U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Esper will travel to New Delhi, India, next week. The visit is aimed at strengthening U.S.-India strategic and military ties.
Pompeo told reporters at the State Department on Wednesday (Oct. 21) that he and Esper are scheduled to meet with Indian External Affairs Minister Jason Suggson and Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi on Monday and Tuesday.
Pompeo called the meeting part of the “2+2” dialogue, which is expected to cover topics ranging from military exercises to diplomatic efforts around Asia.
According to Reuters, India is in the process of reaching an agreement with the United States on satellite data that could help India acquire satellite data to improve the accuracy of its missiles and drones, as well as help it close the military gap with China.
The U.S. has sold more than $21 billion in weaponry to India since 2007, and Washington has been urging the Indian side to sign an agreement that would allow for the sharing of sensitive information and encrypted communications to give India better access to advanced military equipment.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed the final draft of the agreement on Basic Exchange and Cooperation for Geospatial Cooperation (BECC) with his cabinet on Wednesday, according to sources in the Indian government. The agreement is said to provide India with access to a range of topographic, navigational, and aeronautical data, while also allowing the United States to provide India with advanced navigational aids and avionics equipment.
Sources said that this is a basic agreement, which the US has already signed with many other countries to enhance its operability.
India has long maintained a “non-aligned” diplomatic posture and has been reluctant to join the U.S.-led security alliance against China for a long time. But tensions between China and India have soared in recent months amid ongoing border clashes in the Ladakh region.
Jeff Smith, a scholar of South Asia at the Heritage Foundation, a Washington think tank, said, “These moves mark a new level of strategic cooperation between the two democracies, the United States and India, and a break with India’s non-aligned past.”
Michael Kugelman, a senior South Asia specialist at the Wilson Center, a Washington think tank, also said, “The Ladakh region certainly provides a huge boost to the relationship between the U.S. and India.”
The U.S. State Department revealed that Pompeo will travel to Sri Lanka after his visit to India to underscore the U.S. commitment to partnering with a strong, sovereign Sri Lanka and to advance the shared goal of a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
Subsequently, Pompeo will travel from Sri Lanka to the Maldives to discuss a range of issues including regional maritime security and counterterrorism.
Finally, Pompeo will visit Jakarta, Indonesia, to seek cooperation on regional issues and deliver a speech. Pompeo said, “I know that Indonesia shares our desire to ensure freedom and openness in the Indo-Pacific region.”
Recent Comments