Kochi: A new alliance comprising India and Israel is being coined in the backdrop of crumbling NATO unity due to US President Trump fuming over allies not backing him in the Iran war.
In February 2026, Israel Premier Benjamin Netanyahu proposed an axis of nations including India, Greece, and Cyprus to strengthen ties beyond existing bilateral agreements and counter “radical” regional axes, Times of India reported.
While Israel Opposition leaders Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett have joined hands to unseat the incumbent government.
Israel’s status as a major non-NATO ally—several new developments are shaping the conversation.
The proposal seems to be gaining ground as the US plans to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany, amid a spat between US President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz who observed that the US was “humiliated” by Iranian negotiators.
Addressing university students earlier this week, Merz said that “the Americans clearly have no strategy” and he could not see “what strategic exit” they might choose.
The Iranians are obviously very skilled at negotiating, or rather, very skilful at not negotiating, letting the Americans travel to Islamabad and then leave again without any result,” he said.
He said that the “entire nation” was being “humiliated” by the Iranian leadership.
Trump has also suggested pulling US troops from Italy and Spain.
The US has over 36,000 active duty troops assigned to bases across the country as of last December in Germany.
The US expects the withdrawal to be completed over the next six to twelve months.
Trump, a longtime critic of the NATO alliance, has been lashing out at allies over their refusal to participate in operations to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
In response, Trump took to his platform Truth Social, where he said Merz thought it was “OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon” and “doesn’t know what he’s talking about”.
“No wonder Germany is doing so poorly, both Economically, and otherwise!” the post read.
Last year, the US decided to reduce its troop presence in Romania, as part of Trump’s plan to shift the focus of US military commitment from Europe to the Indo-Pacific region.
Romania’s defence minister said the decision was made after Hegseth conveyed to the Romanians that they needed to pay more attention to their own defence.
The decision was met with disapproval from some of Trump’s fellow Republicans in Congress, and concern from other Eastern European countries wary of Russia.
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