Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) | UPSC
HEADLINES:
High-tech transfers
WHY IN NEWS:
How will the signing of BECA deepen military ties between India and the U.S.?
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3: Defence
LEARNING:
For PRELIMS go through all the agreements in brief with the timeline . Ground based application of these technologies is important for Prelims .
For MAINS keep an eye on the bipolar world and its consequences mentioned in way forward . Let us dive in !
ISSUE:
BASIC EXCHANGE AND COOPERATION AGREEMENT (BECA)
- This is the fourth and the last of the foundational agreements that both countries have concluded.
- Starting with GSOMIA (General Security of Military Information Agreement) in 2002.
- LEMOA (Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement) in 2016
- COMCASA (Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement) in 2018 ,and now BECA.
WHAT ARE FOUNDATIONAL AGREEMENTS?
- The United States enters into what are called ‘foundational or enabling agreements’ with its defence partners.
- These agreements govern the nature and scope of U.S. defence partnerships.
- The competitive advantage of the U.S. military is maintained primarily by the advanced technologies that the country develops continuously.
- The U.S. sells military equipment to other countries with strict control over their deployment and use.
- The sale of advanced communication and security systems on the aircraft — which are not commercially available — is made seamless by foundational agreements.
- The U.S. is also eager to advance ‘interoperability’ with defence forces of the countries that are its defence partners.
- Interoperability involves real-time coordination of forces.
- The U.S. has signed these foundational agreements with at least 100 countries, which mostly follow a standard text.
WHAT DO THESE AGREEMENTS DO?
- The General Security of Military Information Agreement or GSOMIA, and its extension, the Information Security Annex (ISA) were signed in 2019.
- It allows military technology cooperation for the sharing of classified information between governments and companies in both countries.
- Even in the absence of this agreement, such cooperation can and has taken place between India and the U.S.,but the agreement makes it seamless, and the accounting easier.
- The COMCASA allows Indian forces to procure advanced, secure communication equipment from the U.S.
- Such equipment was earlier denied for U.S. origin platforms such as C-17, C-130, and commercial systems were used in their place.
- Only after COMCASA was signed were the encrypted systems provided to India.
- The BECA enables exchange of geospatial information.
WHAT IS THE STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF THESE AGREEMENTS?
- Since the Civil Nuclear Agreement of 2005, the India-U.S. defence cooperation has been advancing at a rapid pace.
- Foundational agreements deepen defence cooperation, in trade and operation.
- India and the U.S. are also part of a broader shared vision for the Indo-Pacific region, where both countries, along with Japan and Australia, are increasing their military cooperation.
- U.S.-built platforms used by partner countries can talk to one another and share operational information.
CONCERNS
- Critics worry that tying itself too closely with the U.S. may limit India’s choices.
- The U.S. is very particular about the integrity of its networks, and pressure could mount on India to remain firmly in its camp.
- The U.S. is particularly irked by India’s continuing defence cooperation with Russia.
- India will be taking the delivery of Russian S-400 missile defence system next year, ignoring American objections.
- At any rate, it will not be possible to integrate Russian and American platforms, and this could throw up new challenges of military planning for India.
- India could ramp up its defence cooperation with the U.S. without ending up as its ally.
IASbhai WINDUP:
IMPLICATIONS FOR THE REGION
- On the military side, access to classified information and satellite imageries from the US satellites would help India improve its situational awareness.
NATIVE CAPABLITIES
- India has recently tested Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HTDV) which would be able to carry hypersonic cruise missiles with speeds more than Mach 7.
- Hypersonic weapons due to their short flight time could also be useful against mobile launchers such as the ‘Nasr’ missile system that with Pakistan .
WAY AHEAD
- The US wants India to move away from Russian equipment and platforms, as it feels this may expose its technology and information to Moscow.
- India is wary of Pakistan’s deep-rooted ties with the Pentagon, and Washington’s dependence on Rawalpindi for access to Afghanistan as well as its exit strategy.
- The clear and present danger from China, New Delhi’s strategic embrace of Washington is the obvious outcome.
The Indian defence establishment has already used at least five American platforms at the LAC—
- C-17 Globemaster III for military transport,
- Boeing’s Chinook CH-47 as heavy-lift helicopters
- Boeing’s Apache as tank-killers
- P-8I Poseidon for overland reconnaissance
- Lockheed Martin’s C-130J for airlifting troops.
SOURCES: THE IE | Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) | UPSC
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