US fleet in India’s EEZ
by kunal gajbhiye
1. Why in news
1.1. USS John Paul Jones asserted navigational rights and freedom inside India’s EEZ,
1.1.1. Declared by
1.1.1.1. US 7th fleet
1.1.1.1.1. is the largest of the US Navy’s forward deployed fleets
1.1.2. approximately 130 nautical miles west of Lakshadweep Islands
1.1.3. without requesting India’s prior consent.
1.1.4. Also declared
1.1.4.1. “India requires prior consent for military exercises or manoeuvres in its EEZ,
1.1.4.1.1. a claim inconsistent with international law acc to US
2. Freedom of Navigation Operations
2.1. It involves passage conducted by the US Navy
2.1.1. Through waters claimed by coastal nations as their exclusive territory.
2.2. It is carried under the US policy of exercising and asserting its navigation and overflight rights and freedoms around the world”.
2.3. It says these “assertions communicate that the US does not acquiesce to the excessive maritime claims of other nations,
2.3.1. thus prevents those claims from becoming accepted in international law
2.4. It is exercised by sailing through all areas of the sea permitted under UNCLOS,
2.4.1. particularly those areas that states have attempted to close off to free navigation as defined under UNCLOS.