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Indo-US wargames continue - The Times of India
NEW DELHI: India may still be wary of inking three bilateral military pacts being pushed by US but the flurry of joint combat exercises and defence deals between the two countries continues unabated.
Even as defence minister A K Antony left for Washington on Sunday for a brief two-day visit, during which he will also take up the massive US arms supplies to Pakistan, India remains quite unconvinced about the "benefits" that will accrue from the Logistics Support Agreement (LSA), Communication Interoperability and Security Memorandum Agreement (CISMOA) and Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geo-Spatial Cooperation (BECA).
While the first pact deals with providing logistical support for each other's armed forces, the other two deal with technology safeguards. "We have our doubts...further negotiations are in progress. The pacts will not be signed during Antony's visit," said an Indian official.
A US government official, however, said CISMOA and BECA were basically "technology enablers", which would help US provide "sensitive technology" to India. The LSA, too, would be beneficial to both sides. "We are trying to understand Indian concerns and clarify doubts," he said.
But this deadlock apart, the bilateral military ties are going full steam ahead. For one, Indian and American special forces are currently engaged in the "Vajra Prahar" counter-terrorism exercise at the Belgaum commando school in Karnataka.
NEW DELHI: India may still be wary of inking three bilateral military pacts being pushed by US but the flurry of joint combat exercises and defence deals between the two countries continues unabated.
Even as defence minister A K Antony left for Washington on Sunday for a brief two-day visit, during which he will also take up the massive US arms supplies to Pakistan, India remains quite unconvinced about the "benefits" that will accrue from the Logistics Support Agreement (LSA), Communication Interoperability and Security Memorandum Agreement (CISMOA) and Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geo-Spatial Cooperation (BECA).
While the first pact deals with providing logistical support for each other's armed forces, the other two deal with technology safeguards. "We have our doubts...further negotiations are in progress. The pacts will not be signed during Antony's visit," said an Indian official.
A US government official, however, said CISMOA and BECA were basically "technology enablers", which would help US provide "sensitive technology" to India. The LSA, too, would be beneficial to both sides. "We are trying to understand Indian concerns and clarify doubts," he said.
But this deadlock apart, the bilateral military ties are going full steam ahead. For one, Indian and American special forces are currently engaged in the "Vajra Prahar" counter-terrorism exercise at the Belgaum commando school in Karnataka.
