Beyond Hormuz: Three Alternate Routes Keeping India's Energy Supply Intact - EXPLAINED

The ongoing Iran war has triggered an energy crisis in the countries of the region, with skyrocketing oil prices. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman that connects the oil- and gas-producing Gulf countries to the rest of the world. Nearly one-fifth of the total energy trade happens through this route. Where most of the countries are grappling with a severe energy crisis, India is still in a comfortable position. India has diversified its energy supplies, reducing dependency on the Strait of Hormuz. India is currently importing oil and energy resources from 40 nations, including Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Israel, South Korea, Kuwait,

Libya, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Panama, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Venezuela, and the United States. India's alternate energy routes, other than the Strait of Hormuz, saved it from a serious energy crisis.Here Are India's Three Alternate Energies Routes:Red Sea And Suez Canal Route: This route is used for imports from Europe and North Africa. According to reports, in 2019 nine per cent of total cargo passing through the Suez Canal originated or ended in India. In the financial year 2023, nearly 65 per cent of India's crude oil imports reportedly passed through the Suez Canal. Merchant ships have to travel through 4,200 nautical miles for over 15 days to reach India.

Also Read: Red Sea Next Flashpoint? Why Houthis Entering Iran War Signals A New Threat To Global Trade After Hormuz Bab el-Mandeb Strait: The Bab el-Mandeb is a narrow strait that connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. It forms a vital trade route between the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean via the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. Around 12 per cent of total seaborne-traded oil passes through the Bab el-Mandeb strait, according to the US Energy Information Agency. This route is vital for or refined petroleum exports and Russian crude imports coming from the Black Sea.African and American Route India is also buying crude oil from African countries, including Nigeria, Angola, and Algeria, and even from the United States. Imports from the western African countries pass through the Cape of Good Hope. Meanwhile, from the United States, the crude oil tankers have to cross the Atlantic and Indian oceans. The oil tankers then reach India's major ports on the western side, including Jamnagar, Mumbai, Vadinar, and Visakhapatnam.

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India is Iran's "Friendly" Country:Last month, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran would permit ships from "friendly nations", including China, Russia, India, Iraq and Pakistan, to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. After the conflict, there has been a sharp decline in shipping through the strait. The IRGC is attacking merchant vessels of the US and its allies passing through the critical waterway. Still, hundreds of ships have been started in the strait.