End-Use Monitoring Pact Not A Sovereignty Compromise  Manmohan Singh & Hillary Clinton |
According to Dr. Manmohan Singh, the end-use monitoring pact with the US "does not compromise our sovereignty" and will not allow American inspectors to visit Indian military installations.
"You can be assured that our government has taken all precautions to ensure an outcome to guarantee (our) national security and interests. Nothing comprises our sovereignty," Manmohan Singh said in the Lok Sabha while replying to a debate on the government's recent foreign policy initiatives.
"I agree that the general formulation now introduces predictability," said Singh, pointing out that earlier such clauses were incorporated "case by case". He explained that the "generic formulation" has "no provision for unilateral action in regard of inspection".
"Any verification has to follow a request which will have to be at a mutually acceptable date and mutually acceptable venue. There is no provision for on-site inspection at any military installations," he asserted.
The prime minister said India's defence forces required access to all technologies and hence, India's sources of defence hardware had to be diversified. The US had insisted on the end-use monitoring pact as this is a compulsory requirement according to its laws when selling defence items to a foreign country.
