Indian Ocean Region — Policy Changes

Entry	Year	Description	Impact
Not a constitutional amendment, but a legislative act	1976	The Territorial Waters, Continental Shelf, Exclusive Economic Zone and Other Maritime Zones Act, 1976, was enacted by the Indian Parliament to define India's maritime zones in line with evolving international law, particularly the principles that would later be codified in UNCLOS 1982. This act specifies the limits of India's territorial waters (12 nautical miles), contiguous zone (24 nautical miles), and Exclusive Economic Zone (200 nautical miles) from the baseline.	This Act provides the legal framework for India to exercise sovereign rights over its maritime resources and jurisdiction in the Indian Ocean, operationalizing Article 297 of the Constitution. It is fundamental for India's resource exploitation, environmental protection, and security enforcement within its maritime zones, directly impacting its strategic interests in the IOR.
UNCLOS Ratification	1995	India ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in 1995. While not a domestic amendment, this international commitment signifies India's acceptance of the global legal framework for ocean governance.	India's ratification of UNCLOS solidified its adherence to international maritime law, providing a stable and predictable legal environment for its activities in the Indian Ocean. It strengthened India's position in advocating for freedom of navigation, responsible resource management, and peaceful resolution of maritime disputes, aligning its IOR strategy with global norms and enhancing its credibility as a responsible maritime power.

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