What is 'Contiguous Zone' ? Discuss the Indian position on this subject.
The contiguous zone is a maritime belt beyond and adjacent to a state’s territorial sea, where the coastal state exercises limited control to protect its laws. Under Article 33 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), this zone may not extend beyond 24 nautical miles from the baseline used to measure the territorial sea. Its purpose is preventive and enforcement-oriented, allowing states to act against infringements of customs, fiscal, immigration, or sanitary laws committed within their territory or territorial sea.
India’s position: India, as a signatory to UNCLOS, incorporated these principles into the Territorial Waters, Continental Shelf, Exclusive Economic Zone and Other Maritime Zones Act, 1976. The Act formally establishes India’s contiguous zone up to 24 nautical miles from its coast. Within this belt, India enforces controls relating to customs, taxation, immigration, and sanitation. This framework enables India to counter smuggling, unlawful migration, and hazardous imports, thereby safeguarding security and economic interests.
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