India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is a significant maritime area where the country holds exclusive rights for exploration and utilization of marine resources. The concept of EEZs was established under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which allows coastal nations to claim a sea zone extending up to 200 nautical miles from their shoreline, beyond their territorial sea. Within this zone, the coastal nation has sole exploitation rights over all natural resources. India, with its vast coastline, has the world’s eighteenth largest EEZ, encompassing a vast expanse of ocean space.
Understanding the Exclusive Economic Zone
An Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) grants a state special privileges over the exploration and use of marine resources, including energy production from water and wind. The EEZ extends from the edge of the territorial sea out to 200 nautical miles from the baseline of a country’s coast. In this zone, the coastal state has sovereign rights for the purpose of exploring, exploiting, conserving, and managing natural resources, both living and non-living, of the waters superjacent to the seabed and its subsoil. Additionally, the coastal state also has jurisdiction over artificial islands, marine scientific research, and the protection and preservation of the marine environment.
India’s Exclusive Economic Zone
India’s EEZ encompasses an area of approximately 890,000 square miles, making it the eighteenth largest in the world. This vast maritime space surrounds the Indian mainland as well as the island territories, stretching across the Laccadive Sea to the west and the Andaman Sea to the east. The EEZ of India is rich in biodiversity and resources, offering opportunities for fishing, mineral extraction, and energy generation. It is also strategically important, as it includes key shipping lanes that are vital for international trade.
US Freedom of Navigation Operations
The United States Navy regularly conducts freedom of navigation operations (FONOPs) around the globe to challenge what it considers to be excessive maritime claims by other countries. These operations are designed to assert the right of free passage in international waters and to uphold the principles of the international law of the sea. However, such operations can sometimes lead to tensions with the coastal states whose claims are being challenged.
Diplomatic Backlash from India
The US recently conducted FONOPs in India’s EEZ without India’s prior consent. This action led to a diplomatic backlash from the Indian government, which expressed concerns over the US Navy’s decision to carry out the operation. India maintains that under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, any military exercise or maneuver in its EEZ requires its permission. The incident highlighted the differing interpretations of international maritime law and underscored the delicate balance between national sovereignty and the rights to freedom of navigation.
International Maritime Law and EEZ Rights
The 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea serves as the overarching legal framework governing maritime affairs, including the establishment and use of EEZs. While the convention gives coastal states rights over the resources within their EEZ, it also preserves the rights and freedoms of other states, including navigation and overflight. The convention aims to strike a balance between the interests of coastal states and those of the international community, but disputes often arise over the extent of each state’s rights and obligations.
In conclusion, India’s EEZ is a crucial area for the country’s resource management and strategic interests. The recent freedom of navigation operation by the US Navy and the subsequent diplomatic response from India highlight the ongoing challenges in interpreting and applying international maritime law. As nations continue to assert their rights and navigate complex maritime boundaries, the principles outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea remain central to maintaining order and cooperation on the world’s oceans.
