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Defence deal likely before PM Modi’s US visit in June
Modi starts a two-day US visit on June 7. He will meet President Barack Obama and address a joint meeting of congress as part of an unprecedented engagement with lawmakers.
India and the US hope to conclude a defence agreement giving their militaries reciprocal access to their facilities round the world before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s June visit.
Nisha Biswal, a senior US state department official, told American lawmakers at a senate hearing Tuesday, “We are hopeful that progress will be made on some of the foundational agreements, including the logistics agreement, that might be concluded prior to the visit.” She added, “We are looking to see if there are things we can take on board (for the visit).”
Modi starts a two-day US visit on June 7. He will meet President Barack Obama and address a joint meeting of congress as part of an unprecedented engagement with lawmakers.
The two countries announced an “in principle” decision to sign the pact, the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement, during defense secretary Ash Carter’s India visit in April.
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When signed, this agreement, one of four so-called foundational agreements, will give Indian and US militaries logistical access to their facilities around the world on a reciprocal basis.
This would be the second foundational agreement signed by India and the United States after the General Security of Military Information Agreement, signed in 2002. The remaining two are Communications and Information Security Memorandum of Agreement and Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geospatial Intelligence.
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The logistics agreement was first proposed in 2004, but came up against a wall in India over fears it may accord US basing facilities. Defense secretary Carter addressed that concern during his April visit denying it would led to the basing of US troops in India. “It makes it more routine and automatic for us to operate together.”
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