In an unusual move, the US Navy announced earlier this week that it conducted a freedom of navigation operation in Indian waters without prior consent to challenge India's "excessive maritime claims," triggering a reaction from India, which on Friday said it has conveyed concerns to Washington through diplomatic channels.
The Ministry of External Affairs also contested the US Navy's 7th Fleet statement of April 7 that the freedom of navigation operation (FONOP) by the guided-missile destroyer USS John Paul Jones "upheld the rights, freedoms, and lawful uses" of the sea recognised in international law.
The MEA in its statement said, "India's stated position on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is that the Convention does not authorise other states to carry out in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) 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.
What is Freedom of Navigation Operation (FONOP)?
This is an operation that involves the US Navy passing through waters claimed by coastal nations as their territory. The US' Freedom of Navigation (FON) program has been in force for 40 years and according to the Department of Defense, it "continuously reaffirmed the United States’ policy of exercising and asserting its navigation and overflight rights and freedoms around the world".
The DoD "challenges excessive maritime claims asserted by a wide variety of coastal States including allies, partners, and other nations on a worldwide basis to maintain global mobility of US forces", through the FON.
What is the 7th Fleet?
The 7th Fleet is the largest forward-deployed fleet of the US Navy and at any given time, there are about 50-70 ships and submarines, 150 aircraft, and about 20,000 sailors in the 7th Fleet, according to its website. The fleet is headed by a 3-star Navy officer.
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)
As per the United Nations, an exclusive economic zone is "an area beyond and adjacent to the territorial sea, subject to the specific legal regime" under which the "rights and jurisdiction of the coastal State and the rights and freedoms of other States are governed by the relevant provisions".
The EEZ of India is "an area beyond and adjacent to the territorial waters, and the limit of such zone is two hundred nautical miles from the baseline".
The navies of India and the United States carry out large-scale exercises each year that now involve Japan and Australia. The four countries have formed an informal security grouping called the Quad to push back against China's expanding power.
(With agency inputs)
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