India Tells U.S. It May Reconsider Stand on Three Core Defence Foundational Agreements

BANGALORE: India has indicated to the U.S. that it may reconsider its stand on three contentious defence foundational agreements if its apprehensions about some of the issues in the pacts are addressed by the Pentagon.

After Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar's just concluded visit to the U.S. wherein he had detailed discussions with Defence Secretary Ashton Carter on a wide range of issues, top officials from both sides said there is some positive movement on the three defence agreements being proposed by the U.S. to India, which was opposed by New Delhi thus far.

The three foundational agreements proposed by the Pentagon are the Communications and Information Security Memorandum of Agreement (CISMOA); Logistics Support Agreement (LSA) and Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA).

"The Indian side has expressed certain reservation/ apprehension about some of the issues (with regard to Foundational Agreements)," Parrikar told reporters at the end of his U.S. trip responding to a question last week.

"We have told them that they should put up after due consideration and if the process (of technology transfer) can be speeded up, in principal those things (foundational agreements) can be considered," Parrikar said.

U.S. Ambassador to India Richard Verma, who was present in most of the meetings that Parrikar had with Carter, acknowledged that there would be some movement on this part.

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