The MEA in its official fact-check account on X dubbed the post “fake news”. Representational image: iStock
MEA debunks viral claim of US seeking LEMOA access to strike Iran from India
India dismisses social media claims that the US sought its permission under LEMOA for military operations against Iran, calling them baseless and misleading.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday (March 21) refuted a viral post on X which claimed that the US has sought permission from India under the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) framework to use its territory for military operations against Iran. The MEA in its official fact-check account on X dubbed the post as “fake news” and urged people to stay alert to such baseless claims.
“Fake News Alert! Please stay alert against such false and baseless claims and posts on social media! The MEA made it clear that there was no such move on the part of the US.
What the viral post claimed
The related post refuted by the MEA claimed that the US has sought permission from India to support one of its military assets to strike Iran from Western India.
Also Read: Six Indians dead, one missing in Gulf incidents amid West Asia conflict: MEA
“Breaking News: The US has asked permission from India to support a military asset that will be used to bomb Iran from Western India. In bureaucratic terms, it means an interpretation of the LEMOA,” claimed the post.
"No Indian Navy berth is long enough to host an aircraft carrier that is the size of nine football fields from home goal to a Romario kick. So, it will be at anchorage while the galleys (kitchens) will be filled up. The US military asset will be at anchorage off the Konkan coast,” he added.
What LEMOA allows
The LEMOA is a bilateral logistics pact signed in 2016 between India and the US, enabling the armed forces of both countries to access each other’s military facilities for refuelling, repair, supplies and rest, on a reimbursable basis. The arrangement is designed to ease operational coordination, particularly during joint exercises, humanitarian missions and port calls.
Also Read: India calls West Asia crisis ‘testing time’, PM Modi speaks to Kuwait Prince
It, however, does not permit the basing of troops or automatic military operations on each other’s soil, and every request requires a case-by-case approval.
Use of foreign territory in military operations
Countries may use another nation’s territory for military operations through formal agreements or ad hoc permissions, depending on the nature of their strategic ties and legal arrangements in place.
Also Read: India rejects Iran tanker swap claim, calls reports ‘baseless’ amid Hormuz tensions
These include Status of Forces Agreements (SOFA), logistics pacts like LEMOA, or broader defence treaties such as the US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty and NATO frameworks under NATO.
In practice, such arrangements have been used in past conflicts. For instance, the United States operated out of bases in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait during the Gulf War, and also used Turkey’s Incirlik base in the course of the Iraq War.
Such deployments are typically contingent on host nation consent, strategic alignment, and clearly defined legal limits governing their use.