There are five oceans in the world, and the Indian Ocean is the only one named after a country. However, this does not mean that India has authority over the entire ocean. The question of India’s jurisdiction has gained attention after the escalation of the Iran war near the region, particularly following the sinking of the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena by a US Navy submarine.
The warship had been returning after taking part in a naval exercise in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, when it was torpedoed in international waters. Since the attack took place outside India’s jurisdiction, the country does not hold any legal responsibility for the incident. Defence analysts say the event has nevertheless brought the conflict closer to India’s strategic surroundings. The attack reportedly occurred about 40 nautical miles south of Galle in Sri Lanka, in waters described by US officials as international.
The Indian Ocean carries India’s name largely because of the country’s central geographical position. The Indian peninsula extends into the ocean, which covers roughly 70 million square kilometres and links Asia, Africa and Australia. Historically, many references to the region associated the ocean with India. Despite this, the ocean is governed by international maritime law and remains a shared global space.
According to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) adopted in 1982, oceans are divided into different maritime zones with varying levels of national control. These rules allow coastal countries certain rights while also guaranteeing freedom of navigation for other states.
India’s maritime jurisdiction in the Indian Ocean is significant but limited. With a coastline of more than 7,500 kilometres, including the mainland and island territories like the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep, India claims an Exclusive Economic Zone of about 2.3 million square kilometres. This zone stretches up to 200 nautical miles from the country’s coastline and gives India rights over natural resources such as oil, gas, minerals and fisheries. Within this zone, India can explore and manage these resources, including offshore drilling operations in areas like the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal.
However, other countries still retain certain freedoms in the EEZ, including navigation, overflight and laying submarine cables, as long as they do not interfere with India’s resource activities.
India’s territorial sea, where it exercises full control similar to its land territory, extends only 12 nautical miles from the coast. Beyond that, a contiguous zone up to 24 nautical miles allows the enforcement of customs, immigration and sanitation regulations. Outside the 200-nautical-mile EEZ lies the high seas, where no country holds sovereignty and all nations enjoy equal rights of navigation and activity.
International waters are therefore open for shipping, fishing, scientific research and military movement, though some activities are regulated by global agreements. Fishing rights also vary across zones: foreign fishing is prohibited in territorial seas without permission, while the EEZ grants exclusive fishing rights to the coastal state. On the high seas, fishing is open to all countries but governed by regional regulations to prevent depletion.
Strategically, India considers the Indian Ocean extremely important for its security and trade. More than 90 percent of India’s trade by volume travels through these waters. The country maintains naval assets, including aircraft carriers and submarines, and has key bases such as those in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to monitor vital sea lanes.
The sinking of the IRIS Dena occurred outside India’s EEZ but within the broader region that India views as strategically significant. Some analysts argue that even if India has no legal responsibility, the event highlights challenges to its diplomatic influence and leadership ambitions in the region.
India has attempted to strengthen its role in the Indian Ocean through initiatives such as the SAGAR doctrine introduced in 2015 and the MAHASAGAR vision announced in 2025. These initiatives aim to promote cooperation, maritime security, economic growth and development across the Indian Ocean Region and the wider Indo-Pacific.
Through these policies, India seeks to position itself as a key partner in ensuring stability and cooperation in the region. While its formal jurisdiction extends only a limited distance from its coastline, India continues to play an important strategic role in the wider Indian Ocean.
