China Select Committee of US House Recommends Making India Part of NATO Plus

In a significant development ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States, a powerful Congressional committee has recommended strengthening NATO Plus by including India. NATO Plus, currently NATO Plus 5, is a security arrangement that brings together NATO and five alliance countries – Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Israel and South Korea – to promote global defense cooperation.

Bringing India on board will facilitate seamless intelligence sharing between these countries and India will be able to access the latest military technology in no time. The House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), led by Chairman Mike Gallagher and Ranking Member Raja Krishnamurthy, has discussed Taiwan’s deterrence capabilities, including strengthening NATO plus to include India. A widely adopted policy proposal to enhance ,

“Winning strategic competition with the Chinese Communist Party and ensuring Taiwan’s security demands the United States strengthen ties with our allies and security partners, including India. India’s inclusion in the NATO Plus security arrangement will enhance the US and India’s closer partnership to strengthen global security and deter CCP aggression in the Indo-Pacific region,” the select committee recommended.

An initiative of the Republican leadership, the Select Committee is popularly referred to as the China Committee. Indian-American Ramesh Kapoor, who has been working on the proposal for the past six years, said it was a significant development. He hoped that the recommendation would find place in the National Defense Authorization Act 2024 and eventually become the law of the country.

In its set of recommendations, the China Committee stated that economic sanctions against China in the case of an attack on Taiwan would be most effective if major allies such as the G7, NATO, NATO+5, and Quad members are involved, and negotiate a joint response And broadcasting this message publicly has the added benefit of boosting immunity.

“Just as we create joint contingency plans to fight war, we need to coordinate with U.S. allies in peacetime. To that end, Congress should pass legislation similar to the Stand with Taiwan Act of 2023. mandates the development of an economic sanctions package to be employed in the event of an attack by the PRC.”

It should also pass legislation to counter the CCP’s economic pressure, including providing tools to support foreign partners targeted by the PRC’s economic pressure. The other aspect of economic resistance is the economic engagement with Taiwan.

Accordingly, Congress should support efforts to reduce the taxation burden on US-Taiwan cross-border investments, with a special focus on developing common standards and regulations to counter the CCP’s unfair economic policies.

“The United States should strengthen the NATO Plus arrangement to include India. The United States should also strengthen diplomatic deterrence by supporting Taiwan’s participation in international organizations and amending the TAIPEI Act so that the United States, along with its allies and partners, will not allow any deliberate attempts by the CCP to resolve Taiwan’s sovereignty situation. Publicly oppose any attempt. misuse, misrepresent, and mislead others on the underlying purpose of UN Resolution 2758 or the One China policy of the United States,” it said.

Prime Minister Modi will make an official state visit to the US next month.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI,