US Admiral Delhi-bound to put maritime pact on fast track

Putting the proposed Indo-US Maritime Cooperation Framework on the fast track, US Pacific Fleet commander Admiral Gary Roughead will be in the Capital next week to discuss the final modalities with the Navy and South Block.

Putting the proposed Indo-US Maritime Cooperation Framework MCF on the fast track, US Pacific Fleet commander Admiral Gary Roughead will be in the Capital next week to discuss the final modalities with the Navy and South Block. His will be one of three high-level visits by US four-star officers in the next 30 days.

The agreement is crucial as PM Manmohan Singh and President George W Bush had agreed to conclude the MCF in their joint statement made during the latter8217;s visit to India in March.

The MCF principally provides for joint Indo-US maritime operations, including joint-patrolling of energy trade routes including the Malacca Strait, anti-piracy and other transnational crimes at sea, search and rescue operations, anti-pollution at sea and rescue and relief during natural disasters.

Washington is keen to get India on board for energy security in the region, and sees the Navy8217;s growth in capability as an adjunct to its own progressively swelling operational commitments in South Asian waters.

Also, both sides see such an agreement as a logical conclusion to the escort assistance provided by the Indian Navy to US merchant vessels passing through the Malacca Strait a few months after the September 11 attacks.

In the joint statement last month, both sides had also decided that the MCF would 8216;8216;address emergent threats and enhance cooperative capabilities, including through logistics support8217;8217;. As part of the MCF, the two sides also agreed to conclude a mutual Logistics Support Agreement LSA that would allow each side to use maintenance, berthing and support services of the other side during deployments.

The Commander of the US Pacific Air Forces PACAF, General Paul V Hester, is in the Capital currently and met Air Chief Marshal SP Tyagi today. He will meet Army chief Gen J J Singh, Navy chief Admiral Arun Prakash and Defence Secretary Shekhar Dutt tomorrow.

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Next month, seniormost American military officer General Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will be in the country.

In the run up to President George W Bush8217;s visit to India, both sides had decided to push a busy schedule of top exchanges to keep up a high-level of strategic engagement while US Congress scrutinised the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal.