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”. Although India is America`s strategic partner and not an ally to follow the Alliance leader, the United States is trying to co-opt India in a “soft alliance” through various agreements. The 2005 Framework Defence Agreement, which focused on arms sales to the United States, interoperability and information exchange, was designed to develop India as a new junior partner (or language partner) in a network of interconnected bilateral agreements that integrate into the central and speculative alliance system in the United States. The nuclear agreement that followed, with its elaborate terms that go beyond nuclear, was an initiative in the same direction that contributed to the emergence of EUMA, which includes both routine inspections and “enhanced” control of end-use. However, it seems strange that American policy is trying to make India a “soft” ally in a world where some of America`s former allies are quietly trying to regain their foreign policy autonomy. Under the Blue Lantern program, staff from the PM Bureau and the U.S. Embassy conduct pre-licensing, pre-licensing/pre-shipment and post-shipment checks around the world to verify the Bona-Fides of foreign recipients and end-users and to confirm the legitimacy of the proposed transactions. Blue Lantern controls are not repressive investigations; on the contrary, they ensure, as far as possible, that: 1) the recipient meets the requirements imposed by the United States Government with respect to the use, transfers and security of defence and defence services; and 2) these items and services are used for the purposes for which they were provided.

Blue Lantern controls may include interviews with foreign parties, visual inspections of inventories and physical security checks, as well as confirmation by foreign governments that the facilities under control are in good condition. The Annual Final Monitoring Report of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs contains information on blue lantern controls that have been launched and closed by region. Compare this to what Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told the Lok Sabha on July 22, 2008: “Some people spread rumors that there are secret or hidden agreements beyond the published documents.