BECA done, fighters and armed drones next as India turns US positive
2+2 India-US dialogue: External affairs minister S Jaishankar had set the tone for the strategic dialogue early in the day when he stressed that India
BECA done, fighters and armed drones next as India turns US positive
US secretary of state Micheal R Pompeo on Tuesday wrapped up the India leg of his four-nation tour to power an alliance against Chinese aggression that he underlined not only impacts India but other countries as well. Pompeo arrived along with defense secretary Mark Esper on Monday for the annual US-India 2+2 strategic dialogue. As he ended his meetings in New Delhi, Pompeo promised at a media briefing on Monday that the United States would stand with the people of India as they confront threats to their sovereignty and to their liberty, a not-so-oblique reference to Indian soldiers standing up to China’s People’s Liberation Army for more than five months in the East Ladakh sector. Pompeo and Esper also indicated that the Chinese actions in Ladakh, South China Sea, Senkaku Islands and trade wars with Australia were discussed and assessment shared on how to counter them. The two sides also signed a bunch of five pacts including BECA, or Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement, to share s…
