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After being held up for several years, the India-Russia mutual logistics agreement is ready for conclusion, with Russia approving the draft agreement over the past week.
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The agreement will simplify military-to-military exchanges for exercises, training, port calls and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) efforts. It is similar to a series of such agreements that India has signed with a number of countries, beginning with the United States in 2016.
An official order dated June 20 was published on Russia’s official legal information website, authorising the signing of the logistics agreement with India.
The draft of the agreement was also published. “It’s a Russian governmental decree that approves signing the agreement and makes relevant instruction to the [Ministry of Defence] MoD,” diplomatic sources said, commenting on the order.
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has instructed the MoD to hold negotiations with the Indian side on the draft document, sources said.
Delayed agreement
The conclusion of the Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement (RELOS) has been delayed for several years. Official sources said that this was the same agreement which has now been approved by the Russian side, and has to be signed by both sides before it can become effective.
The agreement, as and when concluded, will be valid for five years and will be renewed automatically unless either party notifies the other of its desire to terminate it, sources said.
Mutual benefits
Among the three services, the Indian Navy has been the biggest beneficiary of these administrative arrangements signed with several countries, improving its operational turnaround and increasing interoperability on the high seas. The agreements have been a win-win for both the parties involved.
For instance, the foundational agreements with the U.S., as well as the logistics agreements with Australia and Japan, have been especially beneficial as they also operate several common military platforms, along with India’s increasing share of U.S.-origin platforms.