BSS-43 India-US sign BECA to ramp up security ties, boost strategic cooperation

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BSS-43

INDIA-US-DIALOGUE

India-US sign BECA to ramp up security ties, boost strategic cooperation

NEW DELHI, Oct 27, 2020 (BSS) – India and the US today signed five agreements including the much-awaited Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA), which allows the militaries of both the countries to share geospatial information, high-end military technology and classified satellite data on defense related issues.

BECA, the landmark defense pact, was signed between the Ministry of Defence and the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA), USA after the Third 2+2 US-India Ministerial Dialogue held at Hyderabad House here, said a joint statement after the meeting.

The crucial US-India dialogue was held between the visiting US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and US Defense Secretary Mark Esper, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh.

“We reaffirmed our commitment to peace and security in Indo-Pacific region… Our military to military cooperation with the US moving forward very well and we have identified projects for joint development of defence equipment,” said Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh after signing of the pact.

Besides, US Defense Secretary Mark Esper described the signing of BECA between the US and India as a “significant milestone” saying that the pact will lead to greater geospatial information sharing between the armed forces of the two countries.

Apart from BECA, four more agreements concerning technical cooperation on earth sciences and Ayurveda and Cancer Research, Global Centre for Nuclear Energy partnership and Technical Cooperation in Earth Observations and Earth Sciences and electronic exchange of Customs Data were also signed.

The signing of the BECA completes finalization of four key pacts between the two countries which were identified as crucial to significantly expand the strategic ties between the two countries.

In the dialogue, the two sides reiterated their commitment to further strengthening the India-U.S. partnership and intend to expand cooperation under the 2+2 framework to realize the full potential of the India-U.S. Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership.

During their two-day visit for the Third 2+2 US-India Ministerial Dialogue, the two US secretaries also called on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval.

The US secretaries, who arrived here on Monday will also visit Sri Lanka and the Maldives, as America seeks to balance China’s growing influence in the region. The USA will host the next 4th US-India Ministerial Dialogue in 2021.

BSS/AIM/RY/21:30hrs