India, Russia plan to seal logistics deal

Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, December 13

In a significant move, India and Russia on Thursday asked officials on both sides to work out details of an agreement to share military logistics, including fuel, spares and services, while announcing an expanded framework for cooperation.

This will allow Russian warships to quickly refuel at Indian ports, implying they can stay longer in the Indian Ocean. The logistics agreement will replicate what the India-US Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) facilitates. The LEMOA allows use of each other’s military facilities such as ports to seek repairs, fuel, logistics etc.

With India and Russia operating so many common-origin platforms like warships, submarines, fighter jets and tanks, it makes more sense and will help in servicing of equipment at various locations in Russia. Russians too will be able to seek similar facilities at Indian repair depots. The agreement came up for discussion at a meeting co-chaired by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her Russian counterpart General Sergei Shoigu, sources told the Tribune. This was the 18th meeting of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-MTC).

The logistics will be covered under a new framework okayed today, called ‘Revised Inter-Governmental Agreement’. This will restructure the existing IRIGC-MTC to include an additional institutional working group headed by the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman (CISC) and Deputy Chief of the main operational directorate of Russia. It would be set up under the expanded commission.

The meeting today also discussed a wide range of issues relating to defence equipment, industry and technological engagement between India and Russia as well as after-sales support and upgradation of Russian-origin military equipment.

Intensive discussions were held on joint manufacturing projects, including the Kamov-226T helicopters. India has sought commitment from Russia to have more local content. The issue of making naval frigates and projects related to land systems were also discussed.

The two sides also agreed to take forward inter-governmental arrangements for facilitating joint manufacturing of spares for Russian-origin equipment in India under the ‘Make in India’ initiative.