Explainer | How could a US-India intelligence deal affect China?

Washington has agreed to give New Delhi access to some of its world-leading technology that analyses human activities such as troop movements

The agreement comes as tensions continue to simmer on the China-India border in the Himalayas

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The agreement could reduce India’s dependence on forward deployed troops in the Himalayas. Photo: AP

Published: 6:52pm, 31 Oct 2020Updated: 6:51pm, 31 Oct 2020

India and the United States signed the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geospatial Intelligence (BECA) this week, a major step towards a de facto military alliance targeting China.

The agreement comes as India and China struggle to resolve a dispute over their Himalayan border, tensions that erupted into deadly conflict in the summer.

What is the agreement?

The agreement paves the way for an exchange of sophisticated imaging data between the Indian and American armed forces and governments.

It will give India access to US aerial data and analysis of human activities on the ground as well as intelligence on aircraft movements and hydrographic information – among other kinds of data.

It would also give India access to much higher quality military-grade GPS navigation signals as well as equipment from the US for its ground, air and naval forces.

American technology in this area leads the world and the agreement gives Indian troops the chance to improve their expertise through specialist US guidance and training.

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