The global energy crisis stemming from the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has added complexity to already competitive China-India maritime relations.
The bottleneck in the Gulf has disrupted the provision of vital supplies of oil, gas and fertilisers to Asia, underscoring the fragility of global supply chains and the significance of trade chokepoints.
Amid uncertainty over the Strait of Hormuz’s reopening, India’s US$10 billion plan to transform remote Great Nicobar Island into a major defence and logistics hub near the strategically critical Strait of Malacca has gained momentum.
The shipping routes from the Strait of Hormuz to the Strait of Malacca are instrumental in sustaining China’s economy, with any disruption to the maritime artery possibly dealing a serious blow to the world’s second-largest economy.
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How China’s energy structure cushions the blows of global oil crisis
