India and US are now logistics Partners

The high octane diplomatic activity between India and US culminated in signing of Logistics Exchange and Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) one of the four “foundation agreements” between the countries taking the strategic partnership to the next level. The other three agreements are the-End User Verification Agreement signed in 2009, a Communications, Interoperability and Security Memorandum of Agreement (CISMOA) and the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement on geo-spatial services (BECA). Foundational agreements are believed to promote interoperability between the militaries of both countries through establishment of control and support systems. These in turn will guide in sale and transfer of high-end technologies. Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar flew to Washington to officiate the signing of agreement with his US counterpart Ashton Carter on August 29^th. US declared this as a watershed moment in Indo-US partnership for it marked the end of 12-year Indian hesitation. While the details of the agreement are not made public contending voices began to dominate and construe the outcomes of Indo-US embrace with suspicion.

At the same time US secretary for State, John Kerry and Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzer arrived in India for the second Indo-US Strategic and Commercial Dialogue. The joint statement substantially wide range of issues that majorly included- cross-border terrorism, totalization agreement, visa fee hike, redoubling efforts on India’s NSG membership, energy and climate issues.

LEMOA is equivalent to Logistics Services Agreement (LSA), which has a standard draft and US signed this agreement with 60 other countries. Cognizant of strident domestic political opposition, NDA was wary of signing any such agreement with US. Alternatively, the standard draft of LSA was suitably altered after hard negotiations to address Indian concerns leading to genesis of LEMOA. LEMOA enables both parties to access each other’s military facilities for refueling, repair, supplies and services. Under the modified LSA, India has reiterated that accessing bases would be critically reviewed case by case depending on the purpose ruling out the possibility of default accession. Currently four areas of activities would be carried out- joint military exercises, training, port calls humanitarian and disaster relief. Dispelling fears of critics, Defence Minister asserted that “the agreement doesn’t create obligation on either party to carry out any joint activity. It doesn’t provide for establishment of any bases or basing arrangements”. Effectively ruling out the possibility of stationing of US troops or bases on Indian soil. The foundation for strengthening Indo-US ties was laid in 2002 when the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) was signed.

On ground, some experts opine that India’s ability to access US bases hasn’t changed much with signing of LEMOA except that the process is now regularized. India and US so far has jointly participated in several military exercises and payments are done accordingly which was very tedious process. With this agreement, a mechanism will be developed to regularize book-keeping and payments, designated contact points on either side will be established.

Deepening ties with the US was always met with stiff opposition and Indian leadership refrained from taking an affirmative decision under domestic political duress. But currently renewed Chinese assertive belligerence, Dragon’s complicit attitude towards Pakistan’s terror havens and aggressive containment policy adopted by Beijing propelled India to warm up to the US. Further with geo-political scenario of region entering into turbulent phase, India is prompted to take a decision. China meanwhile, lashed out derisively at India post-LEMOA, relenting that Prime Minister Modi meekly buried the founding pillar of Indian foreign policy, Non-alignment and keenly seeking ties with the US. Global Times, the state media of China remarked that Indo-US military partnership through logistics agreement “may irritate China, Pakistan or even Russia. It may not make India feel safer, but will bring strategic troubles to itself and make itself a center of geopolitical rivalries of Asia”. This editorial, indeed blatantly forewarned that Beijing would spare no efforts in roiling up tensions and later attributing the same to India’s attempts to buttress its military capabilities and strategic position. Moreover, with the US, Japan and Australia looking to India to play a significant role in the region, China is terribly miffed.

Indo-US relations shrouded by mistrust and contempt witnessed a new dawn under Clinton administration. India Prime Ministers Narasimha Rao, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Man Mohan Singh enthusiastically worked towards building bridges with the US. By 2008, Obama administration sent out conflicting signals to India. By incessantly hyphenating India and Pakistan, extending financial bounties to our regional adversary, Obama undermined Indo-US relations. His gratuitous urgency to resolve Kashmir issue to obtain Pakistan’s help to end crisis in Afghanistan and his China First policy evaporated Indian hopes of expediting ties with the US. At the same time, UPA2 lackadaisical approach sapped vital energy off the bilateral ties. But in a sudden change of strategy, having suffered a setback with “China, First Policy” US turned its attention to India. In a bid to bolster Pivot to Asia doctrine under which US intends to deploy 60% of its maritime assets in Asia-Pacific Obama administration began to revamp ties with India. At the same time, in 2014, despite Modi’s personal problems with the US, endeavored to revive ties with Washington. Besides, the unexpected political chemistry between the two leaders led to renewal of defence partnership, expansion of economic engagement, reinstatement of strategic and commercial dialogue and strengthening of cooperation in other areas. The joint statement issued after signing the agreement affirmed that “The US has indeed agreed to elevate defence trade and technology sharing with India to a level commensurate with its closest allies and partners”. The extent of defence trade between the countries which was almost negligible in 2005 is $10billion in 2015 with US becoming India’s biggest defence vendor.

 At this juncture it is vital to understand that Modi invested great energies to transform and strengthen Indo-China relations by offering a hand of friendship. But unfortunately both China and Pakistan gravely foiled the laudable efforts of India and preferred sailing along an antagonistic trail. In the recent past, China and Pakistan jointly conducted military operations in the POK region, China stalled India’s entry into the NSG, supported terror campaign of Pakistan and aggressively embarked on the strategic completion of CPEC passing through the disputed region of Gilgit-Baltistan despite India’s repeated objections.

Through LEMOA, while India intends to augment its strategically propitious geographical position, US can gain access to vital Indian bases and other services without sparing any efforts to build them. With India expressing its intentions of pursuing its own independent interests it unequivocally dismissed the idea of becoming an ally of the US. Under LEMOA, India for the first time can gain access to foreign bases. With LEMOA sealed, hopes are high on other two pacts- CISMOA and BECA. But agreement over interoperability and cooperation on geospatial services might be a far cry with defence establishment and political dispensation expressing concerns. With this logistics agreement India developed a robust relationship with the US but foreboding concerns of distancing Russia would beset Indian leadership.

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