NEW DELHI: In a rare and unusual public statement, the US Navy conceded that it had violated India’s maritime policy by conducting an exercise in India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

The US Navy said its warship carried out Freedom of Navigation Operation (FONOP) in Indian EEZ.

“USS John Paul Jones asserted navigational rights and freedoms approximately 130 nautical miles west of the Lakshadweep Islands, inside India’s exclusive economic zone, without requesting India’s prior consent, consistent with international law,” the US Navy’s 7th fleet said in a statement dated April 7.

“India requires prior consent for military exercises or manoeuvres in its exclusive economic zone or continental shelf, a claim inconsistent with international law.”

This FONOP upheld the rights, freedoms, and lawful uses of the sea recognised in international law by challenging India’s excessive maritime claims, the statement said.

The US Department of Defence releases FONOP reports every fiscal which show that the US has been regularly conducting FONOPs in Indian EEZ, challenging what it calls are “excessive maritime claims”. From 2007 onwards till 2017, the U.S. carried out multiple FONOPs every year challenging “excessive” Indian maritime claims. No FONOP was carried out in 2018 and 2020 and one FONOP in 2019, according to the annual reports.

There has been no comment on the incident from the government so far.

A South Block official, on condition of anonymity, said it was only for “military manoeuvres in our EEZ that we need nations to seek our permission and not if they are simply transiting. And the term ‘military manoeuvres’ is not defined anywhere”.

Commenting on the development, former Navy Chief Adm. Arun Prakash said on Twitter there was an irony in it. “There is irony here. While India ratified U.N. Law of the Seas in 1995, the U.S. has failed to do it so far. For the 7th Fleet to carry out FoN missions in Indian EEZ in violation of our domestic law is bad enough. But publicising it? USN please switch on IFF (Identification, friend or foe)!,” he said in a tweet.