‘Secure, predictable sea lanes indispensable’: India urges UN to safeguard key maritime routes
India's Permanent Representative addressed a UN Security Council high-level open debate on food security, calling for collective international action to safeguard critical sea lanes and maritime infrastructure
India stressed that secure and predictable maritime trade routes are indispensable for the uninterrupted movement of food, fertilisers, fuel and other essential commodities
Conflicts and attacks on maritime routes and infrastructure were flagged as a growing threat to global food and energy security
India called for the Council to facilitate safe, rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access, support de-confliction arrangements, and ensure sanctions regimes do not inadvertently block legitimate food and agricultural trade
India also underscored the need to strengthen domestic agriculture and diversify supply chains as a resilience measure
UNCLOS, 1982 — Legal Basis for Freedom of Navigation
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), often called the "constitution of the oceans," codifies the legal regime for the seas, including the freedom of navigation and overflight on the high seas, sovereign rights of coastal states over their Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), and mechanisms for peaceful dispute settlement. Freedom of navigation for commercial shipping — the exact principle India invoked — is a core UNCLOS guarantee.
Key Details
- UNCLOS was adopted on 10 December 1982 and entered into force on 16 November 1994
- India signed the Convention in 1982 and ratified it on 29 June 1995
- Coastal states hold sovereign rights for exploration/exploitation of resources within a 200 nautical mile EEZ, but must permit freedom of navigation for all states through the EEZ and high seas
- UNCLOS governs the legal status of straits used for international navigation (e.g., transit passage rights), which is directly relevant to global "choke point" security
India's call to "safeguard critical sea lanes" is effectively an appeal to uphold the UNCLOS-guaranteed freedom of navigation regime, which is being strained by regional conflicts and attacks on shipping.
Global Maritime Chokepoints and India's Energy/Trade Dependence
A maritime chokepoint is a narrow strait or passage that channels a disproportionate share of global shipping, making it strategically vulnerable to disruption, blockade or conflict. India's trade and energy security are acutely exposed to disruption at a small number of these chokepoints, which is the direct stake behind India's UN statement.
Key Details
- Key chokepoints for India: Strait of Hormuz, Strait of Malacca, Bab-el-Mandeb, and the Suez Canal
- The Strait of Hormuz carries roughly 20-25% of global oil and LNG trade; India sources a large share of its crude oil, LNG and LPG imports via this route
- The Suez Canal route accounts for a major share of India's total foreign trade with Europe
- India imports around 85% of its crude oil requirement, making chokepoint security a direct food-and-energy security issue, not merely a trade concern
India's emphasis on "secure, predictable sea lanes" for food, fertiliser and fuel movement is a direct reference to this chokepoint vulnerability — disruption at Hormuz, Bab-el-Mandeb or the Red Sea corridor cascades into India's energy and food-input costs.
India's Maritime Doctrine — SAGAR and MAHASAGAR
India's articulated vision for maritime security in its neighbourhood is built around the SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) doctrine, first announced in 2015, which frames India's approach to Indian Ocean Region (IOR) security, capacity-building and Blue Economy cooperation. This was expanded in 2025 into MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) to extend the framework to the wider Global South.
Key Details
- SAGAR emphasises maritime domain awareness, coastal radar/surveillance networks, capacity-building and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) for IOR littoral states
- MAHASAGAR (launched 2025) broadens the geographic and thematic scope beyond the immediate Indian Ocean neighbourhood to a wider "Global South" framing, covering both traditional and non-traditional security threats and trade connectivity
- India is also a founding member of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and participates in the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) for regional maritime cooperation
India's UN statement on safeguarding sea lanes is consistent with, and an extension of, its long-standing SAGAR/MAHASAGAR positioning as a net security provider advocating for a stable, rules-based maritime order in the Indian Ocean and beyond.
- UNCLOS adopted: 10 December 1982; entered into force: 16 November 1994; India ratified: 29 June 1995
- India's EEZ extends up to 200 nautical miles from its baseline under UNCLOS
- Strait of Hormuz carries an estimated 20-25% of global oil/LNG trade
- India imports approximately 85% of its crude oil requirement
- SAGAR doctrine announced: March 2015; MAHASAGAR (expanded vision) launched: March 2025
- Key global maritime chokepoints relevant to India: Strait of Hormuz, Strait of Malacca, Bab-el-Mandeb, Suez Canal