US, India sign military logistics agreement, a milestone

India and the U.S. signed a major defense agreement on Monday in Washington called Logistics Exchange Memorandum Of Agreement (LEMOA). This needs to be leveraged to incubate a USA style military-industrial complex in India that not only creates jobs and furthers self-sufficiency in defence procurement, but also makes India a defence exporter in future.

LEMOA is the key way-station on agreements still to come of military technology sharing of tremendous importance for India, again, primarily to help it stand up to the emerging superpower of China. It’s basically logistics support to each other’s fleet, like supply of fuel, supply of many other things which are required for joint operations, humanitarian assistance and many other relief operations.

As reported by Mathrubhumi, LEMOA is a facilitating agreement that establishes basic terms, conditions, and procedures for reciprocal provision of logistic support, supplies, and services between the armed forces of India and the United States.

The agreement, viewed as part of the Obama administration’s Pivot to Asia strategy, was criticised by a leading Chinese state-run daily, which warned that New Delhi may irritate Beijing if it “joins the U.S. alliance system”.

With prior pacts, thru LEMOA, ultimately to CISMOA and BECA, India increasingly can either buy (and use), from the U.S or others, or make itself, top-of-the-line technology for its air force and navy to stand up to China’s, particularly in the Indian Ocean.

The writing is on the wall and it speaks out clearly that India is fast moving closer to becoming a military ally of the United States, whether it means distancing from Russian Federation or not but certainly angering China.

Carter said India’s designation as a “major defence partner” would allow the United States to cooperate with it — in both strategic and technological domains — at par with its closet and most long-standing allies.

But India has had concerns such an agreement would commit it to hosting US troops at its bases, or draw it into a military alliance with the United States and undermine its traditional autonomy. “And the chief minister belongs to the Valley”, he said. “That’s certainly true with respect to terrorist acts perpetrated against Indian people, and also I should mention, the Indian military, which has happened as well”, Mr Carter said.

The Communist Party of India-Marxist said the agreement has given India the “formal status of a military ally of the US”. It was signed after lengthy negotiations between the two countries with India insisting that the agreement not be legally binding to ensure its strategic independence.

After arriving from neighbouring Bangladesh, Kerry will take part in the “strategic and commercial dialogue” launched by US President Barack Obama and Modi past year to deepen economic and security cooperation. The repeated clarification shows how partnership with New Delhi will be unlike ties with other close US allies and partners-it has clear limits, and the Indian government will not hesitate to draw those lines.

“The Indian defence minister also appreciated American support in efforts to eliminate terrorism in India’s neighborhood”. Some see it as a step of increased closeness of the militaries and strengthen ability to counter the growing maritime assertiveness of China.