US, India set to sign military pact as China tightens ties

The United States and India are expected to sign a key military deal this week, stepping up cooperation in the Pacific and Indian Oceans to counter an increasingly assertive China, Indian officials said. A senior US defense official did not confirm the planned signing, but cited significant progress. He also said the pact, known as the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement, or Beca, ࢀœwould allow for an expanded exchange of geospatial information between our armed forces.ࢀ The Indian cabinet, which met under Prime Minister Narendra Modi early last week, approved the draft pact, paving the way for a formal signing,…