India, Australia to use each other’s military bases after signing logistics pact

India and Australia sealed a deal on Thursday to get access to each other’s military bases, the New Delhi’s Foreign Ministry said. The pact will clear the way for more military exchanges and exercises in the Indo-Pacific, according to Reuters.

The mutual logistic support agreement was signed during a virtual summit between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison.

India has a similar pact with the United States, which is seen as part of a broader security cooperation to balance China’s economic and military weight in the region.