India, US to sign BECA deal during third edition of 2+2 ministerial dialogue

India and the United States are expected to sign the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) for geo-spatial cooperation during 2+2 ministerial dialogue in New Delhi on October 26-27 after they agreed to expedite the work of the deal earlier this year. The signing of BECA will be a significant landmark in US-India strategic cooperation as it allows India to use global geospatial maps of the US for accuracy of stand-off weapons like cruise and ballistic missiles.

India and the United States are set for the third edition of the 2+2 ministerial dialogue in New Delhi amid rising tensions with China. India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath will hold the 2+2 ministerial dialogue with their US counterparts. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary Mark Esper are scheduled to visit India for the ministerial-level talks. 

Pompeo and Esper are expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on the sidelines of the ministerial dialogue. Both India and the US have aggressively responded to China’s expansionist and coercive policies in the region, and are likely to discuss expanding the scope of strategic cooperation by signing important agreements.

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Build up to high-level meeting

Last week, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla and US Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun participated in the opening of fourth India-US Forum. Biegun's visit was aimed at enhancing the US-India Comprehensive global Strategic partnership and prepare the conducive ground for the upcoming 2+2 ministerial dialogue.

According to news agency ANI, government sources said that the agreement will ensure that the armed forces of the two countries start talking to each other on "enhancing geospatial cooperation." The foundational agreements like General Security of Military Information Agreement, Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement, and Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement have already been activated, with both using each other’s designated military facilities for refuelling and replenishment. 

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(With ANI inputs)