India and the US signed the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) for Geo-Spatial Cooperation during the third round of US-India 2+2 ministerial dialogue between the two countries on 26-27 October. The Dialogue was held between US secretary of state Michael Pompeo and secretary of defence Mark Esper with their Indian counterparts S Jaishankar and Rajnath Singh in New Delhi.
BECA is one of the four foundational military communication agreements between the two countries. The other three being GSOMIA (General Security of Military Information Agreement), LEMOA (Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement) and COMCASA (Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement).
Signing the BECA would help both the countries in sharing high-end military technology, geospatial maps and classified satellite data between their militaries.
India and the US also signed the Maritime Information Sharing Technical Arrangement (MISTA) during the 2+2 meeting. MISTA will make information and intelligence sharing much easier in the maritime domain between the two nations.
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The two countries inked the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016 that allows their militaries use each other’s bases for repair and replenishment of supplies as well as provide for deeper cooperation.
The two countries also signed another pact called COMCASA in 2018 that provides for interoperability between the two militaries and provides for sale of high end technology from the US to India.
What is BECA?
BECA is one of few basic agreements that the United States signs with close partners. BECA enables sharing geospatial information, including nautical and aeronautical charts. The complete data, backed by highly accurate US satellites, helps in navigation as well as targeting military assets.
BECA makes sure all kinds of information whether intelligence reports or satellite data inputs regarding the landscape of the battle field or any forms of information gathering methods are shared uncondititionally between the two military forces.
Under BECA, the two countries can exchange maps, nautical and aeronautical charts, commercial and other unclassified imagery, geodetic, geophysical, geomagnetic and gravity data.
Apart from the standard data, the agreement includes sharing of classified information as well, with safeguards in place to ensure that it is not shared with any third party.
Information received by India under BECA will be useful for long-range navigation and missile-targeting with enhanced accuracy. Given the current geopolitical situation, this data will be relevant on both the northern and western borders of India. As this is a bilateral agreement, India will also be expected to share similar data with the US.
Nevertheless, it’s a win-win deal for India as it would get access to military-grade data that can help draw up target coordinates. For example, military-grade coordinates could help direct missiles of air-launched bombs to a terror location in the neighbourhood with high accuracy.
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BECA is an important precursor to India acquiring armed unmanned aerial vehicles such as the Predator-B from the USA. Predator-B uses spatial data for accurate strikes on enemy targets.
Initially, India had reservations to geospatial mapping on the grounds of national security, but they were later addressed by mutual dialogue and discussion between the two countries.
General Security Of Military Information Agreement
GSOMIA allows militaries to share the intelligence gathered by them. It was signed by India in 2002.
An extension to the GSOMIA, the Industrial Security Annex (ISA), was signed at the 2+2 dialogue in 2019.
ISA provides framework for exchange and protection of classified military information between the USA and Indian defence industries.
Many of the US’ most capable military platforms contain sub-systems of classified hardware, software, or supporting information. The GSOMIA permits the US to offer and transfer these items as a complete fighting system.
Thus, advance missiles and electronic warfare protective suites can be offered with US cutting-edge combat aircraft, permitting the acquisition of a more capable platform.
Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement
COMCASA is the India specific version of CISMOA and was signed by India in 2018 during the ‘2+2 Dialogue.’
The original CISMOA was watered down to COMCASA. COMCASA provides the legal framework for the US to part with its sensitive communication equipment and codes to enable transfer of realtime operational information. This equipment is largely used for ground-to-air communication, on installed US-origin military aircraft, to enable best battle situation awareness.
COMCASA will allow both sides to operate on the same communication systems, enabling an “interoperable” environment for militaries.
Without this agreement, the US cannot part with highly coded communication equipment with the military platforms they sell to India. India has to depend on commercially available less secure systems on, otherwise, high-end platforms like C-130Js and the P8I maritime surveillance aircraft, among others. COMCASA will change that. Now the US government will be able to give the go-ahead to install the best communication equipment on relevant platforms such as aircraft being sold to India.
Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement
India signed the LEMOA with the US in 2016. India has signed a watered down agreement of the standard Logistics Support Agreement (LSA) called LEMOA, which says US military transporters can refuel and station at Indian bases only for military exercises and disaster management conditions. Same goes for Indian military vice versa.
Valid for 10 years, COMCASA aims to provide a legal framework for the transfer of highly sensitive communication security equipment from the USA to India that will streamline and facilitate interoperability between their armed forces.
Industrial Security Annexure
US laws require that the Industrial Security Arrangement should be in force prior to commencement of any classified co-production or co-development activities with foreign industry. The ISA was signed at the time of the 2+2 Dialogue in 2019.
Under the Industrial Security Annex, transfer of defence technology will be permissible. The US has such an agreement with other countries. But this was the first time ever for India. The US, through this agreement, seeks guarantee for the protection of both classified technology and information. This will be needed to allow the transfer of technology if production lines for US fighter jets are set up in India or other defence joint ventures.
Delays in Signing
It took eight years for all the foundational agreements to be signed, since India was resisting mainly due to political reasons rather than military. India apprehended that it would lose its military neutrality stand.
India was concerned about its friend Russia reading too much into Indian and US military cooperation especially after the formation of Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI).
India was apprehensive that China could visualise US activity with any South Asian nation as its ‘Asia Pivot’ strategy.
Comments
The Indo-US defence ties have been on an upswing in the last few years.
The enabling and foundational agreements are required to implement arrangements for industrial operations, establish requirements that apply to contracts, subcontracts, pre-contract negotiations, or other government-approved arrangements with industry involving classified information.
Signing BECA was crucial for India in order to neutralise the Russia-China-Pakistan axis in the maritime domain and for the stability of the Indo-Pacific region. The acquisition of aerial platforms like the USA naval helicopters and multi-role fighters is a key priority for India in the current scenario of increasing Indo-China conflict.
