Discussion on over logistics deal: Manohar Parrikar

Defence minister Manohar Parrikar, asked if India would sign the long-pending Logistics Support Agreement with the US, said anything that would be done would be in the interests of the country. “It has to benefit the nation on various counts. We definitely would say that this government is very active on almost everything. We don’t like to unnecessarily delay things. So we definitely do paperwork... discussions are going on many things,” Mr Parrikar said.

Defence sources were earlier cited as telling news agencies that India and the US could sign a key military logistics agreement as top officials from the two sides will meet here in April to look at ways to deepen bilateral ties in the critical sector. They have said one of the key areas of focus during the visit of US defence secretary Ashton Carter to India in April will be three contentious agreements that Washington has been pushing for long. “Discussions are on over the logistics agreement,” sources said.

These pacts are the Communications and Information Security Memorandum of Agreement (CISMOA), Logistics Support Agreement (LSA) and Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA).

“Discussions are on. Logistics agreement, tweaked as per India’s interests, is doable and may be signed. However, some more discussions are to be held on BECA,” the sources were quoted as saying, adding that CISMOA needs detailed discussions and clarification.