Pentagon defends its Navy ship asserting navigational rights inside India’s EEZ with out permission
The Pentagon has mentioned that its Navy ship conducting navigational rights inside India’s unique financial zone (EEZ) with out the permission of New Delhi was in line with worldwide regulation.
India has lodged a robust protest towards such a transfer by the US concerning the passage of US Navy ship John Paul Jones by way of 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 advised 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 mentioned in response to a query from reporters at a Pentagon information convention.
Kirby mentioned that it’s the duty of the US to uphold the liberty of navigation and the rights and freedom and lawful makes use of of the ocean recognised in worldwide regulation.
