The editorial “Is India heading toward alliance with USA?”
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The agreement is seen as a milestone in the India-US defence relationship because of the outsized political importance it had taken on India, where concerns were raised over whether the country’s autonomy would be undermined.
It is another step in India strengthening its strategic partnership with USA.
But India has had concerns it would be committed by such an arrangement to hosting USA troops or draw on it into a military alliance with America and sabotage its traditional autonomy.
One of the key takeaways from the visit would be signing of the agreement called the “Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement” (LEMOA). The two countries had also reached an agreement “in principle” in April, but had yet to finalise the details.
A joint statement issued after the meeting of Parrikar and Carter said the LEMOA will facilitate additional opportunities for practical engagement and exchange.
Carter, in his remarks, drew a comparison between the U.S. “pivot to Asia” and India’s “Act East Policy”.
“It is possible that the Modi administration is trying an unconventional way to lean toward the United States with the logistics agreement, “the editorial reads”. “There is no provision for any base or any sort of activities to set up a base in India”, Parrikar told reporters at a joint news conference with Carter after the two leaders held talks at the Pentagon. Carter who was visiting New Delhi at that time and Parrikar had pointed out the proposed agreement only related to provision of logistical support, refuelling facilities, supplies, fix and rest.
“Defence cooperation between India and the United States has never been stronger than it is today”, the Defence Ministry said in a tweet from its official Twitter handle.
The Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) allows India and USA militaries to access each other’s military facilities for refuelling and replenishment.
Reciprocal logistic support would be used exclusively during authorised port visits, joint exercises, joint training, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts.
Congress, which had appeared to be putting off the agreement while in power, and vocally opposed it when India and U.S. announced their “in principle” agreement in April, made no response till Tuesday evening.
Surjewala further said: “Modi government has neither explained the reasons which prompted this major shift nor made the contents of the agreement public”. 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. Secretary Carter and Minister Parrikar also agreed to continue to their close consultation on “Make in India” proposals. “We want to be able to have these kinds of bilateral discussions that cut – that really do cut across all the sectors of a bilateral relationship to deepen it and grow it and to keep it going forward”, Kirby concluded.
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The first handshake is strategic, as the United States rebalances to the Asia-Pacific, and India extends its reach towards east, in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.
