BECA is the fourth and final “fundamental” understanding the United States has with India.
New Delhi:
India and the United States have several key defense agreements, notably BECA, during today’s 2 + 2 India-United States ministerial dialogue. For a long time, the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement or BECA will allow India to access precision data and topographic images, in real time, from the United States military satellites.
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BECA is the fourth and final “fundamental” understanding the United States has with India.
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The two countries have already signed the General Military Information Security Agreement (2002), the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (2016), the Communications Security and Compatibility Agreement (2018) to exchange military logistics and enable secure communications.
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BECA will give India access to classified geospatial data, as well as critical information with important military applications.
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Under BECA, the two countries can exchange maps, nautical and aeronautical charts, commercial images and other unclassified images, geophysical, geomagnetic and gravitational data.
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The deal will allow the United States to share sensitive data from satellites and sensors that would help India strike military targets with pinpoint precision.
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India will be able to closely follow the movements of Chinese warships in the Indian Ocean.
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In Pakistan’s case, if another Balakot-like airstrike ever occurs, India will be able to access satellite data and other data from the United States to verify the success of its attacks.
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In a statement released Monday, the government said that Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and his US counterpart Esper expressed their satisfaction that the BECA would be signed during this visit and also because of the close commitments between the armed forces of the two countries.
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The UPA government had raised concerns about the BECA on the protection of classified information and access to classified laboratories in India.
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These concerns were addressed after multiple rounds of talks between New Delhi and Washington DC. Ties between the two countries, which are at an all time high, are also said to have helped the two countries reach the deal.
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