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India’s ministry of external affairs (MEA) issued a sharp “fake news alert” after a viral social media post claimed that the United States had sought India’s permission to use its territory to launch military operations against Iran. The clarification came via the MEA’s official fact-check account on the social media site X.
The viral claim originated from a journalist who alleged that the US was exploring the use of western India under the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) framework to support a military asset. The post further speculated about a possible offshore deployment near the Konkan coast, linking it to the ongoing conflict between Iran and the US.
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However, the MEA dismissed the assertions, indicating that no such development has taken place. “Fake News Alert! Please stay alert against such false and baseless claims and posts on social media!” the MEA’s post stated.
This was in response to Dutta’s post which read: “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.”
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“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 further wrote.
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The Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) is a bilateral logistics pact signed in 2016 between India and the United States. It allows the armed forces of both countries to access each other’s military facilities for refuelling, repair, supplies, and rest on a reimbursable basis.
It, however, does not permit basing of troops or automatic military operations from each other’s soil, and every request requires a case-by-case approval.
Countries may use another nation’s territory for military operations through formal agreements or ad hoc permissions.
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.
For example, the US used bases in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait during the Gulf War, and operated from Turkey’s Incirlik base during the Iraq War. Such use depends on host nation consent, strategic alignment, and legal frameworks with operational limits in place.
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.
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