"India's Maritime Search and Rescue Framework Tested in Bay of Bengal Sinking"
Territorial Waters
The belt of sea up to 12 nautical miles from a state's baseline, under full sovereignty.
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)
The zone up to 200 nautical miles where a state has sovereign resource rights but not full sovereignty.
India's engagement with maritime law is rooted in its status as a major coastal nation with one of the world's largest exclusive economic zones and a strategic position in the Indian Ocean Region. The legal architecture governing conduct at sea is primarily built on three international instruments: the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), opened for signature in 1982; the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), which has governed ship safety since its modern form was adopted after the Titanic disaster; and the Search and Rescue (SAR) Convention, adopted in 1979 and in force from 1985. Together, these instruments define how states divide responsibility for maritime emergencies and how they must cooperate across national boundaries.
India ratified UNCLOS and has progressively built its domestic maritime rescue infrastructure in line with these obligations. The Indian Coast Guard, established under the Coast Guard Act, 1978, is the primary agency responsible for search and rescue at sea. Over time, India formalised its SAR responsibilities through the National Maritime Search and Rescue Coordinating Authority, headed by the Director-General of the Indian Coast Guard. This institutional architecture reflects India's acceptance of the SAR Convention's requirement that coastal states take responsibility for defined ocean zones, not just their territorial waters.
Under international law, a coastal state's territorial waters extend up to 12 nautical miles from its baseline. Beyond that, up to 200 nautical miles, lies the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), where the state has sovereign rights over resources but not full sovereignty. Waters beyond the EEZ are international waters, where no single state has jurisdiction. However, SAR responsibility is a separate concept from sovereignty: it is a functional obligation, not a territorial claim.
The SAR Convention divided the world's oceans into 13 search and rescue areas, each assigned to a responsible state. India's designated Indian Search and Rescue Region covers approximately 4.6 million sq km, double the area of its EEZ of roughly 2.3 million sq km. This means India is legally obligated to coordinate rescue operations in international waters well beyond its sovereign zone.
When a vessel faces danger, it relies on the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), a communications network developed by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). The primary alert mechanism within GMDSS is Digital Selective Calling (DSC), which transmits the vessel's unique nine-digit identity number automatically. …
Which one of the following statements best describes the 'Polar Code'?
Consider the following in respect of Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS):
1.Inaugural IONS was held in India in 2015 under the chairmanship of the Indian Navy.
2.IONS is a voluntary initiative that seeks to increase maritime co-operation among navies of the littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
Which one of the following statements best describes the 'Polar Code'?
Consider the following statements regarding India's maritime search and rescue (SAR) framework:
1.India's designated Search and Rescue Region covers approximately 4.6 million sq km.
2.This SAR region is roughly double the area of India's Exclusive Economic Zone.
3.The Director-General of the Indian Navy heads the National Maritime Search and Rescue Coordinating Authority.
4.India has three Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres located at Mumbai, Chennai, and Port Blair.
How many of the above statements are correct?
Consider the following statements regarding the Search and Rescue (SAR) Convention:
1.The SAR Convention was adopted in 1979 and entered into force in 1985.
2.The convention divided the world's oceans into 13 search and rescue areas.
3.Chapter 3 of the SAR Convention requires neighbouring states to authorise immediate entry into their territorial waters for foreign rescue units.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Match the following Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres (MRCCs) with their primary areas of responsibility:
MRCC — Area of Responsibility
1.MRCC Mumbai — P. Eastern Seaboard and Bay of Bengal
2.MRCC Chennai — Q. Andaman and Nicobar region
3.MRCC Sri Vijaya Puram — R. Western Seaboard and Arabian Sea
Which of the following is the correct matching?
Consider the following statements regarding maritime zones under international law:
1.A coastal state's territorial waters extend up to 12 nautical miles from its baseline.
2.Within the Exclusive Economic Zone, a coastal state exercises full sovereignty over all activities.
3.A state's Search and Rescue Region may extend beyond its Exclusive Economic Zone.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
With reference to the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), consider the following statements:
1.GMDSS was developed by the International Maritime Organisation.
2.Digital Selective Calling (DSC) is the primary alert method within GMDSS and transmits the vessel's nine-digit identity number.
3.An Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) must be manually activated by the crew when a ship is sinking.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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