Question : S K Saini will travel to the United States from October 17 to 20, 2020. The aim of the visit is to enhance military cooperation between both the armies.Who is S K Saini ?
(a)Defence Secretory of India
(b) Vice Chief of the Army Staff
(c) Vice Chief of the Naval Staff
(d) None of the above
Answer (b)
Related facts
- Lt Gen SK Saini, Vice Chief of the Army Staff is proceeding on a visit to the United States of America from 17 to 20 Oct 2020.
- The aim of the visit is to enhance military cooperation between both the armies.
- The Vice Chief of the Army Staff will visit the US Army Pacific Command (USARPRAC), the Army component of Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) and exchange ideas extensively with the military leadership apart from witnessing training and equipment capabilities of US Army.
- Later, the Vice Chief of the Army Staff will also visit INDOPACOM where aspects of military cooperation and furthering military to military engagement including procurements, training in niche domains, joint exercises and capability building will be discussed.
- The visit will further enhance the operational and strat level collaboration between both armies, which is emphasised by the fact India is participating in two joint exercises with the US despite COVID-19 restrictions.
- These are Yudh Abhyas (February 2021) and Vajra Prahar (March 2021).
India –US military relations : Chronology
- The first of the four agreements, the General Security Of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA), was signed by India and the U.S. in 2002.
- The second agreement, the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA), was signed by the two countries on 29 August 2016.
- The LEMOA permits the military of either country to use the others’ bases for re-supplying or carrying out repairs.
- The third agreement, Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) was signed during the inaugural 2+2 dialogue in September 2018.
- The fourth agreement, Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) has not yet been signed. It permits the exchange of unclassified and controlled unclassified geospatial products, topographical, nautical, and aeronautical data, products and services between India and the US National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA).
- In June 2015, US defence secretary Ashton Carter visited India and became the first American defence secretary to visit an Indian military command.
- In March 2016, India rejected a proposal by the US to join naval patrols in the South China Sea alongside Japan and Australia.
By — Pankaj Pandey.