India-US to sign BECA for geo-spatial cooperation

New Delhi, Oct 05: India and the United States will sign the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) for geo-spatial cooperation during the India-US plus two dialogue which is expected to take place on October 26-27.

BECA is important for India to acquire armed drones such as the MQ-9B from the US. The UAV uses spatial data for precise strikes on enemy targets. BECA is significant as it would allow India to use global geo-spatial maps of the US for accuracy of cruise and ballistic missiles.

The two nations have already activated all three foundational agreements with both using each others facilities for replenishment and refuelling.

The US ministers during the meeting will meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval. The agreement would also allow both India and US to to share military information about threats on land and Indo-Pacific.

During the meet, the Afghanistan issue too will be discussed. Further the meeting would also take up the Pakistan issue. India would address concerns about terror groups such as the Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Tayiba which continue to undertake acts of terror in Jammu and Kashmir.