Review proposals on Def pact: India tells US

New Delhi

In what is seen as a shift in strategy, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has asked the US to address India’s concerns over Communications and Information Security Memorandum of Agreement (CISMOA), Logistics Support Agreement (LSA) and Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) for holding further talks.

While the previous UPA government had refused to sign these agreements, sources said that LSA, which enables cashless supplies to each other’s armed forces on credit, is doable as it can be done on “case by case” basis. “Of course no help will be extended in event of a war with our friendly countries,” the sources said.

CISMOA allows interoperability of Indian and US equipment, which can be critical in a multination operation for rescue, disaster relief or any other such matters. Indian defence establishment has concerns about this agreement as well as the BECA, which facilitates the exchange of geospatial information between governments for military as well as civilian use. They added that “fresh proposals” have been sought from the US on these agreements.

The US has been pushing India over these agreements arguing that India is itself blocking potential for defence and high-technology cooperation.

Kenneth Handelman, Deputy Assistant Secretary (Defence Trade Controls) in the State Department, had in February this year said that not signing of these pacts by India “are going to be an issue” at some point as both the countries work on high-end technology.