India ready to ink logistical pact with US

In a major move aimed at strengthening defence ties between India and the United States, the decks have been cleared by India for the inking of a key logistical agreement with the US which will ensure logistical support to each other’s defence platforms, such as ships and aircraft for refuelling and supplies, including fuel and spare parts. This will also enable both militaries to use each other’s assets and bases for repair of platforms and replenishment of supplies.

In the presence of visiting US defence secretary Ashton Carter in the capital, defence minister Manohar Parrikar said this will help in smooth conduct of humanitarian missions and will not mean provision of troops or stationing of US troops in India. “As our engagement deepens, we need to develop practical mechanisms to facilitate such exchanges. In this context, Secretary Carter and I agreed in principle to conclude a Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMoA) in the coming months,” Mr Parrikar said. He added that the draft agreement will be exchanged by the two sides in a process that could take up to a couple of months.

Both sides announced they would begin a bilateral security maritime dialogue that would comprise officials of their defence and foreign ministries. Both sides also agreed to strengthen cooperation in maritime security and “commence Navy-to-Navy discussions on submarine safety and anti-submarine warfare”. Both countries said that in support of the Make in India initiative “the United States shared two proposals to bolster India’s suite of fighter aircraft for consideration of the government of India”, which indicates that the US is ready to build fighter aircraft in India with technology transfer. The US is also likely to help India’s quest to build its second indigenous aircraft carrier with a flat deck. Both countries also discussed freedom of navigation in the South China Sea — in the wake of the increased Chinese military assertion amid the US rebalance of naval assets to the Asia-Pacific — and decided they would “continue to work together to maintain peace and stability and to maintain an enabling framework for progress and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific”. But clearly unhappy over the supply of F-16 fighter aircraft by the US to Pakistan, Mr Parrikar said he had expressed concern on this to Dr Carter.

LEMoA is reportedly a tweaked version of the Logistics Support Agreement (LSA) which facilitates the provision of logistical support, supplies and services between the US military and the armed forces of partner countries on a reimbursable basis, and provides a framework that governs the exchange of logistics support, supplies and services. India is of the view that any logistics agreement that protects India’s interests can be signed. But New Delhi is expected to ensure that even if it inks a satisfactory logistics agreement, it is not pushed into a tight corner in case of unilateral US action in volatile West Asia or even in the Asia-Pacific. With a tweaked LSA, India is expected to insist that it would decide its stand on a case-to-case basis.

Dr Carter also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday. The US conveyed to Mr Modi that it views India as a “close strategic ally” and an “enduring partner” and that its policy of “rebalance” and India’s “Act East” policy complemented each other. Dr Carter told reporters earlier that India is a “net security provider in this region”.

Mr Parrikar said, “Our discussions, spread over the past three days, have been marked by characteristic warmth, candour and a sense of mutual purpose. I am confident that the India-US relationship will be one of the key global partnerships of this century. Defence cooperation is a central pillar of India’s multi-faceted relationship with the US. A stronger India-US partnership will promote peace, stability and progress in our region and the world.”

In a joint statement after talks, the two sides said, “In support of the India-US Joint Strategic Vision for the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean Region and the maritime security objectives therein, both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in the area of maritime security. In this context, they (Dr Carter and Mr Parrikar) reaffirmed their desire to expeditiously conclude a ‘white shipping’ technical arrangement to improve data-sharing on commercial shipping traffic. They agreed to commence Navy-to-Navy discussions on submarine safety and anti-submarine warfare.”

They “reaffirmed the importance of safeguarding maritime security and ensuring freedom of navigation and overflight throughout the region, including in the South China Sea. They vowed their support for a rules-based order and regional security architecture conducive to peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean, and emphasised their commitment to working together and with other nations to ensure the security and stability that have been beneficial to the Asia-Pacific for decades,” the joint statement said, adding, “Secretary Carter and defence minister Parrikar welcomed the finalisation of four government-to-government project agreements in the area of science and technology cooperation: Atmospheric Sciences for High Energy Lasers, Cognitive Tools for Target Detection, Small Intelligent Unmanned Aerial Systems, and Blast and Blunt Traumatic Brain Injury.”

The two also reviewed progress and reiterated their commitment to pursue co-development and co-production of advanced defence articles. They agreed to initiate two new DTTI pathfinder projects on Digital Helmet Mounted Displays and the Joint Biological Tactical Detection System.

They agreed to work towards greater cooperation in the field of cutting-edge defence technologies, including deepening consultations on aircraft carrier design and operations, and jet engine technology.

Mr Parrikar said, “We also discussed the regional security environment. I underlined India’s continuing concern at terrorism in the region directed against us. Secretary Carter emphasised that eliminating terrorism, and the ideology and infrastructure that supports it, is a common objective the United States shares with India. We look forward to even closer bilateral cooperation with the US on counter-terrorism. India and the US are both strongly committed to a rule-based international order. We will continue to work together to maintain peace and stability and to maintain an enabling framework for progress and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific,” Mr Parrikar added.

Dr Carter said the US was aiming to be a “trusted partner” of India. When asked by reporters about the fact that the Russians had always been a trusted military partner for India as they had desisted from supplying war equipment to countries inimical to India, Dr Carter said, “We do aim to be a trusted partner for India.”

Asked what kind of role F-16 fighter jets — being supplied by the US to Pakistan — play against terror as everyone knows it will eventually be used against India, Dr Carter said, “Pakistan has used F-16s in operations in FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas). We have approved it... We take terrorism emanating from Pakistan very seriously.”