Sri Lanka Docks Iran Ship in West Asia Crisis

SRI LANKA ALLOWING IRANIAN VESSEL TO DOCK AMID WEST ASIA CONFLICT

Why in the News?

  • Naval Incident: U.S. submarine reportedly sank Iranian frigate IRIS Dena near Sri Lanka’s Exclusive Economic Zone.
  • Docking Controversy: Sri Lanka allowed another Iranian vessel to dock, raising neutrality concerns during West Asia conflict.

 

International maritime law and neutrality principles

  • UNCLOS Framework: Maritime conduct in peacetime governed by United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), 1982.
  • Neutral State Role: Neutral states may allow passage, refuelling or emergency docking of belligerent warships without compromising neutrality.
  • Limited Repairs: International law permits repairs necessary for seaworthiness but prohibits restoring or enhancing combat capability.
  • Freedom of Navigation: Under Article 87 of UNCLOS, ships enjoy navigation rights in the EEZ of other states.
  • Law of Armed Conflict: Naval warfare governed by Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC), restricting hostile operations in neutral territorial waters.

Territorial sea vs exclusive economic zone

  • Territorial Sea: Coastal states exercise full sovereignty up to 12 nautical miles from the baseline under UNCLOS.
  • Innocent Passage: Foreign vessels may pass through territorial waters if they respect security and legal norms of the coastal state.
  • Exclusive Economic Zone: EEZ extends up to 200 nautical miles, where states possess rights over natural resources.
  • Limited Sovereignty: In the EEZ, states do not exercise full sovereignty but hold sovereign rights over economic resources.
  • Navigation Rights: Other states retain freedom of navigation and overflight within the EEZ under international law.

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)

●      Global Maritime Law: UNCLOS (1982) establishes the legal framework governing oceans and maritime activities.

●      Maritime Zones: Defines territorial sea, contiguous zone, exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.

●      Resource Rights: Coastal states possess sovereign rights over living and non-living resources within the EEZ.

●      Dispute Resolution: Convention provides mechanisms such as International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS).

●      UPSC Relevance: Topic important for GS Paper II and III, covering international law, maritime security and geopolitics.