US and India ‘set to sign intelligence deal’ amid ongoing border stand-off with China
- Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi amid reports Washington will share satellite intelligence with New Delhi
- The two countries have stepped up cooperation on security after the confrontation along the China-India border began in May
The United States and India are preparing to sign an agreement to share satellite intelligence, media reports say, as the two sides seek to enhance security cooperation.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary Mark Esper arrived in New Delhi on Monday ahead of a regular bilateral security meeting on Tuesday, as tens of thousands of troops remain stationed on the China-India border.
Pompeo and Esper will meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as well as Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for talks before leaving India on Tuesday. Pompeo will then travel to Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and Indonesia, following his stop in New Delhi.
The meeting comes amid the ongoing stand-off between Indian and Chinese troops along their disputed border and a growing closeness between Washington and New Delhi.
The Wall Street Journal and Indian media outlets reported that the two sides were preparing to sign an intelligence-sharing deal that would give India access to US map and satellite images that will enhance the accuracy of weapons and drones, which are expected to be used increasingly for surveillane along the border during the winter.
The US and India have stepped up their cooperation on defence issues since the stand-off began in May, including a security arangement with Japan and Australia known as the Quad.