Bilateral Relations

KEY POINTS

COMCASA

·         Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) is an India-specific version of the Communication and Information on Security Memorandum of Agreement (CISMOA).

·         India and the US have signed the COMCASA agreement during the first ever ‘2+2’ talks between the two countries.

Significance

·         It provides the legal framework for the US to part with its sensitive communication equipment and codes to enable transfer of real-time operational information.

·         This equipment is largely used for ground-to-air communication, on installed US-origin military aircraft, to enable best battle situation awareness.

·         The US data link is considered the most secure communication platform, which will also allow India access to big data base of American intelligence, including real-time imagery.

·         It will allow both sides to operate on the same communication systems, enabling an “interoperable” environment for militaries.

·         Without this agreement, the US cannot part with highly coded communication equipment with the military platforms they sell to India.

·         India has to depend on commercially available less secure systems on, otherwise, high-end platforms like C-130Js and the P8I maritime surveillance aircraft, among others.

·         COMCASA will change that. Now the US government will be able to give the go-ahead to install the best communication equipment on relevant platforms such as aircraft being sold to India.

·         It will effectively mean India sharing the real-time American intelligence on military deployments by China and Pakistan.

·         It will also help India obtain the armed version of the Sea Guardian drones.

·         The US could not part with the weapon systems on the drone without COMCASA which will now allow installation of data and communication systems. 

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