New Delhi: The most awaited Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement [BECA], which gives India access to classified geospatial data as well as critical information having significant military applications from the US, was signed today as External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held the third edition of the 2-2 dialogue with the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary Mark T Esper.
"We held a comprehensive discussion on a range of key issues: Inking of BECA with US significant move. Our military to military cooperation with the US moving forward very well. We identified projects for joint development of defense equipment," said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh after the high-level meeting held at Hyderabad House in the national capital.
BECA, which is the fourth and final "foundational" agreement the US has with India, will allow India to gain access to accurate data and topographical images - on a real-time basis - from the United States military satellites.
US Secretary of Defence Mark Esper, who is attending the high-level meeting along with US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, is reported to have said that the growing defense and security partnership between India and the US will keep a check on the situation in the Indo-Pacific at a time when China is attempting to expand its economic and military clout in the region. The sensitive satellite and sensor data provided by the US under the agreement will allow India to keep a close watch on the movements of Chinese warships in the Indian Ocean.
"This year marks the 15th anniversary of the first U.S.-India Defense Framework and our third 2 2 Ministerial. We have strengthened our defense and security partnership considerably since then, especially over the past year, during which we advanced our regional security, military-to-military, and information-sharing cooperation. Our focus now must be on institutionalizing and regularizing our cooperation to meet the challenges of the day and uphold the principles of a free and open Indo-Pacific well into the future," Mark Esper said.
This is the third version of the 2-2 dialogue External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh are holding with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary Mark T Esper.
This talk is important for India especially in a time when India has issues with China over LAC. It is also expected to discuss India-China border tension matter in this 2-2 level Dialogue.
Ahead of the crucial meet, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary Mark T Esper held talks with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. The officials had a "constructive meeting and discussed a number of issues and challenges of strategic importance", ANI reported.
Earlier in the day, both the top US administration officials visited the National War Memorial and paid tributes to India's fallen heroes.
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