Latest news with #UnitedNationsConventiononLawoftheSea
Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
India-EU naval exercise in Indian Ocean on June 1-3
Photo/Agencies NEW DELHI: India and the European Union (EU) will conduct a joint naval exercise in the Indian Ocean from June 1-3. The exercise will focus on advanced counter-piracy operations, interoperability, tactical manoeuvres, and enhanced communication protocols, reflecting the growing maritime security cooperation between the two sides. This is in line with their shared commitment to a free, open, inclusive and rules-based maritime order in the Indo-Pacific region, the EU has said. "It is underpinned by the respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, democracy, rule of law, freedom of navigation and overflight, unimpeded lawful commerce, and peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law, notably the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),'' it said in a statement. "The exercise will involve Indian Navy ships and two frigates of the European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) Operation ATLANTA," it added.
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
India, EU to conduct joint naval exercise in Indian Ocean on June 1-3
NEW DELHI: India and the European Union (EU) will conduct a three-day joint naval exercise in the Indian Ocean, reflecting the growing security cooperation between the two sides. The joint exercise, scheduled for June 1-3, will involve Indian Navy warships and two frigates, one from Italy and another from Spain, deployed with the European Union Naval Force's Operation Atalanta in the Indian Ocean. 'The joint exercise will focus on advanced counter-piracy operations, interoperability, tactical manoeuvres, and enhanced communication protocols, reflecting the growing maritime security cooperation between the two sides,' the EU said in a statement on Thursday. Naval cooperation between the EU and India has expanded in recent years through joint exercises in the Gulf of Guinea and Gulf of Aden. The Indian Navy has been providing escort to vessels chartered by the World Food Programme in coordination with Operation Atalanta. India and the EU have increased cooperation on maritime security in recent years, and several members of the European bloc have come out with their strategies for the Indo-Pacific. 'The EU and India share a strong commitment to a free, open, inclusive and rules-based maritime order in the Indo-Pacific region,' the statement said. This commitment is underpinned by the respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, democracy, rule of law, freedom of navigation and overflight, unimpeded lawful commerce, and peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law, especially the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The joint exercise will build on the visit to India by the EU College of Commissioners led by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in February. One of the key deliverables of that visit was enhanced engagement on maritime domain awareness in order to promote shared assessment, coordination and interoperability. The fourth EU-India maritime security dialogue, held in March, emphasised the need for cooperation to counter illicit maritime activities and explore new joint maritime initiatives aligned with the objectives of the joint exercise. Vice Admiral Ignacio Villanueva Serrano, the operation commander of Operation Atalanta, visited India in April to bolster cooperation with the Indian Navy. Operation Atalanta was launched in 2008 to tackle piracy and armed robbery in the Gulf of Aden, and it's mandate has evolved with the passage of time to include a range of security challenges, including counter-narcotics, arms smuggling and combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in the Horn of Africa and the western Indian Ocean. Warships from EU member states deployed with Operation Atalanta in the Indian Ocean have conducted passing exercises or 'passex' with the Indian Navy in the past.
Indian Express
04-05-2025
- General
- Indian Express
No entry for Pakistan-flagged ships in India: How ships choose their flags and what they signify
The 1958 Act deals with ships with Indian flags anywhere in the world and ships with foreign flags while in Indian waters 'to ensure safety of life at sea and safety of ships'. But what exactly is the function of flags in shipping? We explain. What do the flags of countries mean in shipping? Flags on ships foremost show which country the vessel has been registered with, rather than the owner or the crew's nationality. As the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) says, 'By linking a ship to a State, the system of ship registration indicates that that State has the right to protect that ship in international law.' This identification becomes necessary also because ships move through international waters, which are not under the jurisdiction of any state. Under the framework of international law, all countries need to fix the conditions for granting their nationality to ships and the right to fly their flag. However, there is currently no common, binding framework for the registration process. According to the DGS website, the registration affords evidence of title of the ship to those who deal with the property in question. It further gives protection to the members of the crew in case of casualties involving injuries and/or loss of life to claim compensation under the provisions of the Indian Acts in Indian courts. Countries must also exercise their jurisdiction and control in administrative, technical and social matters over ships flying their flag. The responsibility for monitoring ships' compliance with international standards on safety, pollution prevention and on-board living and working conditions lies primarily with the flag state. Can any ship fly any country's flag? The 1982 United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is the global treaty on maritime activity. It states that a 'genuine link' must exist between the state and the ship registered with it, but again, there is no definition of such a link. One Cardiff University study ('The meaning of the 'genuine Link' requirement in relation to the nationality of ships', 2000) found that it has been interpreted as the effective exercise of jurisdiction and control over ships. It can include a country instituting necessary mechanisms to grant a ship its nationality, like 'having suitably qualified personnel for carrying out the necessary surveys of the ship, checking the certification of the crew, etc.' The idea behind a genuine link is to secure more effective implementation of the duties of the flag state. At times, the problem of fraudulent registration of ships has been raised. For instance, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) said in 2017 that approximately 73 vessels had been fraudulently using its flag and illegally fishing in its waters. How do ships choose, then? Some countries only register vessels with ties to the country through ownership or crewing ('closed registries'). Other countries allow foreign-owned or controlled vessels to use their flag through an 'open registry'. Still others choose not to allow the use of their flag for international trade at all. Open registries are now widely used around the world, the IMO says. A 2023 article in The Diplomat said that flagging a ship can mean a vessel has access to state-specific tax breaks, certification, and security measures. This is known as the 'flag of convenience,' where ships choose states that offer the most benefits. 'To that end, most merchant ships are registered in only a handful of countries, with the top eight flag states for 2023 listed as Panama, Liberia, the Marshall Islands, Hong Kong, Singapore, China, Malta, and the Bahamas,' it said.
