“The agreement provides the framework for closer cooperation between the armed forces of India and Japan on the reciprocal provision of supplies and services,” he said. India signed the Memorandum of Understanding (LEMOA) with the United States in August 2016, after decades of negotiations. Since then, it has concluded several such agreements with France, Oman, the Philippines and Singapore and has gained access to the port of Sabang in Indonesia. India has signed four military logistics support agreements with partner countries and is in the process of managing the fifth with Russia. The topic came up for discussion during Defence Minister Rajnath Singh`s recent visit to Russia on 05-07 November 2019.1 Whether the agreement signed with Russia, known as the Reciprocal Logistics Support Agreement (RLSA), will be an important step in bilateral relations. As the name suggests, the agreement will facilitate the mutual use of logistics facilities by military personnel from both countries during visits to the other country`s ports, bases and military installations. “The agreement should facilitate the smooth and rapid delivery of supplies and services between Japan`s self-defense forces and the Indian armed forces,” he said. These agreements are taken into account in the Indian Navy`s request to maintain its 24-hour, 24-hour presence in its main areas of interest, the Indian Ocean region (IOC) and, in the future, in the Indo-Pacific. The Indian Navy has maintained its presence through its concept of mission-based operations, involving more than a dozen large surface combatants along the entire length and breadth of the IOC. These operations have notably contributed to a significant improvement in the image of the Indian maritime domain Awareness (MDA), to facilitate the monitoring of vessels of interest and to be the First Responder in the case of a HADR scenario under development.
The ARLS with Russia is expected to be signed at the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin in September on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia. Last month, a delegation led by Secretary of State Jiwesh Nandan visited Russia to conclude the agreement, according to the Defense Ministry in its monthly report. Moscow had sent a draft agreement early last year, and the MoD sent it in July to the Integrated Defence Staff and the three services for their positions.