The Group of Seven (G7)

The Group of Seven (G7) is an intergovernmental political and economic forum consisting of
Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States;
additionally, the European Union (EU) is a "non-enumerated member". It is organized
around shared values of pluralism, liberal democracy, and representative government. G7
members are the major IMF advanced economies.

Originating from an ad hoc gathering of finance ministers in 1973, the G7 has since become a
formal, high-profile venue for discussing and coordinating solutions to major global issues,
especially in the areas of trade, security, economics, and climate change. Each member's head
of government or state, along with the EU's Commission President and European Council
President, meet annually at the G7 Summit; other high-ranking officials of the G7 and the EU
meet throughout the year. Representatives of other states and international organizations are
often invited as guests, with Russia having been a formal member (as part of the G8) from 1997
until its expulsion in 2014.

The G7 is not based on a treaty and has no permanent secretariat or office. It is organized
through a presidency that rotates annually among the member states, with the presiding state
setting the group's priorities and hosting the summit; Italy presides for 2024. While lacking a
legal or institutional basis, the G7 is widely considered to wield significant international
influence; it has catalyzed or spearheaded several major global initiatives, including efforts to
combat the HIV/AIDS pandemic, provide financial aid to developing countries, and address
climate change through the 2015 Paris Agreement. However, the group has been criticized by
observers for its allegedly outdated and limited membership, narrow global representation, and
ineffectualness.

Activities and initiatives

The G7 was founded primarily to facilitate shared macroeconomic initiatives in response to
contemporary economic problems; the first gathering was centered around the Nixon shock,
the 1970s energy crisis, and the ensuing global recession. Since 1975, the group has met
annually at summits organized and hosted by whichever country occupies the annually-rotating
presidency; since 1987, the G7 Finance Ministers have met at least semi-annually, and up to
four times a year at stand-alone meetings.

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Beginning in the 1980s, the G7 broadened its areas of concern to include issues of international
security, human rights, and global security; for example, during this period, the G7 concerned
itself with the ongoing Iran-Iraq War and Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. In the 1990s, it
launched a debt-relief program for the 42 heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC); provided
$300 million to help build the Shelter Structure over the damaged reactor at Chernobyl; and
established the Financial Stability Forum to help in "managing the international monetary
system"

At the turn of the 21st century, the G7 began emphasizing engagement with the developing
world. At the 1999 summit, the group helped launch the G20, a similar forum made up of the
G7 and the next 13 largest economies (including the European Union), in order to "promote
dialogue between major industrial and emerging market countries"; the G20 has been touted
by some of its members as a replacement for the G7. Having previously announced a plan to
cancel 90% of bilateral debt for the HIPC, totaling $100 billion, in 2005 the G7 announced
debt reductions of "up to 100%" to be negotiated on a "case by case" basis.

Following the global financial crisis of 2007–2008, which was the worst of its kind since the
1970s, the G7 met twice in Washington, D.C. in 2008 and in Rome, the following February.
News media reported that much of the world was looking to the group for leadership and
solutions. G7 finance ministers pledged to take "all necessary steps" to stem the crisis, devising
an "aggressive action plan" that included providing publicly funded capital infusions to banks
in danger of failing. Some analysts criticized the group for seemingly advocating that
individual governments develop individual responses to the recession, rather than cohere
around a united effort.

In subsequent years, the G7 has faced several geopolitical challenges that have led some
international analysts to question its credibility, or propose its replacement by the G20. On 2
March 2014, the G7 condemned the Russian Federation for its "violation of the sovereignty
and territorial integrity of Ukraine" through its military intervention. The group also announced
its commitment to "mobilize rapid technical assistance to support Ukraine in addressing its
macroeconomic, regulatory and anti-corruption challenges", while adding that the International
Monetary Fund (IMF) was best suited to stabilizing the country's finances and economy.

In response to Russia's subsequent annexation of Crimea, on 24 March the G7 convened an

emergency meeting at the official residence of the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, the
Catshuis in The Hague; this location was chosen because all G7 leaders were already present

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to attend the 2014 Nuclear Security Summit hosted by the Netherlands. This was the first G7
meeting neither taking place in a member state nor having the host leader participating in the
meeting. The upcoming G8 summit in Sochi, Russia was moved to Brussels, where the EU was
the host. On 5 June 2014 the G7 condemned Moscow for its "continuing violation" of Ukraine's
sovereignty and stated they were prepared to impose further sanctions on Russia. This meeting
was the first since Russia was suspended from the G8, and subsequently it has not been
involved in any G7 summit.

The G7 has continued to take a strong stance against Russia's "destabilising behaviour and
malign activities" in Ukraine and elsewhere around the world, following the joint communique
from the June 2021 summit in the U.K. The group also called on Russia to address international
cybercrime attacks launched from within its borders, and to investigate the use of chemical
weapons on Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. The June 2021 summit also saw the
G7 commit to helping the world recover from the global COVID-19 pandemic (including plans
to help vaccinate the entire world); encourage further action against climate change and
biodiversity loss; and promote "shared values" of pluralism and democracy.

In 2022, G7 leaders were invited to attend an extraordinary summit of NATO called in response
to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Summit organization

The annual G7 summit is attended by each member's head of government. The member country
holding the G7 presidency is responsible for organizing and hosting the year's summit. The
serial annual summits can be parsed chronologically in arguably distinct ways, including as the
sequence of host countries for the summits has recurred over time and series. Generally every
country hosts the summit once every seven years.

Besides a main meeting in June or July, a number of other meetings may take place throughout
the year; in 2021 for example, seven tracks existed for finance (4–5 June 2021), environmental
(20 and 21 May 2021), health (3–4 June 2021), trade (27–28 May 2021), interior (7–9
September 2021) digital and technology (28–29 April 2021), development (3–5 May 2021) and
foreign ministers.

Role of the G7

The G7, originally G8, originated in 1973 and was set up in 1975 as an informal forum bringing
together the heads of government and ministers of the world’s leading industrial nations. The
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annual G7 summits have over the years developed into a platform for determining the course
of multilateral discourse and shaping political responses to global challenges. It complements
the role of the G20, which is widely regarded as the framework for ongoing global economic
coordination.

In 1977, representatives of the then European Community began participating in the London
summit. The role has expanded over time, with the EU gradually included in all political
discussions on the summit agenda and, from the Ottawa summit (1981) onwards, has taken part
in all working sessions.

The European Union is a unique supranational organisation – rather than a sovereign Member
State – hence the name G7 “Group of Seven”. The EU is therefore a “non-enumerated” member
and does not assume the rotating G7 presidency.

The summit gathers leaders from the European Union and the following countries:

o Canada
o France
o Germany
o Italy
o Japan
o the United Kingdom
o the United States.

It is capable of setting the global agenda because decisions taken by these major economic
powers have a real impact. The political direction set by these leaders on a policy issue will
have a “ripple” effect across many other international organisations and institutions.

Thus, decisions taken at the G7 are not legally binding, but exert strong political influence.

Focus on global food security

The systemic shocks of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian aggression against Ukraine
have escalated the challenges facing the global agri-food system. These add to the increasing
long-term pressures on world food security, particularly due to climate change and its adverse
weather effects, the degradation of natural resources such as land, water and biodiversity, as
well as unsustainable population and food demand growth, particularly in vulnerable regions.

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Recognising the severity of these challenges, multilateral fora such as the G7 have restored
food security to the top of the international agenda. After a half-decade absence, G7 Agriculture
Ministers had once again convened a working group under the German Presidency of 2022,
with two dedicated Ministerial meetings taking place in March and May, respectively.

The EU strongly supports the permanent reinstatement of the G7 agriculture track, as a key
forum for coordinating the policy efforts of advanced economies in response to both immediate
urgencies as well as the long-term objectives of the sustainable transformation of agriculture.

Current G7 agricultural priorities

The working priorities of the G7 agricultural track under the German Presidency in 2022
were:

 Global food security

 Strengthening sustainable, deforestation-free agricultural supply chains
 Opportunities of carbon farming
 On-going reduction of the use of pesticides
 Climate protection
 Biodiversity protection.

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 BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa)

What Is BRICS?

BRICS is an acronym for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. The term was initially
created as BRIC (without South Africa) by Goldman Sachs economist Jim O'Neill in 2001. He
believed that by 2050 the four BRIC economies would come to dominate the global economy.
South Africa was added to the list in 2010.

The BRICS countries operate as an organization that seeks to further economic cooperation
amongst member nations and increase their economic and political standing in the world.

The BRICS nations offered a source of foreign expansion for firms and strong returns for
institutional investors.

The organization seeks to deepen economic cooperation between the member countries and
stand in contrast to the Western sphere of power.

Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Argentina were invited to
join BRICS in 2023.

The group has a set of joint priorities including:

o Working to resolve regional problems, such as the Iranian nuclear program and
conflicts in Libya, Syria, and Afghanistan.
o Tackling financial and economic issues like reforms at the World Bank and
International Monetary Fund (IMF).
o Establishing the BRICS Interbank Cooperation Mechanism.

Instead, the investment banking firm believed that these countries had the potential to form
a powerful economic bloc, even as it acknowledged that its forecasts were optimistic and
dependent on significant policy assumptions.

Still, the implication was that economic power would bring political power, and indeed
leaders from BRICS countries regularly attended summits together and often acted in
concert with each others’ interests.

Objectives of BRICS-

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BRICS aims to increase economic and political stability. It is believed that by the end of
2050, these countries will be the main places where products, services, and raw materials
come from. The main objectives of BRICS can be summarised as under-

The main goal is to increase, deepen, and broaden cooperation among its member countries
in order to promote growth that is sustainable, fair, and good for everyone.

All of the members’ growth and progress are taken into account.

To ensure that the economic strengths of each country are used to build relations and
eliminate competition where possible.

BRICS is becoming a new and promising diplomatic and political group with goals that go
far beyond the original goal.

Initially, it was only expected to solve global financial problems and change the way
institutions worked.

Features of BRICS-

The BRICS cooperation has influenced and impacted numerous niches, such as the
Economical sector, security, politics, etc. The key features of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia,
India, China, and South Africa) that make it a successful community are:

In total, the BRICS countries account for 41% of the global population, 24% of the global
GDP, and 16% of global trade. The BRICS is a group of five major developing countries.

It excludes any country from the European Union or the United States.

In 2008, after the economic recession, Goldman Sachs came up with the concept of BRICS.

How it works-

The group operates as an informal confederation of nations that meets annually at the
BRICS convention. There, members and heads of state seek to build economic cooperation
between the nations.

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The head of state of a member nation acts as the chairman of the group, rotating once a
year. Informal meetings began in 2006 but the group's first official meeting was on June
16, 2009, in Yekaterinburg, Russia.

Because of their economic power and the appeal of disentangling from the West to a degree,
BRICS claims that over 40 countries seek to join the group. It announced that it invited
additional countries to join the group at its 2023 summit. Full membership will be granted
to Argentina, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates on Jan. 1,
2024.

Key Developments-

The growth of the New Development Bank. The institution was established in 2015 to
provide emerging markets and developing countries with funding for infrastructure and
sustainable development projects.

The establishment of the BRICS Parliamentary Forum, which is designed to "strengthen

and promote contacts at the leadership level of chambers, committees and groups of
parliamentarians." This body is responsible for inter-parliamentary exchanges and
consultations along with the development of new mechanisms for inter-parliamentary
cooperation.

Impact of BRICS Cooperation-

The BRICS cooperation works in different sectors. It can be categorized into- The
economical sector, Interaction between people, Functioning together with security and
politics, and Mechanism of Collaborative Efforts. It can be explained as:

 Economical Sector-

The events of the BRICS Trade Ministers take place both on the sidelines of other
multilateral meetings and prior to the summits.

Trade and investment between the BRICS countries are growing at a rapid rate, as is
economic cooperation across a wide range of sectors.

The BRICS Business Council, the Contingent Reserve Agreement, and the New
Development Bank will collaborate on innovation and strategic and customs cooperation.

Economic and Trade Cooperation agreements have been signed.

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Economic cooperation and an integrated trade and investment market will be achieved
through these accords, which are mutually beneficial to the countries involved.

 Interaction Among People-

BRICS members have agreed that it is important to improve exchanges between people and
to work more closely together in areas like culture, sports, education, film, and youth.

 The aim is to bring people from the BRICS countries closer together and help them
learn more about each other in the spirit of flexibility, participation, diversity, and
mutual learning.
 New friendships and deepening relationships and mutual understanding between
the people of the BRICS countries.
 People exchanges include the Parliamentarians’, Trade Union Forum, Civil BRICS,
Young Diplomats Forum, and Media Forum.

Functioning Together With Security and Politics-

Achieving peace, security, and development, and working together will make the world
more fair and equal.

 BRICS gives countries the chance to share policy advice and communicate about
the best ways to deal with domestic and regional problems.
 Obtaining the world’s political system is restructured so that it is more balanced and
built on the idea of multilateralism.

Mechanism of Collaborative Efforts-

Formal diplomatic contact between the nations. Institutional involvement, such as state-
owned companies and business councils. Participation in civil society and people-to-people
organizations.

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 Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD)

Quad brings together four countries - India, Australia, Japan, and the United States, with a
commitment to work as a force for global good and to support an open, free, and inclusive
Indo-Pacific that is prosperous and resilient.

Genesis: Quad came together during the 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean region to
coordinate response and assistance to countries in the region. The first meeting of Quad
officials took place on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum summit in the Philippines
in May 2007. After a gap of 10 years, Quad officials met in Manila in November 2017 on the
margins of the East Asia Summit for consultations on connectivity issues; maritime security
and counter-terrorism; shared principles for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific; and proliferation
threats in Asia.

Quad has adopted a positive and practical agenda focusing on contemporary issues and
challenges such as health security, climate change, critical and emerging technologies,
infrastructure and debt sustainability, cyber security, humanitarian assistance and disaster
relief, and strengthening the maritime domain awareness of regional countries. Quad partners
engage regularly through Leaders, Foreign Ministers, Quad Sherpas, senior officials, and
experts.

Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meetings (QFMM):

 QFMM, 26 September 2019, on the margins of the UNGA in New York

 QFMM, 6 October 2020, Tokyo
 Virtual QFMM, 18 February 2021
 QFMM, 11 February 2022, Melbourne
 QFMM, 3 March 2023, New Delhi
 QFMM, 22 September 2023, on the margins of the UNGA in New York

Following their recent meeting in New York, they issued a Joint Readout reiterating, inter alia,
their commitment to a free, open, and inclusive IndoPacific, support for full implementation of
the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and all its SDGs, countering terrorism, and
advancing a comprehensive UN reform agenda including expansion in both the permanent and
non-permanent categories of the UN Security Council.

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Leaders’ Summits: Quad saw a natural evolution and elevation in 2021 to the level of the
Leaders with the first Quad Leaders’ Summit taking place in virtual format on 12 March 2021.
PM participated along with his counterparts from Australia, Japan, and the USA to discuss
regional and global issues, especially the Indo-Pacific. Three Working Groups were announced
by the Leaders - Vaccine Partnership, Climate Change, and Critical & Emerging Technology.
The Quad adopted an action-oriented approach to enable practical cooperation.

The second Quad Leaders’ Summit (first in-person) was held on 24 September 2021 in
Washington DC. The Leaders announced three new Working Groups on Infrastructure, Space,
and Cyber issues. 100 STEM fellowships (25 from each Quad country) to US universities for
graduate and doctoral students from Quad countries were announced.

The third Quad Leaders’ Summit was held virtually on 3 March 2022 to discuss the situation
in Ukraine and its impact on the Indo-Pacific. They also launched a Quad Partnership on
HADR.

The fourth Quad Leaders’ Summit (second in-person) was hosted by Japan on 24 May 2022.
Leaders launched the Quad Satellite Data Portal to provide regional countries with space-based
data for climate and disaster forecasting and sustainable use of marine resources; Q-CHAMP
for practical cooperation on climate action, climate finance, and technology transfer to help
countries meet their climate commitments; Quad Debt Management Resource Portal to address
challenges of unsustainable debt financing; Quad Partnership on HADR (an India-led
initiative) to provide timely and effective assistance in the Indo-Pacific region in the event of
future incidents.

The fifth Quad Leaders’ Summit (third in-person) was held in Hiroshima, Japan on 20 May
2023. In addition to the Joint Statement, the “Quad Leaders’ Vision Statement – Enduring
Partners for the Indo-Pacific” was also released, outlining the Leaders’ vision for a free, open,
and inclusive Indo-Pacific, and upholding the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity,
and peaceful resolution of disputes.

The practical work of the Quad is taken forward through six Leader-level Working Groups.

i. Climate: Quad partners are working together to address climate change and support
regional partners, in particular the countries in the IndoPacific. They are collaborating on
sustainable consumption and production, clean hydrogen, disaster risk management,
exchanging climate information, green shipping and ports, and capacity building. At the 2023

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Leaders’ Summit, the Clean Energy Supply Chains Initiative was announced to facilitate
research and development and support energy transition in the Indo Pacific. The Quad
Principles of Clean Energy Supply Chains were released to guide engagement with the region
on clean energy supply chain development.

The Climate Information Services Taskforce, as part of the Quad Climate Change Adaptation
and Mitigation Package (Q-CHAMP), is working to increase access to early warning systems
and climate data through infrastructure and capacity building in the Indo-Pacific region.

Quad is working with the CDRI to support the sustainable development and resilience of new
and existing infrastructure systems to address climate and disaster risks. Quad partners intend
to facilitate green shipping corridors to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the shipping
value chain.

ii. Critical and Emerging Technologies: Quad is working to strengthen supply chain
resilience and improve the region’s digital connectivity through access to critical and emerging
technologies and advanced telecommunications technology, including 5G networks. At the
2023 Leaders’ Summit, the Leaders announced Quad support for an Open RAN pilot in Palau
to support the diversification and security of telecom networks, the first in the Pacific. They
also launched the Quad Investors’ Network (QUIN) as a private sector-led platform to facilitate
investments in strategic technologies. The Quad also published a Statement of Principles on
Critical and Emerging Technology Standards, outlining its common vision for international
technology standards, underpinned by values such as transparency, openness, security, and
interoperability. The transformative power of technology, including digital public
infrastructure, to support sustainable development in the Indo-Pacific and deliver economic
and social benefits has also been recognized by Quad Leaders.

iii. Cyber: Quad is working towards a more secure cyberspace and strengthening cyber
resilience and critical infrastructure protection in the Indo-Pacific. Quad Cyber Challenges are
being held to promote cyber awareness and capacity building. At the 2023 Quad Summit, the
Quad Joint Principles for Secure Software and the Quad Joint Principles for Cyber Security of
Critical Infrastructure were released, to strengthen defences against cyber threats to the
software supply chain and critical infrastructure and services.

iv. Health Security Partnership: At the 2023 Leaders’ Summit, the Leaders decided to
evolve the former Quad Vaccine Partnership into a more comprehensive Health Security

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Partnership to promote coordination and collaboration between Quad countries and partners in
the Indo-Pacific to strengthen regional and global health security. It builds on the successful
collective efforts to provide safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines, critical medicines, and
healthcare equipment to the Indo-Pacific.

v. Infrastructure: The Quad shares assessments of regional infrastructure needs and

coordinates respective approaches to deliver transparent, demand-driven, quality, and climate-
resilient infrastructure. Quad is also coordinating technical assistance and capacity-building
efforts to ensure efforts are mutually reinforcing and complementary in meeting the significant
infrastructure demand in the Indo-Pacific. At the 2023 Leaders’ Summit, ‘Quad Infrastructure
Fellowships Program’, aimed to empower more than 1,800 of the region’s infrastructure
practitioners to design, build, and manage quality infrastructure in their home countries, was
announced. ‘Quad Partnership for Cable Connectivity and Resilience’, aimed to strengthen
cable systems in the Indo-Pacific, drawing on Quad countries’ world-class expertise in
manufacturing, delivering, and maintaining cable infrastructure, was also announced. Quad
partners are also enhancing cooperation among their export credit agencies.

vi. Space: Quad is working to exchange Earth observation satellite data and analysis to help
Indo-Pacific countries better adapt to climate change, prepare for natural disasters, and better
manage oceans and marine resources. Quad partners are committed to strengthening
commercial space cooperation. They are also consulting each other on the peaceful, safe, and
sustainable use of outer space.

Other initiatives:

i.Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA): Through IPMDA,

announced at the 2022 Leaders’ Summit, Quad is providing near-real-time, integrated, and
cost-effective maritime domain data to maritime agencies in the region, supports regional
partners’ capacity in combatting a wide range of illicit maritime activities, including illegal,
unreported and unregulated fishing, and responding to climate-related and humanitarian events.

ii. STEM Fellowships are scholarship programmes designed to build tiesamong the next
generation of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) leaders. The
Fellowship brings together 100 students each year, 25 from each Quad country, to pursue
Master's and Doctoral degrees in STEM fields in the United States. The first batch commenced
its academic courses in Fall 2023.

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iii. Counter-terrorism: Quad has condemned terrorism and violent extremism in all forms and
manifestations, denounced the use of terrorist proxies, and emphasized the importance of
denying any logistical, financial, or military support to terrorist groups that could be used to
launch or plan terror attacks, including cross-border attacks. Quad Leaders have condemned
the terrorist attacks in India during 26/11 in Mumbai and the Pathankot attacks. They have
reiterated the importance of upholding international standards on anti-money laundering and
combating the financing of terrorism by all countries, consistent with FATF recommendations.

The next Quad Leaders’ Summit is expected to be hosted by India in 2024.

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 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), military alliance established by the North
Atlantic Treaty (also called the Washington Treaty) of April 4, 1949, which sought to create a
counterweight to Soviet armies stationed in central and eastern Europe after World War II. Its
original members were Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the
Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Joining the
original signatories were Greece and Turkey (1952); West Germany (1955; from 1990 as
Germany); Spain (1982); the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland (1999); Bulgaria, Estonia,
Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia (2004); Albania and Croatia (2009);
Montenegro (2017); North Macedonia (2020); Finland (2023); and Sweden (2024). France
withdrew from the integrated military command of NATO in 1966 but remained a member of
the organization; it resumed its position in NATO’s military command in 2009.

NATO invoked Article 5 for the first time in 2001, after the September 11 attacks organized
by exiled Saudi Arabian millionaire Osama bin Laden destroyed the World Trade Center in
New York City and part of the Pentagon outside Washington, D.C., killing some 3,000 people.

Article 6 defines the geographic scope of the treaty as covering “an armed attack on the territory
of any of the Parties in Europe or North America.” Other articles commit the allies to
strengthening their democratic institutions, to building their collective military capability, to
consulting each other, and to remaining open to inviting other European states to join.

Historical background

After World War II in 1945, western Europe was economically exhausted and militarily weak
(the western Allies had rapidly and drastically reduced their armies at the end of the war), and
newly powerful communist parties had arisen in France and Italy. By contrast, the Soviet Union
had emerged from the war with its armies dominating all the states of central and eastern
Europe, and by 1948 communists under Moscow’s sponsorship had consolidated their control
of the governments of those countries and suppressed all noncommunist political activity. What
became known as the Iron Curtain, a term popularized by Winston Churchill, had descended
over central and eastern Europe. Further, wartime cooperation between the western Allies and
the Soviets had completely broken down. Each side was organizing its own sector of occupied
Germany, so that two German states would emerge, a democratic one in the west and a
communist one in the east.

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In 1948 the United States launched the Marshall Plan, which infused massive amounts of
economic aid to the countries of western and southern Europe on the condition that they
cooperate with each other and engage in joint planning to hasten their mutual recovery. As for
military recovery, under the Brussels Treaty of 1948, the United Kingdom, France, and the
Low Countries—Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg—concluded a collective-defense
agreement called the Western European Union. It was soon recognized, however, that a more
formidable alliance would be required to provide an adequate military counterweight to the
Soviets.

By this time Britain, Canada, and the United States had already engaged in secret exploratory
talks on security arrangements that would serve as an alternative to the United Nations (UN),
which was becoming paralyzed by the rapidly emerging Cold War. In March 1948, following
a virtual communist coup d’état in Czechoslovakia in February, the three governments began
discussions on a multilateral collective-defense scheme that would enhance Western security
and promote democratic values. These discussions were eventually joined by France, the Low
Countries, and Norway and in April 1949 resulted in the North Atlantic Treaty.

Organization

Spurred by the North Korean invasion of South Korea in June 1950 (see Korean War), the
United States took steps to demonstrate that it would resist any Soviet military expansion or
pressures in Europe. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, the leader of the Allied forces in western
Europe in World War II, was named Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) by the
North Atlantic Council (NATO’s governing body) in December 1950. He was followed as
SACEUR by a succession of American generals.

The North Atlantic Council, which was established soon after the treaty came into effect, is
composed of ministerial representatives of the member states, who meet at least twice a year.
At other times the council, chaired by the NATO secretary-general, remains in permanent
session at the ambassadorial level. Just as the position of SACEUR has always been held by an
American, the secretary-generalship has always been held by a European.

NATO’s military organization encompasses a complete system of commands for possible

wartime use. The Military Committee, consisting of representatives of the military chiefs of
staff of the member states, subsumes two strategic commands: Allied Command Operations

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(ACO) and Allied Command Transformation (ACT). ACO is headed by the SACEUR and
located at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Casteau, Belgium. ACT
is headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, U.S. During the alliance’s first 20 years, more than $3
billion worth of “infrastructure” for NATO forces—bases, airfields, pipelines, communications
networks, depots—was jointly planned, financed, and built, with about one-third of the funding
from the United States. NATO funding generally is not used for the procurement of military
equipment, which is provided by the member states—though the NATO Airborne Early
Warning Force, a fleet of radar-bearing aircraft designed to protect against a surprise low-flying
attack, was funded jointly.

NATO’s essential and enduring purpose is to safeguard the freedom and security of all its
members by political and military means. Collective defence is at the heart of the Alliance and
creates a spirit of solidarity and cohesion among its members.

NATO’s goal: peace and security in Europe and North America

NATO strives to secure a lasting peace in Europe, based on its member countries’ common
values of individual liberty, democracy, human rights and the rule of law. These shared values
unite a diverse group of Allies on both sides of the Atlantic, and NATO embodies the
transatlantic bond between them, whereby the security of Allies in Europe and North America
is inextricably linked. The principle of collective defence – meaning that an attack against one
Ally is considered as an attack against all Allies – is at the heart of NATO. This means that no
single member country is forced to rely solely on its national capabilities to meet its essential
national security objectives. The resulting sense of shared security among NATO members
contributes to stability in the Euro-Atlantic area.

Ensuring stability at home by engaging outside of NATO

Since the outbreak of crises and conflicts beyond Allied borders can jeopardise this core
objective, the Alliance also contributes to peace and stability through crisis prevention and
management, and through partnerships with other organisations and countries across the globe.
Essentially, NATO not only helps to defend the territory of its members, but also engages –
where possible and when necessary – to project its values further afield, prevent and manage
crises, stabilise post-conflict situations and support reconstruction.

Making collective decisions through consultation and consensus

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As an intergovernmental organisation, NATO provides a forum where members can consult
on any issue and take decisions on political and military matters affecting their security. All
NATO decisions are made by consensus, meaning that all NATO member countries have
reached agreement after discussion and consultation.

Setting NATO’s strategic direction

NATO’s fundamental security tasks are laid down in the North Atlantic Treaty (the Alliance’s
founding treaty, also known as the Washington Treaty). They are sufficiently general to
withstand the test of time and are translated into more detail in the Organization’s strategic
concepts. Strategic concepts are the authoritative statement of the Alliance’s objectives: they
provide the highest level of guidance on the political and military means that will be used to
achieve these goals and remain the basis for the implementation of Alliance policy as a whole.

Adapting to new security challenges as the world changes

During the Cold War, NATO focused on collective defence and the protection of its members
from potential threats emanating from the Soviet Union. With the collapse of the Soviet Union
and the rise of non-state actors affecting international security, many new security threats have
emerged, such as terrorism. Moreover, Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine – including
its illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its full-scale invasion in February 2022 – have
radically altered the security environment.

NATO is countering this vast array of threats by strengthening its deterrence and defence as
the backbone of its commitment to collective defence; helping to prevent and manage crisis
situations; and encouraging cooperative security, as outlined in the 2022 Strategic Concept.

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 Bay of Bengal Initiative on Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic
Cooperation (BIMSTEC)

The BIMSTEC states are those which are on the shore or are adjacent to the Bay of Bengal and
are dependent on it. It was formed on 6th of June 1997, through the Bangkok declaration and
is headquartered at Dhaka in Bangladesh.

BIMSTEC – Recent Developments

 The 17th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting was held on 1st April 2021 and chaired by
Sri Lanka, virtually, in the presence of all member states
 The meeting endorsed:
 BIMSTEC Master Plan for Transport Connectivity
 Took note of the BIMSTEC Centre for Weather and Climate, being hosted in India, is
fully functional with the state of the art facilities to provide Disaster Early Warnings
 The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiatives of BIMSTEC Startup
Conclave in January 2021; BIMSTEC Disaster Management Exercise in Puri in
February 2020; and Conference on Combating Drug Trafficking for BIMSTEC
countries in February 2020, were appreciated by other member states
 The proposal to host the 5th BIMSTEC Summit in Sri Lanka in the coming few
months was also welcomed
 24th BIMSTEC Day was observed on May 31, 2021.

BIMSTEC – Objectives

Technological and economical cooperation among south Asian and South East Asian countries
along the coast of the Bay of Bengal.

BIMSTEC is a sector-driven cooperative organization and covers cooperation in sectors like

communication, leather, textiles, transport, fisheries, human resource development, tourism,
agriculture, investment, technology and commerce etc. Currently, there are fourteen priority
sectors and each member country voluntarily leads one or more sectors. Counterterrorism &
transnational crime and telecommunication & transport are dealt with by India.

The grouping is a bridge between South Asia and South-East Asia and constitutes a
reinforcement of relations between the seven countries. It is of utmost significance to India as

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it is major support in implementing its Act East Policy and the development of its ambitious
‘Sagar Mala’ project.

BIMSTEC, in its first, held a conference on “combating drug trafficking” in New Delhi in
February 2020.

Principles of BIMSTEC

 Sovereign Equality
 Territorial Integrity
 Political Independence
 No-interference in Internal Affairs
 Peaceful Co- existence
 Mutual Benefit
 Constitute an addition to and not be a substitute for bilateral, regional or multilateral
cooperation involving the Member States.

How BIMSTEC is Important for India?

 It provides a new platform for India to engage with its neighbours with the South
Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) becoming dysfunctional
because of differences between India and Pakistan. Read in detail about SAARC
nations on the linked page.
 BIMSTEC allows India to pursue three core policies-
 Neighborhood First – primacy to the country’s immediate periphery;
 Act East – connect India with Southeast Asia; and
 Economic development of India’s northeastern states – by linking them to the Bay of
Bengal region via Bangladesh and Myanmar.
 Allows India to counter China’s creeping influence in countries around the Bay of
Bengal due to the spread of its One Belt and One Road Initiative.

Challenges Faced by BIMSTEC

BIMSTEC does not seem to have made much progress even though there was not much
bilateral tension –

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 Neglect by member states: It seems that India has used BIMSTEC only when it fails
to work through SAARC in the regional setting and other major members like Thailand
and Myanmar are focused more towards ASEAN than BIMSTEC.
 Inconsistent Meetings: BIMSTEC planned to hold summits every two years,
ministerial meetings every year, but only four summits have taken place in 20 years
upto 2018.
 Broad Focus Areas: The focus of BIMSTEC is very wide, including 14 areas of
cooperation like connectivity, public health, agriculture etc. It is suggested that
BIMSTEC should remain committed to small focus areas and cooperate in them
efficiently.
 No FTA: BIMSTEC FTA was negotiated in 2004, talks on it are yet to be concluded.
 Bilateral Issues between Member Nations: Bangladesh is facing one of the worst
refugee crisis of Rohingyas from Myanmar who are fleeing prosecution in the state of
Rakhine in Myanmar. There is a border conflict between Myanmar and Thailand.
 BCIM: The formation of another sub-regional initiative, the Bangladesh-China-India-
Myanmar (BCIM) Forum, with the proactive membership of China, has created more
doubts about the exclusive potential of BIMSTEC.

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