Subject Reference: GS Paper II (International Law & Great Power Politics)
- The News (Dec 2025): The US "blockaded" and seized a sanctioned Venezuelan tanker in international waters, citing the IEEPA (International Emergency Economic Powers Act).
- Apt Topic: "Unilateral Sanctions vs. UNCLOS"
- The Legal Conflict: Under UNCLOS (UN Convention on the Law of the Sea), ships on the high seas have "Freedom of Navigation." The US seizure challenges the "Flag State Jurisdiction" principle.
- Weaponization of Finance: This is a case of Extra-territorial Jurisdiction. It shows how domestic US laws are used to police global energy flows, forcing countries like India to navigate a "two-tier" oil market (sanctioned vs. non-sanctioned).
IAS-2026 - OPTIONAL / GEOGRAPHY / PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION / SOCIOLOGY / ANTHROPOLOGY / ORIENTATION ON 03 & 04-10-2025 
