Lettes: Come clean on terms

With reference to the report, "India and US sign logistics exchange pact to cement defence ties" (August 31), the agreement signed between Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter in Washington DC has been hailed because it aims to make joint operations more efficient by facilitating the provision of logistical support, supplies and services to military ships and aircraft of both the countries.

While Parrikar has clarified that there is no provision in the agreement for either party to set up military bases, it is not clear if providing the kind of logistical support envisaged in the pact would extend to US warships and their aircraft on combat missions bound for conflict zones.

Unless providing such facilities is specifically barred in the agreement, it would be a significant shift in our time-tested foreign policy of military neutrality and would justifiably be seen as more than merely overcoming the "hesitation of history".

Such a nature of cooperation would also run the risk of India letting itself become party to conflicts with all their attendant adverse consequences, including India's relations with the countries in such conflict zones. The government needs to come clean on this matter in unequivocal terms.

S K Choudhury Bengaluru

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