India and US closes on to sign Logistics Support Agreement LSA
Shares
WASHINGTON: India and US are closing on to sign Logistics Support Agreement (LSA) after 12 years of talks.
The agreement will strengthen defence ties and allow the two militaries to use each other’s land, air and naval bases for resupplies, repair and rest.
The head of US Navy’s Pacific Command Admiral Harry Harris said “We have not gotten to the point of signing them with India, but I think we’re close.”
US and India will also signed two other foundational agreements in Defence and Communication field.
Harris said “There are somewhat we call foundational agreements that have to be executed with partner nations in order to move, quote unquote, ‘to the next level’. And we are working with India on the signing of those foundational agreements.”
These agreements include DTTI (Defense Technology and Trade Initiative), LSA (Logistic Support Agreement) and CISMOA (Communications and Information Security Memorandum of Agreement).
An Indian official said “It has been clarified that it will be done on a case-to-case basis; it’s not automatic that either side will get access to facilities in the case of war.”
Both countries are strengthening ties as China becomes increasingly assertive.
US is also in talks with India to support it for building its largest aircraft carrier which is the largest military collaboration to date.
