Indian bases to open doors to US warships, planes

[anon45]

By Rajat Pandit

American aircraft and warships will soon be able to access Indian military bases and vice versa for refuelling, repair and other logistical purposes, in a move that will further tighten the India-US strategic clinch and help Washington in its ongoing "re-balance" of 60% of its naval forces to the Asia Pacific to counter an increasingly assertive China.

Signalling a shift from the UPA regime's diffidence over such pacts, defence minister Manohar Parrikar and his US counterpart Ashton Carter on Tuesday announced that the two countries "have agreed in principle" to share military logistics, which will now lead to inking of the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement in a few months.

Top Indian officials took pains to clarify that the "reciprocal" logistics pact was just meant to facilitate military cooperation and not aimed at forging any sort of a military alliance against China.

Top Indian officials clarified that the logistics pact with US was to facilitate military cooperation, especially for the flurry of bilateral combat exercises and humanitarian aid operations in the region.

60% of US navy to be in Indo-Asia-Pacific region
India and the US will also further bolster maritime security cooperation, which will include stepping up the complexity of its combat exercises and talks on anti-submarine warfare, but there are no plans for joint naval patrols in the contentious South China Sea or elsewhere. "India has not changed its stand (on joint patrols)," defence minister Manohar Parrikar said.

Parrikar and his US counterpart Ashton Carter stressed that Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) did not entail stationing of any US troops on Indian soil, even as officials added that India will not extend support in the event of any US military action against "friendly countries". "We can refuse access to our bases whenever we want," said an official.
But it does overturn the policy of the previous UPA regime, which had steadfastly stonewalled the US push for the so-called "foundational agreements" on logistics, the Communication Interoperability and Security Memorandum Agreement (CISMOA) and the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geo-Spatial Cooperation (BECA) for well over a decade.

India, US agree to share military logistics for warships, aircraft
Then defence minister A K Antony, backed by the Left and others, had opposed the three foundational pacts on the grounds that they would "compromise" India's traditional strategic autonomy and give "basing rights" to the US military in the country. While the Modi government still has some reservations on CISMOA and BECA, it says India and the US are institutionalising through LEMOA what already happens "on a case-to-case basis", as earlier reported by TOI.

Times of India, April 13, 2016

Indian bases to open doors to US warships, planes

This sounds huge. this extends US logistics chain in Asia, and massively extends India's. It also showcases converging relations and interests between the world's largest and most powerful democracies.

 

[dadeechi]

By Rajat Pandit

American aircraft and warships will soon be able to access Indian military bases and vice versa for refuelling, repair and other logistical purposes, in a move that will further tighten the India-US strategic clinch and help Washington in its ongoing "re-balance" of 60% of its naval forces to the Asia Pacific to counter an increasingly assertive China.

Signalling a shift from the UPA regime's diffidence over such pacts, defence minister Manohar Parrikar and his US counterpart Ashton Carter on Tuesday announced that the two countries "have agreed in principle" to share military logistics, which will now lead to inking of the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement in a few months.

Top Indian officials took pains to clarify that the "reciprocal" logistics pact was just meant to facilitate military cooperation and not aimed at forging any sort of a military alliance against China.

Top Indian officials clarified that the logistics pact with US was to facilitate military cooperation, especially for the flurry of bilateral combat exercises and humanitarian aid operations in the region.

60% of US navy to be in Indo-Asia-Pacific region
India and the US will also further bolster maritime security cooperation, which will include stepping up the complexity of its combat exercises and talks on anti-submarine warfare, but there are no plans for joint naval patrols in the contentious South China Sea or elsewhere. "India has not changed its stand (on joint patrols)," defence minister Manohar Parrikar said.

Parrikar and his US counterpart Ashton Carter stressed that Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) did not entail stationing of any US troops on Indian soil, even as officials added that India will not extend support in the event of any US military action against "friendly countries". "We can refuse access to our bases whenever we want," said an official.
But it does overturn the policy of the previous UPA regime, which had steadfastly stonewalled the US push for the so-called "foundational agreements" on logistics, the Communication Interoperability and Security Memorandum Agreement (CISMOA) and the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geo-Spatial Cooperation (BECA) for well over a decade.

India, US agree to share military logistics for warships, aircraft
Then defence minister A K Antony, backed by the Left and others, had opposed the three foundational pacts on the grounds that they would "compromise" India's traditional strategic autonomy and give "basing rights" to the US military in the country. While the Modi government still has some reservations on CISMOA and BECA, it says India and the US are institutionalising through LEMOA what already happens "on a case-to-case basis", as earlier reported by TOI.

Times of India, April 13, 2016

Indian bases to open doors to US warships, planes

This sounds huge. this extends US logistics chain in Asia, and massively extends India's. It also showcases converging relations and interests between the world's largest and most powerful democracies.

I hope one day India would get an offer from US to merge with it.

Just think about the possibilities of Oldest Democracy and the only Super power on the planet acquiring the oldest civilization and the biggest democracy.

The things both bring to the table are truly complimentary.

This would be truly be an amazing acquisition by the US.

 

[somebozo]

I hope one day India would get an offer from US to merge with it.

Just think about the possibilities of Oldest Democracy and the only Super power on the planet acquiring the old civilization and the biggest democracy.

This would be truly be an amazing acquisition by the US.

Once upon a time India merged with then super power the British empire...the Indians have not let the nostalgia of serving the white master and deep down they desire the return of same.

 

[C130]

this applies to both sides, means India can now port at any US base, this will benefit India in the long run.




is that why Pakistan is still serving white masters of USA since Independence?

white masters

 

[Kaniska]

It was a long pending initiatives which UPA Govt was unnecessarily blocking it with the fear that they will loose the votes of socialist..

 

[CHD]

Good development.

 

[dadeechi]

Once upon a time India merged with then super power the British empire...the Indians have not let the nostalgia of serving the white master and deep down they desire the return of same.

The below chart depicts why a US takeover of India makes perfect sense.

By 2030 China would be 74Trillion while US+India would be 69 Trillion

 

[nik141993]

good development

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

Great development.

 

[anon45]

Great development.

Why do you see this as a great development?

Granted this isn't exactly turned against China despite what the paper says (though it has the potential), but it does depict a deepening entrenchment of the US in SE Asia and a budding coalition that has the potential to limit China's options not just in the SCS (because the US has more potential bases to operate from that are close to the region), but when it comes to its disputes with India.

From a Chinese government perspective, this should be an unwelcome development shouldn't it?

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

Why do you see this as a great development?

Granted this isn't exactly turned against China despite what the paper says (though it has the potential), but it does depict a deepening entrenchment of the US in SE Asia and a budding coalition that has the potential to limit China's options not just in the SCS (because the US has more potential bases to operate from that are close to the region), but when it comes to its disputes with India.

From a Chinese government perspective, this should be an unwelcome development shouldn't it?

Not at all.

We have been contained by both the enemy superpowers during the Cold War. First we fought the USA + 16 of her allies in the Korean War (pushing them into the longest retreat in the history of the American armed forces), then we fought directly against the USSR during the Sino-Soviet split.

It's much easier to deal with and understand pawns of the superpowers than it is to understand a truly independent country.

And it's not new news either:

India pleaded for US help against China in 1962 - Times of India

India as an independent power would have been a true competitor, an American pawn on the other hand is just business as usual.

 

[anon45]

Not at all.

We have been contained by both the enemy superpowers during the Cold War. First we fought the USA + 16 of her allies in the Korean War (pushing them into the longest retreat in the history of the American armed forces), then we fought directly against the USSR during the Sino-Soviet split.

It's much easier to deal with and understand pawns of the superpowers than it is to understand a truly independent country.

And it's not new news either:

India pleaded for US help against China in 1962 - Times of India

India as an independent power would have been a true competitor, an American pawn on the other hand is just business as usual.

Huh, sorry can't say I understand why an India partnering with the US is more easily dealt with than an unalligned India.

Yes it makes things more clearcut for China if they see that they have no chance of removing India from the conflict through favorable settlement and so don't have to waste time and resources, but it still remains that US is more difficult to remove from the region and India is able to project more power in the region.

Can you explain what I'm missing?

 

[Zee-shaun]

USA will drag india down into her conflicts using her ports and let her serve American interests.

Either you are with us or against us.

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

Huh, sorry can't say I understand why an India partnering with the US is more easily dealt with than an unalligned India.

Yes it makes things more clearcut for China if they see that they have no chance of removing India from the conflict through favorable settlement and so don't have to waste time and resources, but it still remains that US is more difficult to remove from the region and India is able to project more power in the region.

Can you explain what I'm missing?

You're not missing anything at all.

We respect independent powers, not vassal states of America.

See what happened when China seized the Scarborough shoal from the Philippines in 2012, despite them having a full "mutual defense treaty" with America.

Did their "mutual defense treaty" with America help them one bit? Or did it end up hurting them, as they naturally expected America to come and help, which didn't happen.

This other country had the same thing happen to them first hand, they lost a large portion of territory called Aksai Chin:

India pleaded for US help against China in 1962 - Times of India

What is common here? Both countries expected America to come and help them, both countries lost territory. Like the Ukraine in 2014, or Georgia in 2008.

America is basically throwing the territory of their pawns away like candy. And those pawns are now looking at their maps and wondering, what happened?

Hell, it's happening right now in the South China Sea. Territory is being acquired at an unprecedented rate. Thanks to America.

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

You're not missing anything at all.

We respect independent powers, not vassal states of America.

See what happened when China seized the Scarborough shoal from the Philippines in 2012, despite them having a full "mutual defense treaty" with America.

Did their "mutual defense treaty" with America help them one bit? Or did it end up hurting them, as they naturally expected America to come and help, which didn't happen.

This other country had the same thing happen to them first hand, they lost a large portion of territory called Aksai Chin:

India pleaded for US help against China in 1962 - Times of India

What is common here? Both countries expected America to come and help them, both countries lost territory. Like the Ukraine in 2014, or Georgia in 2008.

America is basically throwing the territory of their pawns away like candy. And those pawns are now looking at their maps and wondering, what happened?

Are you acknowledging again that the scarborough Shoal was clearly sovereign territory of the Philippines? Because everybody else (Including the UN) thinks that island and many of the others are just being squatted on. So how can they invoke a defense treaty on territory that isn't even clearly theirs?

But if China wants to admit it was clearly owned by the Philipines then they can use it in the SCS negotiations.

Or do want to take your statement back as nonsensical drivel that you keep repeating over and over and over and over.