Territorial Waters, Continental Shelf, Exclusive Economic Zone and Other Maritime Zones Act, 1976

The Government of India enacted The Territorial Waters, Continental Shelf, Exclusive Economic Zone and Other Maritime Zones Act, 1976 to provide for matters relating to India's territorial waters, continental shelf, exclusive economic zone, and other maritime zones.

Subsequently, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), 1982, particularly Part V, provided further clarity regarding the rights, jurisdiction, and obligations of coastal States in relation to the Exclusive Economic Zone and other maritime areas.

To facilitate the effective implementation and smooth operation of the provisions of the Convention and the statutory framework governing maritime zones, the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, issued detailed guidelines vide O.M. No. UI/251/10/2025 dated 9 December 2025.

This compilation contains:

1. The Territorial Waters, Continental Shelf, Exclusive Economic Zone and Other Maritime Zones Act, 1976;
2. Part V of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, 1982;
3. The guidelines issued by the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India; and
4. Relevant orders and notifications issued by the State Government.

While the Act is published in the Acts section, the provisions of Part V of UNCLOS, the guidelines issued by the Government of India, and the orders and notifications issued by the State Government are included in the Notifications section for ready reference and effective implementation