US defends freedom of navigation ops in India’s EEZ

The US will continue to maintain the right to fly, sail and operate in accordance with international law: Pentagon

The United States has defended the freedom of navigation operation conducted by its 7th Fleet in India’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The US said it was an “innocent passage through the … in the ‘vicinity’ of the Republic of the Maldives and that the US will continue to maintain the right, indeed the responsibility to fly, sail and operate in accordance with international law”.

John Kirby speaks during a media briefing at the Pentagon in Washington. (AP)

Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby told reporters on Friday 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 with its exclusive economic zone, without requesting prior permission and that’s consistent with international law”.

“Again, we will continue to maintain the right, indeed the responsibility to fly, sail and operate in accordance with international law,” he added.

Pressed further, the spokesperson said, “We do it all around the world. It’s not just something that - you know, we - we tend to talk about it in - in regard to China and their excessive maritime claims but it isn’t all just about China, it’s something we do all around the world.”

US Navy’s 7th Fleet had said that on Wednesday, USS John Paul Jones “asserted navigational rights and freedoms” around 130 nautical miles west of the Lakshadweep Islands, inside India’s exclusive economic zone, without requesting India’s prior consent, consistent with international law, as required by India.