Maritime Choke Points
Global Strategic Geography
Maritime choke points are narrow passages through which large volumes of global trade must pass — making them strategic leverage points. The world's major choke points include the Strait of Hormuz (Persian Gulf-Arabian Sea), Strait of Malacca (Pacific-Indian Ocean), Suez Canal (Red Sea-Mediterranean), Bab-el-Mandeb (Red Sea-Gulf of Aden), and the Cape of Good Hope (alternative to Suez). India's trade and energy flows are critically dependent on multiple choke points — Hormuz for oil imports, Malacca for exports to Asia, and Bab-el-Mandeb for Europe-bound trade. The Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping (2023-2025) had already demonstrated choke point vulnerability.
- Major maritime choke points: Strait of Hormuz, Strait of Malacca, Suez Canal, Bab-el-Mandeb, Strait of Gibraltar, Cape of Good Hope
- Bab-el-Mandeb: ~10% of global trade; disrupted by Houthi attacks 2023-2025
- Strait of Malacca: ~25% of global trade; critical for India's eastern trade routes
- UNCLOS: Governs rights of passage through international straits — transit passage rights (Article 38) apply to Hormuz
- Iran's legal argument: Claims the Strait is partly its territorial waters; UNCLOS counters with transit passage guarantee
● Tracked since February 28, 2026 · last seen May 21, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes