US presses for Logistics Support Agreement, India says wait
The US has pressed for early conclusion of the controversial Logistics Support Agreement (LSA) as the two sides were close to signing two pacts on guaranteeing that US weapons supplied to India will not end up with third countries.
By PTI |
NEW DELHI: The US on Wednesday pressed for early conclusion of the controversial Logistics Support Agreement (LSA) as the two sides were close to signing two pacts on guaranteeing that US weapons supplied to India will not end up with third countries.
Another agreement CISMOA to ensure inter-operability of military communication equipment in times of crisis is also likely to be concluded in the near future.
US Defence Secretary Robert Gates, during his talks with his Indian counterpart A K Antony, sought early conclusion of LSA under which the two countries will provide logistic support to each other's military.
But the Indian side said more time was needed to consider all aspects of the agreement. "We will revert back to you," Antony told Gates, according to officials.
The agreement has been under negotiation for quite some time but Left parties are opposed to it, arguing that it will make India a party to America's evil operations like in Iraq.
On CISMOA (Communication Inter-operability and Security Memorandum of Agreement) and End-Users Verification Agreement, officials said, "we have very marginal queries" and "once these are addressed, we are ready to sign them".
An official said India was not comfortable with on-site verifications as sought by the US as some of the weapon systems were being used in highly-sensitive areas like Jammu and Kashmir.
Both sides were in agreement "we can work out a way around it".
The official said there was no offer by the US to sell 90,000 tonne aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk and "neither do we want it".
Another agreement CISMOA to ensure inter-operability of military communication equipment in times of crisis is also likely to be concluded in the near future.
US Defence Secretary Robert Gates, during his talks with his Indian counterpart A K Antony, sought early conclusion of LSA under which the two countries will provide logistic support to each other's military.
But the Indian side said more time was needed to consider all aspects of the agreement. "We will revert back to you," Antony told Gates, according to officials.
The agreement has been under negotiation for quite some time but Left parties are opposed to it, arguing that it will make India a party to America's evil operations like in Iraq.
On CISMOA (Communication Inter-operability and Security Memorandum of Agreement) and End-Users Verification Agreement, officials said, "we have very marginal queries" and "once these are addressed, we are ready to sign them".
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An official said India was not comfortable with on-site verifications as sought by the US as some of the weapon systems were being used in highly-sensitive areas like Jammu and Kashmir.
Both sides were in agreement "we can work out a way around it".
The official said there was no offer by the US to sell 90,000 tonne aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk and "neither do we want it".
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