Thursday, October 27 2005 17:16 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: India must tune its security policy with NATO's activities in Asia, former Prime Minister I K Gujral said today (Oct 27, 2005) as he described the Western military alliance's expansion in the continent as a cause of concern.

"For Indian thinkers, it is a moment of concern. Can we resist it (NATO) in its new security paradigm? NATO can go anywhere," the former Prime Minister said in his talk on 'Emerging NATO: Challenges for Asia and Europe.'

NATO's future policy centred around China, Gujral said as he cited the alliance's eastern expansion record spanning Germany, Russia, Afghanistan and Iraq.

"China," the former Prime Minister said, "was being projected as a danger for future. And NATO's future policy emanates from this. The key question before the country was whether to join the Asian NATO."

"What is our future, our future role? Should we join the game?" he asked. "Asia was lucky at one phase when Germany was being targeted," Gujral added.

The former Prime Minister also recalled his meetings with Russian, Irish, Iraqi and United States (US) leaders during several phases of conflicts involving NATO.

In his address, former Foreign Secretary Shashank said NATO had undergone a major transformation since the 9/11 attacks. "Asia is at crossroads. NATO, which started as a military alliance, has now changed its parameters. Asian countries were required to hold greater interaction with NATO." He said.