Part of: Prelims and GS – II- International Relations
Context: India is all set to conclude the bilateral logistics agreement with Russia soon while the agreement with the U.K. is in the final stages of conclusion.
Key Takeaways
The Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement (RELOS) is likely to be signed by Indiain next two months
The agreement is an administrative arrangements facilitating access to military facilities for exchange of fuel and provisions on mutual agreement
This cooperation simplifies logistical support and increasesoperational turnaround of the military when operating away from India.
India has signed similar logistics agreements with all Quad countries, France, Singapore and South Korea beginning with LEMOA with the U.S in 2016.
About LEMOA: The Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement
It was signed between India and the US in August 2016.
It allows the military of each country to replenish from the other’s bases: access supplies, spare parts and services from the other country’s land facilities, air bases, and ports, which can then be reimbursed.
This is extremely useful for Navy-to-Navy cooperation, since the US and India are cooperating closely in the Indo-Pacific.
To put this simple words, it is like going to a friend’s garage and workshop to refuel one’s car and getting repairs done. But, by doing this, one is also exposing one’s car and technology to the friend, and that requires trust.
If signing LEMOA needed trust, its application enhances the trust. It took almost a decade to negotiate LEMOA.
