The National Secretariat of the Communist Party of India issued the following statement today (June 27, 2023) on US-India agreements:
During his recent state visit to US the Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi and President of US Joe Biden have issued joint declaration on June 22, 2023 to strengthen the India-U.S. Comprehensive Global and Strategic Partnership.
In continuation of the three important defence agreements with US namely the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016, Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) in 2018, and Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) in 2020, the recent agreements between the two countries are to further enhance the defence cooperation to promote the strategic interests of USA.
Though there are deals about co-productions of many armaments in India which may strengthen our military capacities but allowing creation of logistics, maintenance and repairing for forward deployment of US Navy and Air forces by using our naval bases and military airports, it has definitely compromised our strategic autonomy. It will provoke other big powers to do the same in littoral and hinterland States of the Indian Ocean thus increasing arms race in Indian Ocean region.
The joint statement discusses all issues from war in Ukraine to the restoration of democracy in Myanmar but remains silent about the ongoing assaults by Israel on Palestinian people on daily basis. Unfortunately, here the supporter of Zionist Israel and the fundamentalist clan of Hindutva converge.
The CPI calls upon the Govt of India to follow independent foreign policy without being a band wagon of US imperialist power which wants India to be the best bet to implement their hegemonic policy in Asia-Pacific region.