Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement (RELOS)

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Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement- Relevance for UPSC Exam

GS Paper 2: International Relations- Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

India is expected to conclude the bilateral logistics agreement named the Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement (RELOS) with Russia soon.

The Logistic agreements are administrative arrangements facilitating access to military facilities for exchange of fuel and provisions on mutual agreement simplifying logistical support and increasing operational turnaround of the military when operating away from India.
India has signed several logistics agreements with all Quad countries, France, Singapore, and South Korea beginning with the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) with the U.S. in 2016.

The Indian Navy will be the biggest beneficiary of these administrative arrangements, improving operational turnaround and increasing inter-operability on the high seas.
- The air force too will benefit by finding it easier to deploy aircraft for the same purpose.
Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement will provide India access to Russian facilities in the Arctic region which is seeing increased global activity as new shipping routes open up and India’s own investments in the Russian Far East.
It will also boost already flourishing defense cooperation. Recent engagements include-
- INDRA-NAVY 2021 in July and INDRA-ARMY 2021 in August,
- A contingent of 200 troops from the Army’s 3 Naga Regiment are currently in Russia for ZAPAD multinational exercise.
- 200 soldiers from the Sikh LI Regiment will be in Russia for another multinational exercise Peace Mission.
Russia will also be able to access Indian ports and air bases.
Both India and Russia are in talks for expanding cooperation in Central Asia and the “possibility of supplementing bilateral exercises with trilateral and multilateral ones”