Maritime Security & Freedom of Navigation
International Relations
- PYQs7
- Articles1
Background
UPSC often asks about India's role in ensuring maritime security, challenges in critical sea lanes, and the implications of international incidents on global trade, energy security, and regional stability.
Maritime security encompasses the protection of the maritime domain from threats such as piracy, terrorism, and illegal activities, ensuring the safety of commercial shipping and freedom of navigation. International law, including UNCLOS, provides the framework for governing activities on the high seas and territorial waters.
Facts & tables
- Freedom of Navigation
- A principle of international law allowing vessels to transit international waters without undue interference.
- Critical Regions
- The Gulf region is a vital maritime choke point for global trade and energy supply.
- Threats
- Piracy, terrorism, illegal fishing, and state-sponsored attacks on commercial shipping.
- Legal Framework
- Primarily governed by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
| Type | Reference |
|---|---|
| Conceptual area | International Relations |
| Conceptual area | Physical & Regional Geography |
| Body | Role |
|---|---|
| International Maritime Organization (IMO) | Sets international standards for maritime safety and security |
| United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) | Provides the legal framework for maritime activities |
Prelims angle
Prelims angle: Statement-based questions
Prelims angle: Conceptual understanding
- Ensures safe passage for commercial vessels globally.
- Critical for global trade and energy supply chains.
- Governed by international law, primarily UNCLOS.
- Threats include piracy, terrorism, and state-sponsored attacks.
- India has significant stakes in maintaining maritime security.
| Year | Framing tags |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Factual recall, Conceptual understanding |
| 2024 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
| 2023 | Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding |
| 2022 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
| 2018 | Conceptual understanding, Policy measures |
| 2017 | Statement-based questions, Factual recall |
| 2015 | Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding |
Timeline
-
International Relations
Conceptual area
-
Physical & Regional Geography
Conceptual area
-
Prelims 2015
Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding
-
Prelims 2017
Statement-based questions, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2018
Conceptual understanding, Policy measures
-
Prelims 2022
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2023
Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding
-
Prelims 2024
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2025
Factual recall, Conceptual understanding
-
Jaishankar speaks to Rubio, lodges strong protest over U.S. Navy attacks that killed three Indians
Maritime security ensures safe passage for commercial shipping and upholds freedom of navigation, crucial for global trade and stability, often governed by international law and conventions like UNCLOS.
See also
Past papers
2015–2023 · 4 questions
In the news
Jaishankar speaks to Rubio, lodges strong protest over U.S. Navy attacks that killed three Indians
Maritime security ensures safe passage for commercial shipping and upholds freedom of navigation, crucial for global trade and stability, often governed by international law and conventions like UNCLOS.
Try these PYQs
Consider the following statements :
Statement-I: Recently, the United States of America (USA) and the European Union (EU) have launched the 'Trade and Technology Council'
Statement-II: The USA and the EU claim that through this they are trying to begin technological progress and physical productivity under their control.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statement?
* Statement 1 is correct: Trade and Technology Council was launched by the the United States of America and the European Union during the EU-US Summit on 15 June 2021 in Brussels. * Statement 2 is incorrect: Trade and Technology council, the USA and EU does not aim to bring technological progress and physical productivity under their control. Rather the initiative intends to promote pooling of digital resources such as AI models and computing power, and make them available to partner countries to address challenges in areas such as climate change and extreme weather, healthcare or smart agriculture.
With reference to ‘Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC)’, Consider the following statements:
1. It was established very recently in response to incidents of piracy and accidents of oil spills
2. It is an alliance meant for maritime security only
Which of the following statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1 is incorrect. IOR-ARC is a regional cooperation initiative of the Indian Ocean Rim countries. It was established in Mauritius in March 1997 with the aim of promoting economic and technical cooperation. IOR-ARC is the only pan-Indian ocean grouping. It brings together countries from three continents having different sizes, economic strengths, and a wide diversity of languages, cultures. Statement 2 is incorrect. It aims to create a platform for trade, socio-economic and cultural cooperation in the Indian Ocean rim area. The Indian Ocean Rim is rich in strategic and precious minerals, metals and other natural resources, marine resources and energy, all of which can be sourced from Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ), continental shelves and the deep seabed.
In the Indian context, what is the implication of ratifying the 'Additional Protocol' with the `International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)'?
India signed the Additional Protocol to the IAEA safeguards agreement on May 15, 2009. An additional protocol to the Safeguards Agreement between the Government of India and the IAEA for the Application of Safeguards to Civilian Nuclear Facilities entered into force on 25 July 2014. Hence option 1 is correct.
Consider the following in respect of the 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 the navies of the littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
Statement 1 is incorrect. The inaugural IONS was held in February 2008 in New Delhi, India. The Indian Navy served as the Chair for the first two years (2008-2010). Statement 2 is correct. IONS is indeed a voluntary initiative that aims to promote maritime cooperation among the navies of countries bordering the Indian Ocean. It provides a platform for discussions on regional maritime security issues and fosters friendly relationships between participating nations.
India is one of the founding members of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), a multimodal transportation corridor, which will connect
The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) is a multimodal transport network aimed at boosting trade between India, Central Asia, Russia, and Europe, using a combination of sea, rail, and road routes via Iran. The corridor connects Mumbai → Bandar Abbas (Iran) → Azerbaijan → Russia → Europe, with access to Central Asia.
Show 2 more PYQs
With reference to the “United Nations Credentials Committee”, consider the following statements:
1. It is a committee set up by the UN Security Council and works under its supervision.
2. It traditionally meets in March, June and September every year.
3. It assesses the credentials of all UN members before submitting a report to the General Assembly for approval.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1 is incorrect. The United Nations Credentials Committee is a committee of the United Nations General Assembly. Statement 2 is incorrect. A Credentials Committee is appointed at the beginning of each regular session of the General Assembly. It consists of nine members, who are appointed by the General Assembly on the proposal of the President. Statement 3 is correct. The Committee reports to the Assembly on the credentials of representatives. The Committee is mandated to examine the credentials of representatives of Member States and to report to the General Assembly thereon (Rule 28 of the Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly). The credentials of representatives and the names of members of the delegation of each Member State are submitted to the Secretary-General and are issued either by the Head of the State or Government or by the Minister for Foreign Affairs (Rule 27 of the Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly).
Consider the following statements:
Statement-I : Sumed pipeline is a strategic route for Persian Gulf oil and natural gas shipments to Europe.
Statement-II : Sumed pipeline connects the Red Sea with the Mediterranean Sea.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
Statement I is correct. The Sumed Pipeline is indeed a significant route for transporting oil and natural gas from the Persian Gulf to Europe. It bypasses the Suez Canal, offering an alternative path for these resources. Statement II is also correct. The Sumed Pipeline physically connects the Red Sea (where oil and gas are loaded onto ships from the Persian Gulf) with the Mediterranean Sea, providing a direct route for them to reach European ports. The connection between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea established by the Sumed Pipeline directly explains its strategic importance for transporting oil and gas to Europe. Statement II provides the geographical context for how Statement I functions.