Text Fwd: Asian NATO: US-India Military Pact To Be Implemented

* Text informed by StopNATO
http://in.reuters.com/article/topNews/idINIndia-39840720090524
Reuters, May 24, 2009 Govt likely to move on U.S. military pact By Sanjeev Miglani
-With the deepening U.S. involvement in the war...in Afghanistan and Pakistan, greater access to military facilities in the region would help U.S. forces, military experts said.

NEW DELHI - India's new ruling coalition, freed of pressure from its former communist allies, is expected to move forward soon on a military logistics deal with the United States that would help U.S. operations in the region.

The Logistics Support Agreement (LSA), on hold for more than two years, allows refuelling, maintenance and servicing of military ships and planes from both countries at each other's ports and bases.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's former communist allies opposed the agreement, saying Indian military bases could become permanent ports of call for the U.S. military engaged in unilateral operations in the region.

But Singh's Congress party defeated the communists in a general election this month, winning a stronger majority and freeing itself from any pressure from its former allies who had walked out of his last coalition government over a civilian nuclear deal with Washington.

The communists have a traditional antipathy towards the United States and oppose any strategic alliance with it.
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"This is one of the first things we'd have to look at," a senior Indian government official told Reuters as Singh's coalition was sworn in for a second term on Friday.

U.S. ships were already using Indian facilities on a case-by-case basis, and the agreement will only formalise it, said the official, who asked not to be identified.

With the deepening U.S. involvement in the war against Islamist militants in Afghanistan and Pakistan, greater access to military facilities in the region would help U.S. forces, military experts said.

"Logistics is at the heart of any military operation," said B. Raman, former head of India's external intelligence arm, the Research and Analysis Wing. "This will definitely help them, they have the assurance of safe and reliable facilities," he said.

Separately, Washington has been seeking new supply routes for its troops fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan after militants stepped up attacks on convoys passing through Pakistan.
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Washington had sought similar arrangements with other countries in South Asia, including Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
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