The government recently informed the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague that “India has jurisdiction over Italian marines Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone who had shot dead two fishermen off the coast of Kerala, within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of India”. According to top government sources, a detailed counter-memorial in response to Italy’s memorial filed on September 30, 2016, has been filed before the arbitration tribunal constituted under Annexure VII of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Sources said India’s counter-memorial before the international tribunal was “crucial” as it would form the basis of India’s stand on ‘jurisdiction’. The government said in its counter-claim that two marines, who were on board Italian ship MV Enrica Lexie, fired through automatic weapons on the Indian fishing vessel killing two fishermen, and caused damage to the boat “endangering the life of nine other fishermen and safe navigation of the fishing vessel on February 12, 2012”. A senior government official said the “stand taken by us is consistent” that “Italian marines can only be tried by India”. Italy has, however, claimed that the Indian vessel was on a collision course, as assessed by the marines, with MV Enrica Lexie and this modus operandi was consistent with a pirate attack. Latorre and Girone will be in Italy till the arbitration tribunal decides the case. According to the procedural calendar for the submission of written pleadings at The Hague, both sides are expected to file counter-replies on ‘jurisdiction’ till February and then the international arbitration court is expected to pronounce its decision by the second quarter of 2018. “We have a strong legal case in hand. Subsequently, we have been sympathetic to the Italian marines. The Supreme Court allowed the marines to travel back home on humanitarian grounds till the matter is resolved by PCA and we have provided relief in several bail conditions, while Italy has been misleading the SC and the international community,” the government official said.