October 27, 2020
With BECA India becomes a ‘junior military ally of the US’
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali
The United States has finally convinced India to sign their third and final foundational agreement called BECA (Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geospatial Cooperation), which is being touted as the pact that will deepen the “cooperation” between the armed forces of the two countries.
The agreement was signed on Tuesday during talks in New Delhi between US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and India’s External Affairs minister S. Jaishankar, and between US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and India’s Defense minister Rajnath Singh.
The Times of India quotes Mike Pompeo as saying, “Today is a great opportunity for two great democracies to grow closer. We’ve a lot to discuss today-to cooperate amid pandemic, to confront Chinese Communist party’s threats to security & freedom, to promote peace & stability in the region.”
“We’ve strengthened our defense & security partnership especially over past year during which we advanced our regional security & information sharing. Our cooperation meets the challenges of the day & principles of a free and open Indo-Pacific,” said Mark Esper.
“We are happy that we’ve completed the BECA , which will open new avenues in the information sharing. We are eager to discuss further issues with US,” Rajnath Singh said.
However, according to Pravin Sawhney, a former Indian Army official and author of several books on modern warfare, with BECA the Americans will be able to control India's strategic assets including cruise and ballistic missile once these agreements cumulatively come into force.
"India is to sign the Basic Exchange & Cooperation Agreement with the US to use its geo-spatial maps for buying armed MQ-9B drones. The US can now theoretically control the command & control systems of our ballistic & cruise missiles with its cyber capability as part of sensor to shooter loops!", Sawney tells Sputnik.
Pravin Sawhney says with BECA signing, India becomes de facto junior military partner of America. “Unlike other military allies, America need not have any liability or responsibility for Indian wars.” He believes that BECA will not help India’s defense at all.
The signing of this Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) for the co-sharing of geo-spatial data will further firm up India's bid to acquire armed drones that use location-sensitive information for targeted strikes on enemies. This agreement will mark the final one of three military communication foundational agreements between India and the US.
With the two previously signed military communication deals - Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) and Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) - the countries are allowed to use each other's designated military facilities for re-fuelling and replenishment, and share important military information from the Indo-Pacific region.
Without elaborating on the details about a potential threat to India's strategic missile system, citing "national security issues", Sawney further hints at disruptive technologies defined by the US administration.
"The US Department of Defense has listed 'network communications' as one of 13 disruptive technologies to be acquired. Why? Because there's a need for intelligent & autonomous networks - with our own data & computing - which have minimal cyber dangers", Sawney emphasizes.
India is expected to purchase 30 General Atomic MQ-9A Reaper drones from the US for approximately $3 billion and use them in the border region with China as well as strategic waterways, defense sources said earlier this month.
While it has been officially claimed that these agreements may fortify India in checking Chinese expansionism, for instance, it will be a highly unlikely scenario of American forces deploying with Indian forces in a conflict situation, says Sarosh Bana of National Herald India adding: Binding Indian forces to US codes and operating procedures is hence believed to be unnecessary, when India can well have its own speech secrecy and communication and data transfer equipment. There is also the view that such accords can heighten India’s dependence on the US by constraining it within legal obligations like end-use restrictions and bans on modifications.
Another anxiety is that such agreements often benefit the US far more than its partner countries. Amid border tensions between India and China, a fully armed US Navy long-range anti-submarine warfare and maritime surveillance aircraft, P-8 Poseidon, recently made an unprecedented landing at India’s strategic tri-services command base in Andaman and Nicobar (A&N) Islands for a first time refuelling there. The refuelling and victualising was carried out under LEMOA.
For all its bluster of becoming a self-made world power with a $5 trillion economy in the next five years, India is backing into a situation where it is committing itself to gratifying Washington, which has been confident of India’s deepening allegiance. Hailing the Modi government’s re-election in May 2019, the Trump administration had described India as a ‘great ally’ of the US and expressed resolve to work closely with the Prime Minister.
The Trump administration has been vastly advantaged by its outreach to India, which, in turn, is driven to coddle its imperious partner through costly arms deals that help sustain jobs in the US’s military industry and keep production lines running, Bana said adding:
In 2016, the US recognized India as a Major Defense Partner (MDP) to liberalize transfers of arms and technologies to it. The US also conducts more military exercises with India than with any other country. Consolidating these links was the US Senate’s passing of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that confers on India the status of a NATO ally. The legislation not only provides for increased cooperation in the Indian Ocean in maritime security, counter-terrorism, counter-piracy and humanitarian assistance, but also opens up more advanced weaponry and sensitive technologies for India.
Abdus Sattar Ghazali is the Chief Editor of the Journal of America (www.journalofamerica.net) email: asghazali2011 (@) gmail.com
The Journal of America Team:
Editor in chief:
Abdus Sattar Ghazali
Senior Editor:
Prof. Arthur Scott
Special Correspondent
Maryam Turab
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