Is US even in a position to lecture India on international law?

New Delhi

In light of US Navy ship's foray into India and Maldives's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the focus is back on what do international laws say about such cases

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea came into operation on November 16, 1982, with the purpose of framing a global nautical law and protecting marine resources.

India ratified the law in 1995.

Here's what the UNCLOS says,

1. A country has full sovereignty in its territorial waters. This is within 12 nautical miles from the country's coast

2. UNCLOS says that a country has special rights in regard to the exploration of marine resources in its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)

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This zone stretches up to 200 nautical miles.

India follows this international convention. But it also has rules of its own. India says foreign vessels travelling through India's exclusive economic zone have to give prior notification. The same also applies to India's continental shelf. And prior permissions are required for military maneuvers or exercises.

However, there is no restriction on innocent passage. And this includes navies too.

The US naval fleet was at 130 nautical miles west of the Lakshadweep. This is well within India's EEZ.

The US says it was exercising freedom of navigation, upholding the 'rights, freedoms, and the lawful uses of the sea recognised in international law'.

The US Navy is quoting the UNCLOS.

But question arises as to can any country quote a convention without even having signed it. The US had not ratified the UNCLOS. There are 160 member parties. But the US is missing.

Washington does not agree with certain clauses of the UNCLOS dealing with the minerals found on the seabed of the EEZ

So it comes down to one question is the US even in a position to lecture India on International Law?

What Washington has done is a clear violation of India's rules.