India and US must work together to counter Chinese threat: Mike Pompeo during 2+2 dialogue

New Delhi: United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday said Washington and India must work together to counter the threat posed by China to 'security and freedom'. Pompeo and Defence Secretary Mark T Esper arrived in New Delhi on October 26 for the third edition of the 2+2 ministerial dialogue to boost defence and security ties between the two countries.

Both Pompeo and Esper also held talks with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Tuesday to discuss challenges of "strategic importance."

“There is much more work to do for sure,” Pompeo said during talks with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

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As per reports, both United States and India also signed a military agreement, Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geo-Spatial cooperation, or BECA, which will give New Delhi access to advanced American satellite and map data for better accuracy of its missiles and drones.

Presently, the two sides have been sharing real-time intelligence under the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement, or COMCASA, which was signed in 2018.

"Based on our shared values and common interests, we stand shoulder-to-shoulder in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific for all, particularly in light of increasing aggression and destabilising activities by China", Secretary of Defence, Mark Esper said on 2+2 India-US Dialogue.

"U.S & India are taking steps to strengthen our cooperation against all manner of threats, not just those posed by Chinese Communist Party. Last year, we've expanded our cooperation on cyber issues, our navies have held joint exercises in the Indian ocean," said U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

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