President Putin signs into federal law key military pact with India

Moscow, Dec 15 (PTI) President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed into federal law a key military pact with India inked earlier this year after both houses of the Russian parliament ratified it, according to the Kremlin chancery.

The Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Support (RELOS) agreement between the two countries was ratified by the State Duma (the lower house) on December 2 and by the Council of Federation (the upper house) on December 8. The agreement was forwarded for presidential approval to be enacted into federal law.

The RELOS agreement sets the procedure for sending military formations, warships and military aircraft of Russia to India and vice versa, and the organisation of their mutual logistical support.

  As noted in the explanatory note of the Russian cabinet, the agreement will regulate not only the dispatch of troops and equipment but also their logistics.

The established procedure will be used during joint exercises, training, humanitarian aid, disaster relief efforts, and in other cases as agreed.

In a note posted on the Duma website, the Russian Cabinet of Ministers stated that ratification of the document will facilitate mutual use of the two countries' airspace and port calls by Russian and Indian warships.

Furthermore, the agreement will strengthen military cooperation between the two countries.  The key military pact will enter into force after the exchange of instruments of ratification between the two countries. PTI VS ZH ZH