India-US Defence Deals On the Cards

India and the US are preparing for the third 2+2 ministerial meeting.

On October 26-27, 2020 at New Delhi the External Affairs Minister and Defence Minister of India and US Secretary of State and Defence Secretary are preparing for thethird 2+2 ministerial meeting.
The key agenda will be on the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA).
The BECA lays the foundation for deeper military cooperation.
In the previous two meetings, COMCASA and LEMOA were signed.
All three agreements include the sharing of telephone intercepts, high-end satellite images and data sharing of Chinese troops and weapons deployment along the Line of Actual Control which is 3488km.
The Indian armed forces used five American platforms at the LAC-C-17 Globemaster III from military transport, Boeing’s Apache as tank killers, Boeing’s Chinkoo CH-47 as heavy-lift helicopters, for overland reconnaissance P-81 Poseidon and Lockheed Martin’s C-130J for airlifting troops.
India made this move because of Chinese belligerence being clear and the threat from them is evident.

The Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) refers to the geospatial intelligence and sharing satellite images and information on maps for defence.
Geospatial intelligence can identify anyone who sails on the ship, flies an aircraft, fights wars, locates targets, responds to natural disasters, etc.
This agreement will allow India to use advanced US geospatial intelligence.
It also enhances the accuracy of automated weapons and systems like missiles and armed drones.
BECA gives access to topographical and aeronautical data and products.
This agreement will aid in navigation and targeting.
The geospatial intelligence could add the key to the Air Force to Air Force cooperation.

In August 2016, India and the US signed the Logistics Exchange of Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA).
This agreement facilitates the military of each country to replenish from other bases.
Each country can access supplies, spare parts and services from other country’s land facilities, airbases and ports.
As India and the US are cooperating closely in the Indo-Pacific, this is useful for Navy-to-Navy cooperation.
Signing the LEMOA needed trust and its application enhances the trust.

After the first 2+2 ministerial meeting, the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA)was signed in 2018.
This agreement provides India with the US encrypted communications equipment and systems.
This allows India and the US military commanders, aircrafts and ships to communicate through secure networks in peace and in war.

India’s willingness to sign all these agreements signal the level of trust between India and the US and their militaries faced with an aggressive China.