Pakistan on Tuesday, warned that US-India BECA deal poses a threat to regional peace and stability.
As per the statement issued by Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) on Tuesday, Pakistan has taken due notice of the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) between India and United States on sharing of geospatial information.
Foreign Office (FO) underscored the threats posed to strategic stability in South Asia as a result of provision of advanced military hardware, technologies and knowledge to India.
“India’s massive acquisition of armaments and expansion of its nuclear forces, including introduction of new destabilizing weapon systems, are developments with serious repercussions for peace and stability in South Asia,” read the official statement.
Furthermore, Pakistan highlighted that missile tests being conducted by India at an unprecedented rate is essentially a testament to dangerous military buildup by India, in both conventional and nuclear domains.
These developments clearly negate the argument that India’s mainstreaming in the international export control regimes will further the non-proliferation objectives of these regimes, the statement added.
What is BECA?
BECA agreement is pact signed by US government with its close allies for military cooperation that includes interoperability of armed forces, exchange and sharing of classified information.
BECA will give India access to classified geo-spatial data as well as critical information having significant military applications. The agreement will enable India and United States to exchange maps, nautical and aeronautical charts, commercial and other unclassified imagery, geophysical, geomagnetic and gravity data.
The classified data shared by the US will allow India to conduct military strikes with pinpoint accuracy.
The development comes as India and US have already signed General Security of Military Information Agreement (2002), Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (2016), Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (2018) to exchange military logistics and enable secure communications.
