Bilateral Agreement on Engagement of Military Administration; Joint Announcement by US and India

New Delhi: Rajnath Singh and US Secretary of Defence, General Lloyd Austin, issue a joint statement today about re-enforcing their military engagement. The talks included wide-ranging defence cooperation, information-sharing in emerging areas, and mutual logistical support, the statement said.

Mr Singh said reading out the statement said,” We’re determined to realise the full potential of comprehensive global strategic partnership,” This statement was released in the purview of India inviting the US defence industry to take advantage of its liberalised FDI policies in the sector

Bilateral defence pacts such as Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA), Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement, and Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) will be curated. BECA will facilitate real-time access to American geospatial intelligence, while LEMAO is an India-specific version of a deal the US has with several countries close to it in military terms and COMCASA allows India to procure equipment for encrypted communications for US-made weapons systems. 

India is the third country that Mr Austin’s three-nation tour to strengthen defence systems. The visit is seen as a reflection of the new regime’s strong commitment to its relations with allies and partners in the region.