Behavioural Arms Control in Exclusive Economic Zones: India-Pakistan Focus

This chapter advances the debate on the value of behavioral arms control in reinforcing the liberal status of Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) through the cases of India and Pakistan. Insofar as the United Nations Convention on the Law of Sea (UNCLOS) is ambiguous regarding the status of military activities in the EEZs, the application of an arms control system appears to be a pragmatic approach for rival states to regulate their military activities within each other’s EEZs. By concluding a few agreements in the past, India and Pakistan have demonstrated interest in arms control to govern the conduct of their navies in each other’s EEZs. However, the prevalent arms control regime is inadequate amid the introduction of aggressive naval operations with modern platforms.