these factors left the US thinkers feel the need for reinvigorating the Cold War relic called NATO. However, their attempt at roping in Ukraine met with a strong resistance from Russia. What has unfolded is for the world to see. Given the US’ past record, it came as no surprise when NATO summit at Vilnius did not announce any timetable for Ukraine to join NATO. This, obviously, peeved Ukrainian President Mr Volodymyr Zelenskyy who termed the absence of timetable as ‘absurd’. For, he has put a lot at stake. Meanwhile, the US appears to be pursuing the same old goal of expanding NATO influence around Russia as is seen from the outreach of NATO in the recent past. China has been added to the NATO agenda. To counter China, the US has been reaching out to India. In fact, NATO offered India to join NATO-Plus category. Thanks to the mature diplomacy of India, and policy of multilateralism and strategic autonomy, India did not fall for the offer. Had India joined NATO-Plus, it would have seriously impacted her old defence ties with Russia.

 

She would have found herself fighting the US’ war against China. India has done well by staying away and keeping the option of multi-alignment open for her. In the past some years, many NATO members are weary of fighting the US’ war through the military alliance. May it be Bosnia, Herzegovina, or Afghanistan, NATO actions have helped the US more than anyone else in the alliance. The US’ style of setting its priorities as those of NATO have left member-countries unhappy. The UK had expressed openly that the signing of Doha Agreement after which Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan, had served priorities of the US administration of the time more than anything else. Against this backdrop, the US needs to acknowledge the changed realities of the world before reinvigorating NATO to serve only its strategic goals. Rather, it needs to use its clout with more vigour for making the United Nations Security Council more inclusive with inclusion of countries like India. For, the changed realities demand more co-operative alliances than military groupings.