India’s ECS Claim

Modified ECS Claim: India has submitted a revised claim to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) to extend its Extended Continental Shelf in the Central Arabian Sea by nearly 10,000 sq km.

Avoiding Dispute: The move aims to avoid a maritime dispute with Pakistan over the Sir Creek area while securing valuable seabed resources.

What is ECS: Extended Continental Shelf (ECS) extends beyond a coastal State’s territorial sea, either up to the natural edge of the continental margin or up to 200 nautical miles from its baselines, whichever is farther.

Initial Claim & Objections: India’s initial claim (2009) faced objections from Pakistan (2021) due to overlaps near the disputed Sir Creek area. The CLCS rejected India’s claim in the Arabian Sea in 2023, allowing resubmission.

Strategic Splitting: India split its original claim into two parts to ensure that its claim in the Central Arabian Sea region isn’t affected.

Resource Security: Securing the ECS is critical for accessing minerals, polymetallic nodules, and oil reserves to support India’s economic interests.

Strategic Control: With the ECS, India’s seabed area would nearly equal its land area, reinforcing maritime sovereignty and regional influence.

UNCLOS Framework: The claim is made under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), with CLCS recommendations expected in August 2025.

Other Overlaps: Some parts of India’s continental shelf claims in the Arabian Sea overlap with that of Oman. However the two countries have an agreement in place since 2010 that while the continental shelf between them is yet to be delimited, it is ‘not under dispute.’