The 28-nation NATO body has suggested India to be a 'dialogue plus partner'. The NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has spoken to Indian officials while the deputy Secretary General Claudio Bisogniero visited India to start a dialogue.

'Even with regard to common missile threats, the ability to defend could be the same,' a top NATO official said.

The NATO official has urged India to play a greater role in the global affairs and cited example of Australia which is far away from the North Atlantic and has a relationship with NATO and is today the 10th largest participant with NATO in Afghanistan.

The NATO official stressed that post-Cold War world present a different scenario and Russia too has special relationship the 28-nation body.

'The NATO-Russia Council determines cooperation on such vital issues as theatre missile defence, military logistics with respect to the US-led campaign in Afghanistan, terrorism, narcotics and piracy,' he said. He hinted at an understanding between India and US on the military intervention in Libya.

Making a strong a strong plea for joint efforts to combat cyber threats, the NATO official said, 'cyber world does not recognise alignments. It only understands switches.'

The NATO official said “we do so already in places like Afghanistan, where India is also present”.

'We can think of other places also - like the Indian Ocean to deal with piracy. NATO has an operation there and Indian ships are part of the effort to fight piracy. We can strengthen this relationship,' he said.

NATO was formed 62 years ago in the peak of Cold War days. In the post-Cold War it is trying to reach out beyond its traditional borders to secure its interests worldwide.