Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement- Relevance for UPSC Exam
- GS Paper 2: International Relations- Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.
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Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement- Context
- India is expected to conclude the bilateral logistics agreement named the Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement (RELOS) with Russia soon.
S-400 Triumf Missile System
About Logistics Agreements
- The Logistic agreements are administrative arrangements facilitating access to military facilities for exchange of fuel and provisions on mutual agreement simplifying logistical support and increasing operational turnaround of the military when operating away from India.
- India has signed several logistics agreements with all Quad countries, France, Singapore, and South Korea beginning with the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) with the U.S. in 2016.
USA-India Defense Technology & Trade Initiative
Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement– Potential Benefits
- The Indian Navy will be the biggest beneficiary of these administrative arrangements, improving operational turnaround and increasing inter-operability on the high seas.
- The air force too will benefit by finding it easier to deploy aircraft for the same purpose.
- Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement will provide India access to Russian facilities in the Arctic region which is seeing increased global activity as new shipping routes open up and India’s own investments in the Russian Far East.
- It will also boost already flourishing defense cooperation. Recent engagements include-
- Russia will also be able to access Indian ports and air bases.
- Both India and Russia are in talks for expanding cooperation in Central Asia and the “possibility of supplementing bilateral exercises with trilateral and multilateral ones”