Indian Defense Minister Signs Major Logistics Agreement With Pentagon
By Carla Babb August 29, 2016
The U.S. and India have signed a key logistics agreement that will enable U.S. and Indian forces to use each other's bases for repair and replenishment of supplies.
A U.S. defense official told VOA the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) was formally signed earlier Monday by U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter and Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar. The two defense leaders had agreed on the memorandum "in principle" when the two last met in India in April.
Carter welcomed Parrikar to the Pentagon, where they discussed India's recent designation as a major U.S. defense partner. The designation recently was announced during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's June visit to Washington.
Monday's talks at the Pentagon, the sixth meeting between the two defense chiefs, comes ahead of key annual exercises in India between U.S. and Indian forces.
The joint drills, dubbed Yudh Abhyas, will take place in the mountains of northern India next month, Lt. Gen. Stephen Lanza, who commands the Army's I Corps on the U.S. Pacific coast, told VOA.
Speaking to VOA from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Lanza said the two armies will focus on a variety of tasks, from peacekeeping operations to combined arms maneuvers and tactical training. The two armies also will swap-out troops within formations.
"Not only are we just training together … we're completely integrated both with the Indian army and our Army working together down at platoon level," Lanza told VOA.
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