Sir

I share marine researchers' feelings about restrictions on carrying out research in Indian waters, as expressed in your News story “India's ban on foreign boats hinders tsunami research” (Nature 439, 380; 200610.1038/439380b). But few countries allow foreign vessels into their ‘territorial waters’, 12 nautical miles from the coast, for research purposes. Foreign vessels are usually allowed into their exclusive economic zones, which lie between 12 and 200 nautical miles from shore.

France has made considerable efforts to develop a joint Indo-French research programme since the 2004 tsunami. Although strongly recommended by an Indian expert panel, the programme has not been pursued. However, India has sent scientists to participate in the 2005 French marine survey, and plans to send more in July and August 2006, as part of the Sumatra-Andaman Great Earthquake research initiative (http://www.ipgp.jussieu.fr/~singh/SAGER).

HMS Scott, a British Royal Navy vessel, did the first marine survey off the shore of Sumatra after the tsunami. But the international science community has so far had limited access to the collected data. One should not be surprised that India is concerned about security issues. Further, India has acquired a significant amount of marine data around the Andaman–Nicobar region, both before and after the tsunami. If India develops its own marine research programme, efforts should be made to integrate these data with others recently acquired in the Indonesian waters.