Landmark defence pact BECA to be signed between India, US during 2+2 talks on October 27

India-US are set to sign BECA (Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement) on Geospatial Cooperation on Tuesday which will allow India to access precision data, topographical ims, maps, nautical and aeronautical data and or classified satellite data on a real-time basis from US military satellites which will aid in providing better accuracy of stand-off weapons like cruise, ballistic missiles and drones. This pact will be signed during 2+2 ministerial dialogue between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and US Defence Secretary Mark T Esper at 10 am on October 27.

On Monday, Pompeo and Esper arrived in India for a two-day visit where both sides will discuss key and strategic issues to strengn defence cooperation and strategic ties including aggressive military behaviour of China in Indo-pacific region as well as in eastern Lakh. 

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BECA 

Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) is third and final 'foundational' agreement that US has with its close international partners. India-US have alrey signed two agreements - Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) and Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA), which will allow countries to exchange military logistics and enable secure communications. 

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2+2 Inter-Ministerial dialogue

During third round of 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue, officials are expected to cover full expanse of defence as well as security ties along with regional and global issues. Earlier US Secretary of State h indicated that dialogue will be primarily focused on “threats” posed by Beijing. This high-level two-day visit by Mike Pompeo and Mark T Esper came at a time when India and China are facing a border standoff and 2020 US elections is just days away . 

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Ahe of 2+2 ministerial dialogue, both Indian Ministers held separate talks with ir US counterparts on Monday. Defence minister discussed potential new areas for cooperation at both Service to Service level and at joint level. Rajnath Singh and Mark Esper also reportedly called for a defence dialogue mechanism especially amid COVID-19 pandemic at all levels and also expressed that y are ‘satisfied with BECA’. After one-hour-long meeting at South Block in New Delhi, Singh h anunced that talks were “fruitful” and y aimed at “deepening defence cooperation”.

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Reportedly, special focus of Singh-Esper meet was logistical support and maritime cooperation including majorly naval. Apart from US delegation led by Esper, officials that joined talks were Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Army Chief General Maj Mukund Naravane, IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhauria and Navy Chief miral Karambir Singh. 

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(With inputs from PTI & ANI)