CISMOA, LSA not on table of Indo-US stategic dialogue

"We don't think that at this stage there is any need for what is called the foundation agreements (CISMOA, BECA and LSA). They are not on the table at the moment and in any case, they don't come in the way of the expansion of our defence cooperation," sources said here.

Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geo-spatial Cooperation (BECA), Logistics Support Agreement (LSA) and Communications Interoperability and Security Memorandum of Agreement (CISMOA) are the US arrangements for enhancing defence ties with other countries.

CISMOA and BECA are required by US law for providing another country with the most advanced electronics on US weapons platforms. In the absence of these, the C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft has been delivered to India without communication equipment.
As per the LSA, the US and the other signatory country have to provide their bases, fuel and other kind of logistics support to each others' fighter jets and naval warships through cashless transactions, which are balanced at the end of the year.

The sources noted that there was a lot of defence cooperation happening in the field of transfer of technology and research and development between the two sides.
"Our defence cooperation is in good place and it is growing", the sources said, adding accumulative defence bilateral trade in the last four years exceeds USD eight billion.
The two countries have been discussing these three pacts for the last four to five years. The US is keen that India signs these agreements but India has been showing reluctance to do so.