Washington: The Pentagon has said that its Navy ship conducting navigational rights within India's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) without the permission of New Delhi was consistent with international law.
India has lodged a strong protest against such a move by the US regarding the passage of US Navy ship John Paul Jones through its EEZ.
"I can tell you is that the USS John Paul Jones, a Navy destroyer, asserted navigational rights and freedoms in the vicinity of the Republic of the Maldives by conducting innocent passage through its territorial sea in normal operations within its exclusive economic zone without requesting prior permission," Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby told reporters on Friday.
"That's consistent with international law. Again, we continue to maintain the right, indeed the responsibility, to fly, sail, and operate in accordance with international law," he said in response to a question from reporters at a Pentagon news conference.
Kirby said that it is the responsibility of the US to uphold the freedom of navigation and the rights and freedom and lawful uses of the sea recognised in international law.
India's stand over the issue
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement that the Central government's 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 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.
The Ministry further said that the US vessel was continuously monitored transiting from the Persian Gulf towards the Malacca Straits. "We have conveyed our concerns regarding this passage through our EEZ to the Government of USA through diplomatic channels," MEA said.
With inputs from agencies
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