Global Shipping Chokepoints: Hormuz, Bab-el-Mandeb and Malacca

Maritime chokepoints are narrow sea passages through which large volumes of trade and energy supplies move. When conflict disrupts them, the impact is global.

For India, the most important chokepoints include the Strait of Hormuz, Bab-el-Mandeb, Suez Canal, Malacca Strait, Sunda Strait and Lombok Strait.

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[TOPIC CLASSIFICATION]

Topic type: World geography + security

Exam stage relevance: Prelims + Mains GS 1/2/3

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Prelims Hooks

• Strait of Hormuz
• Bab-el-Mandeb
• Suez Canal
• Malacca Strait
• Sunda Strait
• Lombok Strait
• Red Sea

Mains Angle

Shipping chokepoints matter for:

• oil and LNG imports
• container trade
• inflation
• naval deployment
• maritime domain awareness
• India’s SAGAR vision and Indo-Pacific strategy

Common Mistake

Do not locate Bab-el-Mandeb near the Persian Gulf. It connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.

Revision Snapshot

Chokepoints are map-based Prelims gold and Mains-ready security material. They connect West Asia, Indo-Pacific, energy security, trade flows and India’s maritime strategy.