indian navy Admiral DK Tripathi recently released his maritime security strategy, which mentioned Hormuz as a “major area of interest”, along with other “choke points”.The maritime chokepoint of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) is a key node that has a huge impact on global trade and energy security. The chokepoints in the Indian Ocean region include the Cape of Good Hope, Mozambique Strait, Bab el-Mandeb Strait, Suez Canal, Strait of Hormuz, Strait of Malacca, Singapore Strait, Sunda Strait, Lombok Strait, Ombai Strait and Weta Strait. The Straits of Malacca and Singapore connect the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean, providing the shortest sea routes from the Persian Gulf to the East Asia/Western Pacific region.The Sunda Strait is an alternative route to Malacca and Singapore, with its northeastern entrance being 50 nautical miles (nm) long and 15 nautical miles wide. Large ships do not like to transit the strait due to navigation hazards, depth restrictions and strong currents. The Omba Strait is located between the islands of Alor and Timor, and the Wetal Strait is between the islands of Timor and Wetal. Due to the distance, passing through this area is generally not preferred as an alternative route to the Straits of Malacca and Singapore.As India’s economic and strategic engagement across the ocean expands, the scope and intensity of external influences affecting national interests are expected to increase significantly in the coming years, requiring the Indian Navy to operate within an ever-expanding geographical scope. As a result, the entire sea area outside the primary maritime interest area is designated as a “secondary” maritime interest area, the document said.The main maritime interest areas of the Indian Navy include: Indian coastal areas and waters; the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Andaman Sea, Laccadive Sea and their coastal areas; the Persian Gulf area and their coastal areas; the Gulf of Oman, the Gulf of Aden, the Red Sea and their coastal areas; the southwest Indian Ocean, including the island countries along the Indian Ocean and the coastal areas of the east coast of Africa and the choke points leading to and from. Indian Ocean, including the Sixth Degree Strait, the Eighth/Ninth Degree Strait; the Strait of Hormuz, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the Malacca Strait, the Singapore Strait, the Sunda Strait, the Lombok Strait and the Ombaweta Strait; as well as the Cape of Good Hope and its coastal areas;In addition to energy, the maritime sector is a major conduit for imports critical to India’s food security, public health and industrial capabilities. By 2025, 73% of India’s fertilizer demand will be met through domestic production. However, as the world’s second largest consumer of fertilizers, India still relies on imports of potassium chloride (MOP) and heavily relies on overseas sources for diammonium phosphate (DAP). The report said that about 16 million tons of edible oils are imported through sea every year, and India’s maritime influence, infrastructure and maritime activities are the main drivers of its economic growth and prosperity.
