Answer
A Flag State is the sovereign authority/nation under whose jurisdiction and laws a vessel is registered, licensed, and operated.
- Legal Basis: Governed by UNCLOS Article 91 (Nationality of Ships), which mandates that every State shall fix the conditions for the grant of its nationality to ships, for the registration of ships in its territory, and for the right to fly its flag. There must exist a "genuine link" between the State and the ship.
- National Context: Under the Indian Merchant Shipping Act, 2025 (which replaced the 1958 Act), the Directorate General of Maritime Administration(DGMA) acts as the Flag State Administration for Indian-flagged vessels.