LOGISTICS SUPPORT AGREEMENT (LSA)
1. Context
The India-Russia bilateral Logistics Support Agreement (LSA), termed the Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement (RELOS), which had been dragging on for several years, was operationalised in January this year. There was a flutter on social media recently with claims that it allows the stationing of 3,000 Russian troops on Indian soil or vice versa, painting it as a military alliance. However, it is like any LSA, the likes of which India has signed with other countries.
2. What are Logistics Support Agreements?
- Logistics Support Agreements (LSAs) are basic defence cooperation arrangements between countries that facilitate the mutual use of military facilities such as bases and ports for refuelling, repairs, replenishment, and other logistical requirements.
- These agreements are primarily administrative in nature and specify the circumstances under which such support may be extended, including joint military exercises, training activities, naval port visits, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief operations.
- With growing military-to-military engagement and strategic partnerships, LSAs help streamline procedures and minimise bureaucratic hurdles.
- For example, India and the United States signed the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016, which was India’s first logistics support pact of this kind.
- The agreement establishes a framework for reciprocal access to logistics, supplies, and services during activities such as joint exercises, training programmes, and humanitarian or disaster relief missions.
- Clarifying the scope of the agreement, then Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre informed Parliament in February 2017 that LEMOA does not permit the establishment of military bases or any permanent basing arrangements.
- Some exaggerated interpretations suggest that logistics agreements allow countries to station troops on each other’s territory.
- Applying this logic, it is sometimes argued that if India and Russia could deploy forces on each other’s soil, India and the United States could do the same under LEMOA. However, such claims are incorrect.
- As clarified by the Defence Ministry, logistics support agreements merely facilitate logistical cooperation and do not authorise the permanent deployment or stationing of troops, a principle that applies to all LSA
3. What is the Agreement with Russia?
- Similar to other logistics support arrangements, the Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Support (RELOS) agreement lays down the framework for providing assistance to military units, facilitating port visits by naval vessels, enabling the use of airspace and airfield infrastructure by military aircraft, and organising logistical and technical support for warships, aircraft, and other military equipment of both countries.
- The agreement was concluded in Moscow on February 18, 2025, and was formally ratified after Russian President Vladimir Putin approved the corresponding federal law on December 15, 2025.
- According to the Kremlin, the pact establishes procedures governing the deployment of military contingents, naval port calls, and the use of aviation infrastructure and airspace by the armed forces of India and Russia.
- In broad terms, RELOS encompasses cooperation during joint exercises, training programmes, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations, repair and maintenance facilities, medical assistance, supply of food and technical materials, and reciprocal access to military installations, including ports and airbases, to support personnel operating ships and aircraft.
- The agreement specifies an upper ceiling of 3,000 personnel, which serves as a broad limit considering the size of military contingents and the number of ships or aircraft involved in mutually agreed engagements.
- It remains in force for five years and allows for modifications in the future to accommodate evolving requirements. The duration for the deployment of personnel and equipment would depend on the nature and schedule of visits agreed upon by both countries.
- In practice, India’s defence engagements with several countries are much more extensive. For example, Indian armed forces regularly participate in exercises with the United States and other partners.
- Officials have clarified that RELOS does not provide for the permanent deployment of troops or military assets.
- Its provisions are intended to be implemented only during agreed activities such as joint exercises, port visits, or other mutually approved engagements. No arrangement for permanent or long-term stationing forms part of the agreement.
- A notable feature of RELOS is that it grants India access to Russian military facilities in the Arctic region.
- This assumes greater significance as both countries seek to deepen cooperation in the Arctic, particularly in view of emerging navigation routes made increasingly accessible by climate change and global warming
4. Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA)
- The Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) is a bilateral logistics support arrangement signed between India and the United States in 2016.
- It establishes a framework that enables the armed forces of both countries to access each other’s military facilities for refuelling, replenishment, repairs, and other logistical requirements on a reciprocal basis.
- The agreement is intended to facilitate cooperation during joint military exercises, training activities, port visits, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations.
- LEMOA simplifies administrative procedures and enhances interoperability between the two militaries by providing access to logistics supplies and services when required.
- However, the agreement does not permit the establishment of military bases or permanent basing arrangements on each other’s territory.
- This clarification was provided by the Government of India, which emphasized that the pact is purely logistical in nature and does not involve the stationing of troops or military assets.
- As one of the key foundational defence agreements between India and the United States, LEMOA has strengthened strategic cooperation and improved the ability of both countries to undertake coordinated operations and respond effectively to regional and humanitarian contingencies
5. Logistics Support Agreements (LSAs) Signed by India with Various Countries
India has entered into several Logistics Support Agreements (LSAs) with strategic partners such as the United States, France, Australia, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea. These arrangements facilitate reciprocal access to military facilities and enhance defence cooperation, interoperability, and maritime security.
- India–United States
As part of efforts to deepen defence relations, India and the United States have concluded three key foundational agreements:
- Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA), signed in 2016, enables the armed forces of both countries to access each other’s logistics infrastructure for refuelling, replenishment, maintenance, and other support services. The agreement significantly expands the operational reach of the Indian Navy. For instance, access to American facilities such as Guam enhances India's ability to sustain operations across distant waters.
- Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) was concluded in 2018. It facilitates the use of secure and encrypted communication systems, thereby enabling the effective deployment of advanced military platforms, including the P-8I maritime surveillance aircraft operated by the Indian Navy.
- Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA), signed in November 2020, provides India with access to U.S. geospatial intelligence and satellite data. This improves the precision and targeting capability of long-range weapons and strengthens situational awareness.
- India–France
- The logistics agreement between India and France seeks to enhance strategic cooperation and contribute to peace and stability in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It also enables closer collaboration between the two navies, including the exchange of maritime intelligence and improved operational coordination.
- India–Australia
- India and Australia signed the Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA) on June 4, 2020. Notably, it was the first bilateral agreement concluded through a virtual summit. The pact reflects the shared commitment of both countries to strengthening maritime cooperation and maintaining a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.
- India–Japan
- In September 2020, India and Japan signed the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA). The agreement facilitates reciprocal logistical support between the armed forces of the two nations and promotes closer defence cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
- India–Singapore
- India and Singapore concluded a logistics support agreement on June 1, 2020. The arrangement covers a broad spectrum of military assets, including warships, submarines, aircraft, and shipborne helicopters, thereby enhancing naval cooperation between the two countries.
- India–South Korea
- India signed a Mutual Logistics Support Agreement with South Korea in September 2019. The agreement has expanded the operational footprint of the Indian Navy, extending its access and presence towards the northern reaches of the South China Sea and strengthening maritime engagement in East Asia.
7. Way Forward
Overall, these logistics agreements have enhanced India's military interoperability with partner countries, expanded the operational reach of its armed forces, and reinforced its strategic presence across the Indo-Pacific region.
Although the partner countries differ, the underlying framework and objectives of these arrangements remain largely identical. They are intended to facilitate joint exercises, training activities, port visits, and other forms of military cooperation by simplifying access to logistical resources and support services.
In addition, India has a logistics support arrangement with Oman, which operates within the broader framework of the bilateral defence cooperation agreement between the two countries. Together, these agreements have enhanced the operational reach of the Indian armed forces and strengthened India's strategic partnerships across different regions.
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For Prelims: Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA), Logistics Support Agreement (LSA), India and Russia
For Mains: GS II - International relations
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Source: The Hindu
