(Video) Rajya Sabha TV (RSTV) In Depth: NATO ally-like status

Topic: NATO ally-like status

Topic Description:

The US Senate has passed a legislative provision that brings India at par with America's NATO allies and countries like Israel and South Korea for increasing defence cooperation.

The National Defense Authorisation Act for the fiscal year 2020, that contained such a proposal was passed by the US Senate last week.

The bill would be signed into law after both the chambers of the US Congress - the House of Representatives and the Senate - passes it. The House is expected to take up its version of the NDAA sometime in July before legislators adjourn for the month-long August recess on July 29.

Unlike the member nations who have to contribute their gross national income to fund NATO, major non-NATO allies are only involved in strategic working partnerships with NATO countries, not in a mutual defence pact with the US. This would enable India access a lot of military and financial advantages otherwise not available to non-members.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation is a military alliance originally established in 1949 with 12 member states, including America, Britain and France.

Today, Nato has 28 members including most of Europe, representing a population of more than 900 million.