RELOS Agreement and India-Russia Relations, Objectives, News

Why in News?

Russia has officially approved the Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Support (RELOS) agreement with India ahead of President Vladimir Putin’s 2025 visit to New Delhi.

Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement (RELOS) Agreement

The Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement (RELOS) is a bilateral military logistics pact between India and Russia that allows their armed forces to access each other’s military facilities for refuelling, repairs, supplies, berthing, and maintenance.

This agreement significantly strengthens India–Russia defence cooperation and expands India’s strategic reach from the Indo-Pacific to the Arctic and Eurasian regions.

Also Read: India-Russia Relations

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RELOS Agreement Objectives

• Provide reciprocal access to each other’s military bases, ports, and airfields for refuelling, repairs, and logistical support.
• Strengthen defence cooperation by enabling smoother logistics during joint exercises and coordinated operations.
• Enhance operational efficiency by reducing deployment time and costs, especially for long-range naval missions.
• Support faster and more coordinated humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations during emergencies.

RELOS and India-Russia Defence Cooperation

The RELOS Agreement represents a strategic leap in India-Russia defence ties, complementing decades of military collaboration. It formalizes logistics support, allowing reciprocal access to over 40 Russian naval and air bases, including key Arctic and Pacific facilities, which significantly extends India’s operational reach beyond the Indian Ocean.

• Boosts Interoperability: RELOS facilitates seamless coordination during joint exercises such as INDRA (tri-service), enabling Indian and Russian forces to deploy over 20 ships, multiple aircraft, and ground units simultaneously.
• Enhances Naval Reach: Indian Navy access to Russian ports like Vladivostok, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, and Murmansk allows for long-range maritime patrols, Arctic missions, and monitoring of strategic sea lanes covering over 70% of India’s maritime trade.
• Supports Defence Supply Chains: With RELOS, maintenance, repairs, and refuelling of critical platforms like Su-30MKI, T-90 tanks, MiG and Sukhoi fleets, and S-400 air defence systems can be coordinated more efficiently, reducing delays caused by logistics gaps.
• Strengthens Strategic Trust: Logistic support under RELOS complements joint projects such as BrahMos cruise missile development and submarine cooperation, reinforcing a bilateral defence trade worth over USD 13 billion in the last decade.

RELOS vs India’s Other Logistics Agreements (LEMOA, COMCASA, BECA)

India has multiple logistics and defence cooperation agreements with different countries to enhance operational reach and interoperability. RELOS with Russia complements these pacts but offers unique strategic advantages.

LEMOA (Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement)

• Allows India and the U.S. to use each other’s military bases for refuelling, replenishment, and repairs.
• Primarily focuses on the Indo-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions.
• Supports joint naval and air exercises, enhancing operational interoperability.

COMCASA (Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement)

• Enables secure encrypted communications between Indian and U.S. military forces.
• Supports integration of Indian platforms into advanced U.S. defence networks.
• Facilitates real-time coordination during joint operations and exercises.

BECA (Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement)

• Grants access to geospatial, satellite, and navigation data for improved targeting and situational awareness between Indian and U.S.
• Enhances accuracy of precision-guided weapons and missile systems.
• Strengthens surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities during long-range missions.