NATO summit is being organized in Turkey’s capital Ankara from 7 to 8 July. Heads of state of 32 member countries are gathering in it, including US President Donald Trump. This summit is taking place at a time when differences are going on within NATO itself. Europe’s decision not to support the US in the Iran war and Donald Trump’s threat to annex Greenland to the US have put the alliance’s unity in danger. Amidst Trump’s threat and the reduction of American troops from Europe, the summit will decide what will be the future of this military alliance. Let us know those 10 big issues of Ankara Summit, on which the eyes of the world are fixed…
1. Pressure to increase defense budget to 5% of GDP
Last year at The Hague Summit nato Countries had set an ambitious target of spending 5% of their GDP on defense needs by 2035. This is a huge jump from the old 2% rule. European allies and Canada alone have increased defense investment by $139 billion by 2025. After pressure from Trump, NATO General Secretary Mark Rutte has asked for a roadmap for the 5% target from all countries.
2. Military aid to Ukraine and the Patriot missiles crisis
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is facing Russian attacks, is also reaching this summit. After the death of 15 people in the recent Russian drone and missile attacks on Kiev, Zelensky has demanded tough decisions from NATO. However, the biggest crisis facing Ukraine is the severe shortage of American Patriot air defense missiles, as America has diverted a large part of its resources towards the Iran war.
3. Rift within NATO over Iran war
European countries have refused to provide military support to Washington in this war or participate in the campaign to open the Strait of Hormuz. There will be mention of Iran’s nuclear program and freedom of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz in the manifesto of this summit, but internal tension remains.
4. Withdrawal of American troops and Trump’s threat
Angered by Europe’s attitude, Donald Trump had decided to withdraw about 5,000 American troops from Germany in May. Now Trump is also considering removing American troops from Italy and Spain. Trump says we helped Europe in Ukraine, but when we needed it, they were missing.
5. Strategic Autonomy of Europe
To reduce dependence on America, European countries have started increasing their strength. Defense spending by European allies has increased by 62% between 2020 and 2025. They are now working towards reducing dependence on America.
6. Militarization of Germany
The biggest impact of Trump’s pressure has been seen on Germany. Germany has decided to carry out large-scale rearmament by changing its constitution in March. Germany’s aim is to raise an army larger than the combined military strength of Britain and France in a very short time.
7. Smart use of budget
European countries are adopting a smart strategy to meet the 5% target. They are spending 3.5% of the total expenditure on main military equipment and the remaining 1.5% on security-related infrastructure like roads, power grid and renewable energy.
8. Raar on Greenland and the Arctic
Trump’s statements on merging Greenland with America have angered European countries. Amidst the increasing activity of Russia and China in the Arctic region, the internal conflict within NATO regarding control over Greenland has increased.
9. Europe’s Capability Gap
Even though Europe is increasing spending, ‘according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), Europe is still completely dependent on America for long-range attacks, satellite technology, intelligence and logistics. To bridge this shortfall, Europe will need at least 1 trillion (1 lakh crore) dollars and more than 10 years.
10. Entry of Middle East and Indo-Pacific countries
The special thing about the summit is that apart from NATO, representatives of Middle East countries like Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and UAE are participating in it. At the same time, NATO Defense Minister will hold a special meeting with Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea (Indo-Pacific partner).
What will be the impact on India, QUAD and global weapons market?
The impact of these decisions taken in Ankara will reach till Delhi. India is not directly a part of NATO, but the decisions of this summit will directly affect India’s interests.
1. Recession or inflation in the global weapons market
Europe’s sudden increase in its defense budget and its own arms production will lead to a severe global shortage of military equipment, raw materials and chips. This may delay the supply of defense equipment and spare parts to India, although opportunities for Make in India will also increase.
2. Pressure on QUAD and Indo-Pacific
The active participation of Australia, Japan and South Korea in the summit shows that NATO no longer wants to be limited to the Atlantic only. But if America remains embroiled in the Iran war and reduces its forces in Europe, then the entire responsibility of security in the Indo-Pacific region will fall on the Quad countries.
3. Increasing closeness between Russia and China
If NATO commits to providing Ukraine with more lethal weapons, Russia will be forced to completely side with China and North Korea. Russia’s excessive dependence on China can create a diplomatic imbalance for India.
4. India’s test of strategic autonomy
Amidst the increasing tension in the Middle East and the new equations of NATO, India will have to work hard to maintain its neutral and balanced foreign policy. India will have to maintain a balance between the interests of Iran, America and Chabahar Port.
Is NATO on the verge of collapse?
According to experts, NATO is not breaking up, but is going through a phase of change. It will not be easy for Trump to pull out of NATO, as it would require a two-thirds majority in the US Senate, where NATO has overwhelming support from both parties (Democrats and Republicans). However, this shift from American leadership to European leadership will change the geopolitics of the world forever.
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