End-User agreements with US do not compromise India's sovereignty: PM

New Delhi, July 29 (ANI): Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh today said in the Lok Sabha that the End-User Monitoring Agreement (EUMA) "does not compromise" India's sovereignty, but provided "an element of predictability" through options.

"There is nothing in the text that compromises India's sovereignty. There is no provision for unilateral verification by the US on imported defence equipment. India has a sovereign right."

"Any verification has to follow a request and it will be decided only on mutually-accepted date and venue. This has introduced an element of predictability," Singh said while responding to BJP leader Yashwant Sinha's concern that there was no clarity on the recent EUMA.

"All governments, including our Government, are particular about the end uses to which exported defence equipment and technologies are put to and for preventing them from falling into wrong hands," Dr. Singh added.

"I give an assurance to all members to guarantee sovereignty and integrity of India," the Prime Minister said.

The government has come under a lot of attack from Opposition members for finalising the End-User Monitoring arrangements, which they said has compromised India's sovereignty by giving free access to military sites and equipment to US.

Singh also said that the negotiations for inspections would happen case-by-case. (ANI)