- India and Russia are finalising a defence agreement called the Agreement on Reciprocal Logistics Support(ARLS).
- The agreement will simplify interoperability and enable military platforms to receive support and supplies across bases in both nations.
- Currently,India has a defence logistics sharing agreement with the US.A similar agreement was also inked with France in 2018.
- Further,if the pact is signed India will be a rare nation that has such a strategic agreement with both the countries namely US and Russia.
- The agreement will be most beneficial to the Navy as warships will get access to mutual ports and exclusive economic zones to refuel and pick up supplies.
- The Indian Navy which has a significant strength of Russian origin warships will be able to smoothly transit through for exercises using the agreement while the air force will find it easier to deploy aircraft for joint exercises.
- Russia can also use ports like Mumbai and Visakhapatnam.Besides ports Russia would also be able to access airbases.
- India could also get access to Northern route and ports in Russian part of the Arctic.India is looking at an Arctic station in the near future and Russia could be partner.Russia has also assured India access to energy resources in the vast Arctic region.
