Navigation with permission
Updated:
Updated:
April 15, 2021 00:37 IST
Any state which wishes to conduct military exercises in an exclusive economic zone must first consult the coastal state
Share Article
U.S. Navy ship John Paul Jones. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Any state which wishes to conduct military exercises in an exclusive economic zone must first consult the coastal state
On April 7, the U.S.’s 7th Fleet Destroyer, the
USS John Paul Jones,conducted a ‘Freedom of Navigation Operation’ 130 nautical miles west of the Lakshadweep Islands inside India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Not only was this exercise conducted without requesting India’s consent, but the U.S. 7th Fleet noted in its press release that India’s requirement of prior consent is “inconsistent with international law”. In its response, India asserted that the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) “does not authorize other States to carry out in the Exclusive Economic Zone and on the continental shelf, military exercises or manoeuvres, in particular those involving the use of weapons or explosives, without the consent of the coastal state”. Owing to the different positions of the two countries, legal questions emerge here. The question is, can countries carry out military exercises in another country’s EEZ and if yes, subject to what conditions?