The United States and India signed an agreement on Monday to allow the use of each other's land, air and naval bases for repair and resupply, a step toward building defence ties as they seek to counter the growing maritime assertiveness of China.
The signing of the agreement will "make the logistics of joint operations so much easier and so much more efficient," US Defence Secretary Ash Carter said in a news briefing with Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Monday.
Washington's desire for deeper security cooperation with India had been complicated without the signing of the logistics agreement as well as two other pacts that would allow for secure communications and the exchange of nautical and other data. The agreements are considered routine between the United States and its other defence partners.
India has had concerns a logistics agreement would commit it to hosting US troops at its bases, or draw it into a military alliance with the United States and undermine its traditional autonomy.
Carter and Parrikar reached an agreement "in principle" in April, but had yet to finalize the details.