Pompeo, Esper meet NSA Doval; focus on shared objectives

 During the meeting, sources said, both sides highlighted the need to take forward shared objectives and build capabilities across all domains so as to ensure a safe, stable and rule based regional and global security environment.  

Visiting US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and US Defence Secretary Mark Esper met National Security Advisor Ajit Doval at South Block on the sidelines of the 2+2 bilateral dialogue. 

Sources said they had a constructive meeting and discussed a number of issues and challenges of strategic importance.

During the meeting, sources added, both sides highlighted the need to take forward shared objectives and build capabilities across all domains so as to ensure a safe, stable and rule based regional and global security environment.

The meeting comes ahead of the signing of crucial agreements between India and the US, the most significant among them being the BECA pact for Geo-Spatial Cooperation.

The Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement or BECA would help both the countries in sharing high-end military technology, geospatial maps and classified satellite data between their militaries.

India and the US are also expected to sign the Maritime Information Sharing Technical Arrangement during the 2+2 meeting. MISTA will make information and intelligence sharing much easier in the maritime domain between the two nations.