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India and US to talk on giving access to each other’s military bases and ports
Monday, December 21, 2015
By: ET
India has agreed to reopen talks with the US on a pact to allow each other access to their military bases and ports, signalling a strategic shift from the UPA position to not take any such step for fear of conveying an impression of a military alliance.
The proposed pact, which is called the Logistics Support Agreement (LSA), allows both sides to make changes to each other’s facilities in a way that it allows for easier conduct of military exercises besides expanding their scope and ambition. It’s also aimed at raising trust levels for the US to share more high-end technology with India, which is critical to spur military co-production between both countries.
Informed sources told ET that Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has conveyed to his US counterpart Ashton Carter during his just concluded visit that India now has an open mind on the LSA as well as other pacts — CISMOA and BECA.
CISMOA is Communication and Information Security Memorandum of Agreement and BECA is Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement. Together, these form what is called the defence ‘foundational agreements’ with the US.
The Defence Ministry under the UPA government had taken a hard line against signing any such agreement with the US. The reason given was that any such pact goes against India’s posture of military neutrality, conveying in the process a more provocative message to China. This was the same reason why the UPA government never wanted a third country to be involved in Indo-US military exercises, particularly when conducted on Indian waters.
But the other side of the argument was that such agreements would lay the basis for any US administration to justifiably share high-end military technology and information with India. Under the LSA, for instance, Indian and US bases would have to be equipped appropriately to play host to each other’s platforms.
In earlier conversations, the US had agreed to keep this restricted to military exercises and for the conduct of any other ‘mutually agreed’ action just to address Indian concerns that it’s not misconstrued as a “blank cheque” to the US to use Indian bases for any operations it undertakes across the globe. The US is now expected to present a fresh draft soon. The CISMOA is an agreement that allows both militaries to come on a common communication platform.
While this makes it easier for both sides to carry out exercises and operations together, the Indian side has been concerned about the access this may give US to Indian systems. But, sources said, this works both ways as India will also get access and then security protocols can be developed.
The third agreement, BECA, largely pertains to geo-spatial intelligence requiring sharing information on maps and satellite imaging for defence purposes. India has sought more details on extent of information needed to be shared under this arrangement.
Monday, December 21, 2015
By: ET
India has agreed to reopen talks with the US on a pact to allow each other access to their military bases and ports, signalling a strategic shift from the UPA position to not take any such step for fear of conveying an impression of a military alliance.
The proposed pact, which is called the Logistics Support Agreement (LSA), allows both sides to make changes to each other’s facilities in a way that it allows for easier conduct of military exercises besides expanding their scope and ambition. It’s also aimed at raising trust levels for the US to share more high-end technology with India, which is critical to spur military co-production between both countries.
Informed sources told ET that Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has conveyed to his US counterpart Ashton Carter during his just concluded visit that India now has an open mind on the LSA as well as other pacts — CISMOA and BECA.
CISMOA is Communication and Information Security Memorandum of Agreement and BECA is Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement. Together, these form what is called the defence ‘foundational agreements’ with the US.
The Defence Ministry under the UPA government had taken a hard line against signing any such agreement with the US. The reason given was that any such pact goes against India’s posture of military neutrality, conveying in the process a more provocative message to China. This was the same reason why the UPA government never wanted a third country to be involved in Indo-US military exercises, particularly when conducted on Indian waters.
But the other side of the argument was that such agreements would lay the basis for any US administration to justifiably share high-end military technology and information with India. Under the LSA, for instance, Indian and US bases would have to be equipped appropriately to play host to each other’s platforms.
In earlier conversations, the US had agreed to keep this restricted to military exercises and for the conduct of any other ‘mutually agreed’ action just to address Indian concerns that it’s not misconstrued as a “blank cheque” to the US to use Indian bases for any operations it undertakes across the globe. The US is now expected to present a fresh draft soon. The CISMOA is an agreement that allows both militaries to come on a common communication platform.
While this makes it easier for both sides to carry out exercises and operations together, the Indian side has been concerned about the access this may give US to Indian systems. But, sources said, this works both ways as India will also get access and then security protocols can be developed.
The third agreement, BECA, largely pertains to geo-spatial intelligence requiring sharing information on maps and satellite imaging for defence purposes. India has sought more details on extent of information needed to be shared under this arrangement.
what about Russia
