With reference to the United Nations Convention on the Law of Sea, consider the following statements :
- 1.A coastal state has the right to establish the breadth of its territorial sea up to a limit not exceeding 12 nautical miles, measured from baseline determined in accordance with the convention.
- 2.Ships of all states, whether coastal or land-locked, enjoy the right of innocent passage through the territorial sea.
- 3.The Exclusive Economic Zone shall not extend beyond 200 nautical miles from the baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured.
Which of the statements given above are correct ?
Show answer
Answer: D. Statement 1 is correct: under UNCLOS Article 3, the territorial sea can be up to 12 nautical miles from the baseline. Statement 2 is correct: Article 17 gives ships of all states, coastal or landlocked, the right of innocent passage. Statement 3 is correct: Article 57 limits the EEZ to 200 nautical miles from the baseline. So 1, 2 and 3.
Watch for: Students doubt that landlocked states get innocent passage rights, but UNCLOS clearly gives them.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Wrong because statement 3 is also correct.
- B. Wrong because statement 1 is also correct.
- C. Wrong because statement 2 is also correct.
Source to check: United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, 1982, Articles 3, 17 and 57 (un.org/depts/los)
Answer from the official UPSC key. Written and fact-checked by AI against the official key. Spotted a mistake? Report it.