An army convoy moves to Ladakh through Gagangeer in Kashmir (AP)
NEW DELHI: India is working to improve its strategic reach in the indian ocean and beyond, securing reciprocal military logistics pacts with friendly countries to counter the expansion of China’s footprint in the Indo-Pacific region.
Japan has now become the sixth country, after the US, France, Australia, South Korea and Singapore, with which India has such an agreement to allow military forces to share logistics to support ships. warfare and other aircraft, as well as strengthening overall interoperability and defense. cooperation.
“India is negotiating similar pacts with the UK and Russia. The Russian should be inked later this year. We do not have the intention or the means to establish bases abroad as China is doing far and wide, ”a senior official said Thursday.
Defense Secretary Ajay Kumar and Japanese Ambassador Suzuki Satoshi signed the agreement on “reciprocal provision of supplies and services” between the Indian armed forces and the Japanese self-defense forces.
P.M Narendra modi and its counterpart Shinzo Abe agreed that the pact, whose negotiations began in October 2018, “will further enhance the depth of defense cooperation” between India and Japan and “contribute to peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region.” The 10-year agreement will automatically extend every decade, unless a party decides to terminate it.
The Defense Ministry, in turn, said the agreement establishes the framework conducive to closer cooperation between the two armed forces in the reciprocal provision of supplies and services while participating in bilateral training activities, peacekeeping operations of the UN, international humanitarian aid and other mutually agreed activities.
With its sights set on an expansionist and rule-breaking China, the ‘Quad’ grouping of India, the US, Australia and Japan will also gain more weight now. Just last week, Defense Chief of Staff Gen. Bipin Rawat strongly endorsed the Quad as a “good mechanism” to guarantee freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific region. India, by the way, is also preparing to host a Quad meeting later this year.
Regarding logistics pacts, the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) signed with the US in 2016 provides India with refueling facilities and access to US bases in Djibouti, Diego Garcia, Guam and Subic Bay.
The one signed with France in 2018 extends the reach of the Indian Navy in the southwest of IOR due to French bases in the Reunion Islands near Madagascar and Djibouti in the Horn of Africa.
The Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA) signed with Australia in June will help Indian warships in the southern Indian Ocean and the western Pacific region.
China, which now has the world’s largest Navy with 350 warships and submarines, is looking to establish more logistics bases after its first overseas military installation in Djibouti became operational in August 2017. It also has access to the ports of Karachi and Gwadar in Pakistan for change. facilities for your submarines and warships.
Latest from USA Pentagon The report says China is actively seeking to establish military logistics facilities in Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates, Kenya, Seychelles, Tanzania, Angola and Tajikistan, TOI reported.
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