Up to 3,000 troops, five warships and 10 military aircraft can now be temporarily stationed on each other’s territory, after India and Russia activated a defence logistics pact, Russian officials said. The Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Support (RELOS) — signed in Moscow last year and ratified by President Vladimir Putin on Dec. 15 — came into force on Jan. 12 and runs for five years unless extended. The agreement opens access to bases, ports and airfields for refuelling, repairs, supplies and cross‑training, formalising logistics support that deepens a decades‑long defence relationship and marks a notable shift in New Delhi’s posture on foreign troop presence.

What the RELOS pact allows - The Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Support sets practical rules for use of each other’s military infrastructure. - Each side may deploy up to 3,000 personnel, five naval vessels and 10 military aircraft to the other country during the five‑year life of the agreement. - The pact covers port calls by warships; use of airspace and airfield facilities by military aircraft; and on‑the‑ground logistics including fuel, spare parts, food and water. - It includes arrangements for refuelling, repairs, maintenance and navigation support, plus air traffic control and aircraft security for airborne missions. - The agreement explicitly allows cross‑training exercises and co‑operation on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) missions. How the pact was negotiated - Negotiations on RELOS took roughly eight years before finalisation. The text was signed in Moscow in February last year and transmitted for ratification. - President Vladimir Putin signed the pact into federal law on December 15; Russian statements say it took effect on January 12. - Allowing temporary stationing of foreign troops represents a notable shift in New Delhi’s posture, which has traditionally limited permanent foreign bases. This move signals a greater willingness to institutionalise defence ties with Moscow. Why Moscow and New Delhi agreed - The Russia‑India defence relationship dates to the Cold War, with Moscow a long‑time supplier of military hardware to New Delhi. Despite global shifts after 2022, India has continued purchases of Russian equipment and high‑level engagement. - For Russia, the pact secures peacetime logistical reach at a time when access to some Western suppliers and ports is constrained. - For India, practical benefits include predictable maintenance and resupply for platforms using Russian designs and parts; strategically, logistics co‑operation can support joint training, faster crisis or disaster response, and greater interoperability. Regional and global reactions - The pact comes as Asian countries reassess alliances and basing concepts amid shifting U.S. policy and increasing great‑power competition. The deal has prompted scrutiny in capitals across Asia and beyond.

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The five‑year agreement allows each side to temporarily station up to 3,000 personnel, five naval vessels and 10 military aircraft on the other’s territory; any extension would require mutual consent.

This article was created with AI assistance.