Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has put an official seal on the new defence agreement, Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA), with the United States in the presence of his counterpart, Ash Carter.
LEMOA is a logistics agreement that allows the militaries of India and the U.S. to use each other's bases for repairs and supplies.
Here are the key highlights of the LEMOA:
- The LEMOA was inked by India and the U.S. on Aug. 29.
- The U.S. had suggested the agreement during the United Progressive Alliance regime, but the Manmohan Singh government was not interested.
- Originally known as the Logistics Support Agreement (LSA), amendments were made after criticism.
- Discussions on the agreement started in 2002 and it is one of the four foundational pacts that the U.S. wanted India to ink.
- India is yet to sign the Communications Interoperability and Security Memorandum of Agreement (CISMOA) and the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement on geo-spatial services (BECA).
- Parrikar said in a joint press conference that it took 12 years for the signing of the agreement and that he was not committal about the other two pacts.
- LEMOA is a "facilitating agreement" that "establishes basic terms, conditions and procedures for reciprocal provision of logistic support, supplies and services between India and the U.S. forces."
- The defence ministry presser noted that logistic support, supplies and services include "food, water, billeting, transportation, petroleum, oils, lubricants, clothing, communication services, medical services, storage services, training services, spare parts and components, repair and maintenance services, calibration services and port services."
- The presser notes that "the agreement does not create any obligations on either party to carry out any joint activity."
- Most importantly, the presser clarified that, "it does not provide for the establishment of any bases or basing arrangements."
