After Hormuz, Is Bab el-Mandeb Next? 7 Sea Routes India Can't Live Without

The ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran has once again drawn global attention to some of the world's busiest maritime trade routes. While the Strait of Hormuz remains at the heart of the crisis, concerns are now mounting over another strategic chokepoint, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical gateway linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.Amid escalating tensions over the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran has asked Yemen's Houthi movement to prepare to block the Bab el-Mandeb Strait if the United States targets Iranian power infrastructure. The move has heightened fears of disruptions across global shipping lanes at a time when the Hormuz Strait is already witnessing conflict linked to the US-Iran standoff.The developments have once again highlighted

the vulnerability of the world's major maritime chokepoints. Every day, millions of barrels of crude oil, liquefied natural gas (LNG), food products, electronics and manufactured goods pass through these narrow waterways. Any disruption, whether caused by war, piracy, political tensions, terrorism or accidents, can trigger higher freight costs, delay global supply chains and impact economies worldwide.

Strait of Hormuz: The World's Busiest Oil Corridor

Located between Iran and Oman, the Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and serves as the world's most important energy shipping route.Major oil producers, including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar and Iran, rely on the strait to export crude oil, LNG and refined petroleum products to global markets.Amid the ongoing US-Iran conflict, the waterway remains vulnerable to naval confrontations, missile strikes and sea mines, making it one of the world's most closely monitored maritime passages.

Bab el-Mandeb: The Gateway to the Red Sea

Situated between Yemen, Djibouti and Eritrea, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. It is a crucial shipping route linking Asia with Europe through the Suez Canal.The waterway has increasingly come under threat from Houthi attacks, drone strikes, missile attacks and disruptions to commercial shipping. If traffic through Bab el-Mandeb is halted, vessels would have to divert around the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa, a significantly longer journey that would increase shipping costs and delivery times.

Suez Canal and Strait of Malacca

The Suez Canal in Egypt remains one of the world's most vital trade arteries, carrying container ships, oil, automobiles, chemicals and consumer goods between Europe and Asia.Its strategic importance became evident in 2021 when the Ever Given container ship ran aground, blocking the canal for nearly a week and disrupting global trade.Another critical maritime passage is the Strait of Malacca, located between Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. It is among Asia's busiest shipping lanes and plays a central role in trade involving China, Japan, South Korea and India.Large volumes of oil, LNG, semiconductors, electronics and consumer goods move through the strait. Any geopolitical conflict involving China could quickly turn the Strait of Malacca into another global flashpoint because of its importance to international commerce.

Panama Canal, Bosporus Strait and Taiwan Strait

The Panama Canal connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and remains essential for trade between the United States, Latin America and Asia. In recent years, however, prolonged drought and water shortages have affected operations, forcing restrictions on ship movements.The Bosporus Strait in Turkey connects the Black Sea with the Mediterranean Sea and is strategically significant for grain exports, oil, natural gas shipments and military movement involving countries such as Ukraine and Russia.Meanwhile, the Taiwan Strait remains one of the world's most sensitive geopolitical hotspots. The waterway is central to semiconductor supply chains and shipping between China, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea. Any military confrontation in the region could severely disrupt global electronics production and manufacturing.

Why India Should Be Concerned

India depends heavily on several of these maritime routes for importing crude oil, LNG, fertilisers, electronics and consumer goods. Any disruption across these sea lanes could lead to higher fuel prices, rising freight charges, inflationary pressures and delays in supply chains.India is particularly exposed to developments in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait because the Red Sea-Suez corridor serves as a major trade route connecting the country with Europe, Africa and other international markets.If both the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb come under simultaneous pressure, merchant vessels may be forced to reroute via the Cape of Good Hope, significantly increasing transit time and transportation costs.According to reports, a substantial share of India's trade with Europe passes through the Red Sea corridor, making Bab el-Mandeb strategically important even though India is not directly involved in the conflict.A prolonged disruption could result in:

• Higher freight and marine insurance costs for exporters and importers.
• Delays in shipments of crude oil, LNG, fertilisers and consumer goods.
• Upward pressure on inflation if disruptions continue for weeks or months.
• Reduced competitiveness of Indian exports because of longer and more expensive shipping routes.

The World's Most Vulnerable Maritime Chokepoints

From wars and piracy to terror attacks, naval blockades, political disputes, shipping accidents and even climate-related challenges such as droughts affecting canals, the world's busiest maritime chokepoints face a wide range of risks.While the Strait of Hormuz often dominates headlines during periods of geopolitical tension, it is only one part of a much larger network that keeps global trade moving.Bab el-Mandeb, too, has emerged as one of the world's most strategically important maritime gateways. Any disruption there would extend far beyond the Red Sea, affecting global logistics, shipping costs and supply chains.For India, the implications go well beyond crude oil imports. Any prolonged disruption across these critical sea routes could impact trade flows, transportation costs, exports, inflation and, ultimately, consumer prices.