India and Japan sign logistics agreement

After years of negotiations, India and Japan have inked a landmark agreement- Agreement on Reciprocal Provision of Supplies and Services– that will allow their militaries to access each other’s bases for logistics support.
It is seen as a key development that comes in the backdrop of growing concerns over China’s military muscle flexing in the region.

The agreement provides for creation of an enabling framework for closer cooperation and interoperability, besides allowing militaries of the two countries to use each other’s bases and facilities for repair and replenishment of supplies while engaged in bilateral training activities, United Nations Peacekeeping Operations, Humanitarian International Relief and other mutually agreed activities.
The pact, signed between the Indian Armed Forces and the Self-Defense Forces of Japan, will further enhance the depth of defence cooperation between the two countries and contribute to peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region.

In June, India and Australia sealed a similar Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA) while resolving to scale up their overall defence cooperation.
India has already signed similar agreements with the US, France and Singapore.
The Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) inked with the US in 2016 gives India refueling facilities and access to American bases in Djibouti, Diego Garcia, Guam and Subic Bay.
The one inked with France in 2018, in turn, also extends the Indian Navy’s reach in south-western Indian Ocean Region (IOR) due to French bases in the Reunion Islands near Madagascar and Djibouti on the Horn of Africa.
The MLSA with Australia will help us to extend the reach of our warships in southern IOR as well as the Western Pacific region.
The pacts are crucial for India in the backdrop of China fast expanding its strategic footprint in the IOR after its first overseas military base at Djibouti became operational in August 2017.

The Indian Navy has significantly expanded its deployment in the Indian Ocean Region, deploying a plethora of warships and submarines following the border row with China in eastern Ladakh.
In June, the Indian Navy carried out a maritime exercise with the Japanese navy as part of efforts to bolster military cooperation.
The maritime space around the Malacca Strait, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, is very critical for China’s supply chain through sea routes.

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