BECA, 2+2 dialogue

Subject: IR

Context:

The U.S. is keen that India sign the last foundational agreement, Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geo-Spatial cooperation (BECA), at the next India-U.S. 2+2 ministerial dialogue likely to held in October end.

Concept:

• Beginning 2016, India has signed three foundational agreements:
  • Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA)
  • Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA)
  • General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA). An extension to the GSOMIA, the Industrial Security Annex (ISA), was signed at the last 2+2 dialogue.

BECA

• BECA will allow the United States to share satellite and other sensor data with India in order to improve the Indian military’s targeting and navigation capabilities.

2+2 dialogue

• It is a format of dialogue where the defense and foreign ministers or secretaries meet with their counterparts from another country.
• 2+2 Ministerial is the highest-level institutional mechanism between the two countries.
• India holds such talks with Australia, at the foreign secretary and defense secretary level but with Japan and the US at the ministerial level