India’s Modified Extended Continental Shelf (ECS) Claim

1. In April 2025, India submitted a revised claim for an Extended Continental Shelf (ECS) in the Central Arabian Sea.
2. The new claim adds approximately 10,000 square kilometers of seabed to India’s maritime territory.
3. India excluded the disputed Sir Creek region, which lies in the Western Arabian Sea, from this submission.
4. This exclusion was done to avoid the maritime boundary dispute with Pakistan.
5. The revised claim was submitted to the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS).

 

Key Maritime Zones Under UNCLOS

1.  Territorial Sea
   1. It extends up to 12 nautical miles from a country’s baseline (coastline).
   2. The country has full sovereignty over this area, similar to its land territory.
2.  Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)
   1. It extends up to 200 nautical miles from the coastline.
   2. The country has exclusive rights to explore and exploit marine resources like fish, oil, gas, and minerals in this zone.
3.  Extended Continental Shelf (ECS)
   1. It lies beyond the 200 nautical mile EEZ.
   2. A country can claim this area if it provides scientific proof that the seabed is a natural extension of its continental landmass.
   3. Only seabed and subsoil rights are granted, not the water above.

Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS)

1. The CLCS was established in 1997 under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
2. It is responsible for evaluating ECS claims submitted by coastal states.
3. It consists of 21 experts in geology, geophysics, hydrography, and related fields.
4. CLCS recommendations are based on scientific evidence and are legally binding.

India’s ECS Claim Timeline and Background

1.  2009: First Submission by India
   1. India submitted its 1st ECS claim to the CLCS in 2009.
   2. The claim covered  3 regions: the Bay of Bengal, the Indian Ocean, and the Arabian Sea.
   3. India claimed about 1.2 million square kilometers of seabed beyond its EEZ.
   4. The claim was based on scientific data showing that the seabed extended naturally from India’s landmass.
2.  2021: Pakistan’s Objection
   1. In 2021, Pakistan raised objections to India’s claim, particularly in the Western Arabian Sea.
   2. Pakistan objected to the inclusion of the Sir Creek region, which is a disputed waterway between India and Pakistan.

3.  2023: Rejection by CLCS
   1. In March 2023, the CLCS rejected India’s entire claim in the Arabian Sea region.
   2. The rejection was not limited to the Sir Creek area but applied to the full Arabian Sea portion of the claim.
   3. The dispute with Pakistan over Sir Creek was one of the key reasons for the rejection.
   4. CLCS allowed India to resubmit a modified claim that addressed these concerns.

India’s Revised ECS Submission – April 2025

1. India again submitted a modified ECS claim to the CLCS in April 2025.
2. The revised claim focused only on the Central Arabian Sea.
3. This area is not affected by any maritime dispute with neighboring countries.
4. India claimed an additional 10,000 square kilometers in this region.
5. This claim is based on fresh scientific data showing the seabed is a natural extension of the Indian continental shelf.
6. India excluded the Western Arabian Sea and Sir Creek region from the revised submission.
7. By doing so, India avoided international conflict and increased the chances of CLCS approval.

Why did India Exclude Sir Creek?

1. Sir Creek is a 96-kilometer-long tidal estuary located between Gujarat (India) and Sindh (Pakistan).
2. It opens into the Arabian Sea and plays a crucial role in determining maritime boundaries.
3. The dispute arises from different interpretations of how the maritime boundary should be drawn.
4. India wants the boundary based on the Thalweg principle, which places the boundary in the middle of the navigable channel.
5. Pakistan argues that Sir Creek is not navigable, so the Thalweg principle should not apply.
6. Due to this unresolved issue, including Sir Creek in the ECS claim risked rejection of the entire submission.
7. India therefore excluded this region in 2025 to focus on securing uncontested seabed territory first.

Strategic Importance of India’s Revised Claim

1. If accepted, the ECS claim will give India the right to explore and extract valuable resources from the seabed.
2. These include oil, natural gas, and deep-sea minerals such as polymetallic nodules.
3. This supports India’s long-term energy security and economic growth.
4. By excluding the Sir Creek area, India avoids direct confrontation with Pakistan in international forums.
5. This increases the likelihood of approval from CLCS and helps maintain diplomatic stability.
6. India’s strategy is to secure undisputed ECS zones like the Central Arabian Sea before resolving contentious ones.
7. This allows India to claim seabed rights incrementally and with stronger international support.

Regional and Global Dimensions

1. India and Oman have overlapping ECS zones in parts of the Arabian Sea.
2. However, both countries agreed in 2010 not to dispute these overlapping areas.
3. This mutual understanding has helped avoid conflict and build maritime cooperation.
4. India’s ECS claims in the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean are still under review by the CLCS.
5. These claims are facing objections from Myanmar and Sri Lanka.
6. The CLCS is expected to begin consultations for these regions in the coming months.

Conclusion

India’s revised ECS claim in the Central Arabian Sea reflects a carefully calculated diplomatic and scientific strategy. By removing the disputed Sir Creek region from the claim, India has prioritized securing uncontested maritime rights.  This move protects India’s long-term economic interests while reducing the risk of international conflict. It also demonstrates India’s commitment to international law and peaceful resolution of maritime disputes.

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