India tells US to work for mutually acceptable end user clause

Lalit K Jha

Washington, Mar 24 (PTI) India has told United States
to overcome "lingering" doubts about reliability of US weapons
supply to India and has asked Washington to work together to
find a mutually acceptable solution on the end use clause of
transferred weapons systems.

These issues were raised at crucial meetings held by
Indian Prime Minister's Special Envoy Shyam Saran with top US
officials.

Saran, who arrived here Monday on a four-day visit,
said India and the US needed to work together to find a
mutually acceptable solution which will take care of US legal
requirement about end use monitoring of transferred defence
system, as well as "meet out sensitivities."

"I am certain we will be able to do so quickly given
our past experience and also given the interest both our
countries have in strengthening this relationship," he said.

Conveying to US that despite the economic slowdown,
there would be no let up in India's drive to modernise its
armed forces, Saran said if India maintains its current level
of defence spending, it would be on course to meet its medium
and long term goals of forces up gradation.

He told the US officials that a growing part of the
expected 10-year acquisition plan of USD 120 billion could be
re-oriented towards the US.

With such huge market for US weapons systems, New
Delhi has told Washington this would require the US to
overcome lingering Indian doubts about the reliability of the
American supplies.

India and US have recently concluded mega defence
deals for transfer of huge ship landing dock, weapon locating
radars, medium transport aircrafts for the IAF and long range
surveillance aircrafts for the Navy.

But, some of these weapons purchases have been delayed
due to US insistence on going ahead with the end users clause
which gives American officials the right to monitor that the
weapons systems remain with agencies they are sold to. PTI