Why in news

• Meeting: PM Narendra Modi met Singapore PM Lawrence Wong at Hyderabad House.
• Singapore Backs India on Patrolling Malacca Straits manufacturing, green shipping, skilling, civil nuclear energy, urban water management.

Defence & Strategic Cooperation

Joint focus on defence technology in:

• Quantum computing
• Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Automation
• Unmanned vessels

Cooperation in:

• Maritime security
• Submarine rescue
• Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI)

Singapore acknowledged India’s interest in patrolling the Malacca Straits.
About Malacca Straits

Geography: Narrow stretch connecting Andaman Sea (Bay of Bengal) with South China Sea (Pacific Ocean).

Importance:

• One of the world’s busiest sea lanes (40% of global trade).
• Vital for India’s energy imports and Indo-Pacific strategy.
• Strategic chokepoint in global geopolitics.

Current Patrolling Countries: Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore.

• India’s Interest: Enhance security synergy due to proximity to Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

UPSC Pointers

1. Malacca Strait Patrol (MSP): Coordinated patrols by Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand.
2. India’s Strategic Interest: Gateway to East Asia; part of Act East Policy and Indo-Pacific strategy.
3. Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI): India-led framework for regional cooperation in maritime security, sustainable use of resources, connectivity.

Upsc prelims Question(2011)

Q.Between India and East Asia, the navigation-time and distance can be greatly reduced by which of the following?

1. Deepening the Malacca Straits between Malaysia and Indonesia.
2. Opening a new canal across the Kra Isthmus between the Gulf of Siam and the Andaman Sea.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Options:
 A. 1 only
 B. 2 only
 C. Both 1 and 2
 D. Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: B. 2 only ✅

Explanation

• Malacca Strait is already one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. Deepening it would not significantly reduce navigation time/distance, but only ease congestion for large vessels.
• Kra Isthmus Canal (Thailand), if constructed, would create a direct link between the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Siam, bypassing the Malacca Strait. This would substantially cut both distance and time for shipping between India and East Asia.

Kra Isthmus

• Narrowest part of the Malay Peninsula (in Thailand).
• Borders: West → Andaman Sea; East → Gulf of Siam.
• A canal across Kra Isthmus would bypass Malacca Strait.
• This would reduce both navigation time and distance between India and East Asia.
• Hence, Statement 2 is correct.

Important Straits of the World

Strait of Hormuz

• Connects: Persian Gulf (west) ↔ Gulf of Oman & Arabian Sea (southeast)
• Location: Between Iran (north) and UAE + Oman’s Musandam exclave (south)
• Width: 55–95 km

Significance:

• Most strategic oil chokepoint in the world.
• OPEC members (Saudi Arabia, Iran, UAE, Kuwait, Iraq) export crude through it.
• Qatar, world’s largest LNG exporter, uses it for almost all LNG exports.
• Alternatives: Saudi & UAE pipelines bypass the strait.

Bab-el-Mandeb Strait

• Connects: Red Sea ↔ Gulf of Aden & Indian Ocean
• Location: Between Yemen (Arabia) and Djibouti & Eritrea (Africa)
• Width: 29 km (narrowest)

Importance:

• ~4% of global oil supply passes through.
  • Key chokepoint for shipping from Suez Canal to Indian Ocean.

Palk Strait

• Connects: Bay of Bengal ↔ Palk Bay (India-Sri Lanka)
• Location: Between Tamil Nadu (India) & Sri Lanka
• Features:
• Shallow (100 m deep), with sand shoals → Adam’s Bridge/Rama Setu.
• Sethusamudram Project aims to create a navigable canal.
• Rich biodiversity (Gulf of Mannar Marine Park) with coral reefs.

SOURCE- THE HINDU

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