End Use Monitoring Agreement

Indeed, in a March 2008 report, India Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) criticized the oversight clauses for the final use of the contract for USS Trenton/INS Jalashwa. (As soon as the United States transferred this transport ship to India, a gas leak killed an Indian officer and five sailors on board.) [†] The United States praised the End Use Monitoring Agreement (EUMA) with New Delhi as a „landmark event“ and „a very important agreement“ – an agreement that introduces India into the „mainstream of non-proliferation“ and „is part of the implementation“ of the nuclear agreement. The Americans say the agreement paves the way for mega-agreements on arms deliveries to India. On the other hand, New Delhi has zealously tried to downplay the importance of EUMA and to circumvent its link with the nuclear agreement, with the Prime Minister having told Parliament twice – the last time on 22 July 2008 – that there was „no secret or hidden communication“ „beyond the published documents“. He added: „The United States can have these kinds of agreements (end-users) with everyone. I don`t believe it. We pay for something and we get some technology. What I do with it is my thing. USG EUM programs were designed to enable the final use of defence goods and services sold or leased by USG to USG allies and partners via the FMS system. However, this does not exempt recipients from the above requirements. The U.S. government takes all allegations of distraction or unauthorized use of defence items very seriously and works with partners at all levels to ensure compliance with end-use agreements.

In the event that the U.S. government is informed of an alleged violation of the underlying agreement that supported the transfer of defence personnel and services, the Department immediately seeks to gather information to confirm the validity of the report, assess whether the activities described in the report constitute a violation of the agreement, and specify that the U.S. government will take steps to prevent such violations from occurring again. However, despite concerns within and outside the civil service, a blinking Indian government hesitated to trust Parliament, with the Foreign Minister`s statement of 21 July containing only two sentences on EUMA in both assemblies. Shouldn`t the Prime Minister explain to Parliament how an agreement drawn up by the United States for the Netherlands for consuming countries is linked to India`s strategic autonomy and its right to freely use and use weapons bought with cash? The government`s bill, which proposes that Indian taxpayers take primary responsibility for nuclear accidents, with the maximum liability of foreign operators limited to only $62 million, will finally give Parliament the opportunity to examine the nuclear agreement and its link to agreements such as EUMA.