India and US to sign defence pact

Tuesday, 27 October 2020 - 16:25

India+and+US+to+sign+defence+pact
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary Mark Esper met Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi in New Delhi today (27).

Earlier this morning, they paid homage to the National War Memorial in New Delhi.

According to Indian media, bilateral discussions between Pompeo, Esper, Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh were held today (27).

According to Reuters, an important security agreement between India and the United States will also be signed during the visit.

The agreement, known as the BECA (Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement on Geospatial Cooperation) will provide India with access to a range of topographical, nautical and aeronautical data that is considered vital for targeting of missiles and armed drones.

Reuters quoted Indian defence sources as saying that the agreement would allow the US to supply advanced navigational aids and avionics to India.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrives in Sri Lanka this afternoon as the second leg of his Asian tour.

Meanwhile, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) staged a protest in front of the US Embassy in Colombo today against the US Secretary of State's visit to Sri Lanka.


President Inaugurates South Asia’s Largest Maternity Hospital
Thursday, 28 March 2024 - 12:08

President Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasized that the future of the country hinges on modernizing the education and health sectors to align with forthcoming... Read More

President commends victorious National Football Team
Thursday, 28 March 2024 - 11:49

President Ranil Wickremesinghe met with the victorious Sri Lankan National Football Team on Tuesday (26) at the Presidential Secretariat. He commended... Read More

Bridge Collapse: US Divers find 2 bodies in submerged truck
Thursday, 28 March 2024 - 11:34

The bodies of two construction workers were found in the cold waters of Baltimore harbor Wednesday, trapped in their red pick-up truck after a giant cargo... Read More