Strait of Malacca
A Strategic Maritime Chokepoint
The Strait of Malacca is a narrow sea passage — approximately 890 km long, narrowing to just 65 km at its most constricted point (the Phillips Channel near Singapore) — that connects the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean. It is one of the world's most critical maritime chokepoints: approximately 22% of global maritime trade by value passes through it, with an estimated 102,500 vessel transits in 2025 alone. For India, the strait is the primary route for trade with East and Southeast Asia, and for energy supplies from the Middle East bound for East Asian buyers that transit near Indian waters.
- Flanked by Malaysia and Singapore on the north and Indonesia (Sumatra) on the south; all three states exercise sovereignty over segments of the strait.
- Under UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea), the Strait of Malacca is subject to the right of Transit Passage (Article 38) for international shipping — straits used for international navigation have a higher-order right of passage than the right of innocent passage in territorial waters.
- "Malacca Dilemma": A strategic concern — particularly articulated by China — that dependence on this single chokepoint creates vulnerability to naval blockade in conflict scenarios.
- The strait handles approximately two-thirds of China's maritime trade volume and 40% of Japan's maritime trade, making it a fulcrum of Indo-Pacific geopolitics.
- India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands lie just north of the strait's western entrance — giving India geographic leverage over vessels approaching from the Indian Ocean side.
● Tracked since February 14, 2026 · last seen July 07, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes