Passage of naval warship through India’s economic zone routine: US
The USS John Paul Jones, a warship of the 7th Fleet, “conducted a routine Freedom of Navigation Operation in the Indian Ocean”, a department of defense spokesperson said in a statement on Tuesday.
The US on Tuesday said it values the regional security partnership in the Indo-Pacific region as it sought to allay outrage over the April 7 intrusion in India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
The USS John Paul Jones, a warship of the 7th Fleet, “conducted a routine Freedom of Navigation Operation in the Indian Ocean”, a department of defense spokesperson said in a statement on Tuesday.
“We value our partnership with India on a wide range of issues, including regional security across the Indo-Pacific,” the spokesperson said.
The USS John Paul Jones, a Navy destroyer, sailed past Lakshadweep Island deep inside India’s EEZ of 200 nautical miles on April 7 without requesting India’s prior consent.
“This operation demonstrates longstanding US support for international law and freedom of the seas worldwide,” the spokesperson said. The “operational assertion”, as the US calls such naval maneuvers, are conducted under a 1979 Freedom of Navigation Programme intended to challenge and defy maritime protocols required by coastal nations that the United States believes are “excessive maritime claims”.
The statement from the department of defense appeared to direct attention towards a threat from China and the first-ever summit of the leaders of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or the Quad.
On Friday, the ministry of external affairs said, “We have conveyed our concerns regarding this passage through our EEZ to the Government of USA...”
