Monitoring Desk
\nNEW DELHI
\nIndia on Friday conveyed to Washington its position on the US Navy Ship John Paul Jones that carried out a freedom of navigation operation in the country\u2019s exclusive economic zone off the coast of Lakshadweep islands without its consent, reported Indian TV channel Times Now.
\n\u201cThe Government of India\u2019s stated position on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea is that the Convention does not authorise 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,\u201d said the Indian Ministry of External Affairs on Friday.
\nThe Indian foreign ministry said that that the USS John Paul Jones was \u201ccontinuously monitored\u201d while it was \u201ctransiting from the Persian Gulf towards the Malacca Straits\u201d.
\n\u201cWe have conveyed our concerns regarding this passage through our EEZ to the Government of USA through diplomatic channels,\u201d read the statement.
\nThe statement was issued after the US Navy shared that the USS John Paul carried out a \u201cfreedom of navigation operation\u201d inside India\u2019s exclusive economic zone off the Lakshadweep Islands. It had said that the operation was done on April 7 without India\u2019s knowledge about it.
\n\u201cOn April 7, 2021 (local time), USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53) asserted navigational rights and freedoms approximately 130 nautical miles west of the Lakshadweep Islands, inside India\u2019s exclusive economic zone, without requesting India\u2019s prior consent, consistent with international law,\u201d said the US Navy.
\nThe statement acknowledged that New Delhi\u2019s has set prior consent as a requirement for military exercises in its exclusive economic zone but explained that that the demand was \u201cinconsistent with international law\u201d.
\n\u201cThis freedom of navigation operation upheld rights, freedom and lawful uses of sea recognized in international law by challenging India\u2019s excessive maritime claims,\u201d said the statement.
\nThe US Navy shared that it operates in the Indo-Pacific region regularly. It explained that all operations comply with the international law and \u201cdemonstrate that the United States will fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows\u201d.
\n\u201cWe conduct routine and regular Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOPs), as we have done in the past and will continue to in the future. FONOPs are not about one country, nor are they about making political statements,\u201d said the US Navy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Monitoring Desk NEW DELHI India on Friday conveyed to Washington its position on the US Navy Ship John Paul Jones that carried out a freedom of navigation operation in the country\u2019s exclusive economic zone off the coast of Lakshadweep islands without its consent, reported Indian TV channel Times Now. \u201cThe Government of India\u2019s stated position […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":185338,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-185319","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n