In recent times, several countries that are friends and partners of India have been carrying out military exercises in the Indian Ocean region. These exercises are a way for these nations to strengthen their cooperation with India and enhance their collective security in the vital maritime area.
On the other hand, these exercises primarily focus on keeping a close watch over the Malacca Strait and safeguarding it. The Malacca Strait is often referred to as the “Jugular Vein” because it is a critical and narrow passage for international trade, connecting the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea. Ensuring the security of this waterway is of utmost importance as it is a vital route for the transportation of goods, energy resources, and maritime trade. By conducting military exercises in the Indian Ocean, these countries aim to protect and secure this crucial maritime artery to maintain the flow of commerce and safeguard regional stability.
Details regarding Malacca Strait:
Location: The Malacca Strait is a narrow stretch of water located in Southeast Asia. It runs between the Malay Peninsula (Peninsular Malaysia) and the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
Length: It is approximately 550 miles (885 kilometers) long.
Width: The strait’s width varies, but its narrowest point is around 1.7 miles (2.7 kilometers) wide.
Economic Significance: Approximately one-third of the world’s traded goods, including oil and natural gas, pass through the Malacca Strait. It is a critical chokepoint for global commerce.
Security Concerns: Due to its strategic importance, the Malacca Strait has been a focus of security concerns. Its narrowness makes it susceptible to piracy, smuggling, and other security threats. Countries in the region, including India, have a vested interest in ensuring the safety and security of this vital waterway.
Several nations have interests in the Malacca Strait, including Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, India, China, and the United States. Geopolitical tensions in the region can impact navigation and trade through the strait.
India is indeed the world’s fifth-largest manufacturing country, but its major trade routes are located to the west of the country, such as through the Arabian Sea and the Suez Canal. The Malacca Strait, located to the east of India, is not a significant trade route for India. Instead, India primarily focuses on its western maritime connections for international trade.
Still, India is focusing on the Malacca strait why is it so?
- China holds the title of being the world’s largest manufacturer, producing about 28.6% of the goods needed globally. This means it makes a huge variety of products that are used around the world. China is also a major player in international trade, connecting with countries all over the globe to buy and sell goods. In addition to manufacturing and trade, China is a big consumer of oil, using approximately 15.4 million barrels of oil every day. This vast consumption of oil reflects its significant role in the global energy market.
China imports a lot of oil from Africa and the Middle East, and one of the common routes for transporting this oil to China is through the Malacca Strait. The Malacca Strait acts as a crucial passage for the oil to reach China, ensuring a steady supply of energy resources for the country.
If someone gains control over the Malacca Strait, they would have significant influence over China’s energy supply. This is because a lot of China’s energy resources, like oil, pass through this narrow waterway, and controlling it could potentially disrupt China’s access to these vital resources.
- If China were to gain control of Singapore and Malaysia, it could potentially lead to China having control over the Malacca Strait as per United Nations law. This is because Singapore and Malaysia are the countries that currently oversee and manage the Malacca Strait. If China were in charge of these nations, it could influence or control this critical maritime passage. That means all trade of world under the Chinse control.
Let’s see some advantages of Malacca Strait so that importance of control on it can be easily understood.
- Critical Trade Route: It is one of the world’s most crucial trade routes, facilitating the movement of goods between the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea. This benefits global commerce and ensures the timely delivery of goods to various countries.
- Shortcut for Shipping: Ships using the Malacca Strait can save significant time and resources compared to taking the longer route around the Indonesian archipelago. This efficiency is essential for global trade.
- Economic Significance: The strait’s economic value is immense, as it handles a substantial portion of the world’s trade, including oil and natural gas shipments.
- Regional Connectivity: It connects multiple countries in Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand, fostering economic and geopolitical ties among these nations.
- Energy Security: Many countries, including China, Japan, and South Korea, rely on the Malacca Strait for energy imports. Ensuring its security is crucial for their energy needs.
- Tourism and Fisheries: The strait’s coastal areas are important for tourism and fisheries, contributing to the economies of the surrounding countries.
- Geopolitical Importance: Control or influence over the Malacca Strait can provide a nation with strategic leverage in the region, influencing maritime security and trade dynamics.
- Security Cooperation: The strait’s significance encourages countries to cooperate on maritime security, counter-piracy efforts, and disaster response, fostering regional stability.
In summary, the Malacca Strait’s benefits extend to global trade, economic development, energy security, regional connectivity, and cooperation among nations in the Southeast Asian region.
Conclusion:
The Malacca Strait is crucial for world trade, and other countries wouldn’t want China to control it because it would mean China could potentially control global trade, which could have significant consequences for everyone. Exactly, India’s allies conduct military exercises near the Malacca Strait to safeguard this vital waterway and limit China’s influence in the region. This area holds immense strategic and geopolitical significance because it is a critical chokepoint for global trade. By enhancing security and cooperation in this area, these nations aim to maintain stability and protect their interests in the Indian Ocean region.