Maritime Security Challenges and India's Interests
International Relations
- PYQs5
- Articles1
Background
Directly impacts India's energy security, trade, diaspora welfare, and foreign policy objectives in the extended neighbourhood. Highlights the challenges of protecting national interests in a militarized global environment.
Maritime security encompasses the protection of sea lanes, prevention of piracy, and safeguarding of commercial shipping, crucial for global trade and energy security. For India, with its extensive coastline and significant maritime trade, ensuring the safety of its seafarers and freedom of navigation in critical choke points like the Strait of Hormuz is a paramount national interest.
Facts & tables
- Strait of Hormuz
- Critical choke point for global oil trade, connecting Persian Gulf to Arabian Sea.
- Indian Seafarers
- India supplies roughly a fifth of the world's maritime workforce (over 18,000 in the Gulf region).
- Flags of Convenience
- Many Indian sailors serve on vessels registered under 'flags of convenience', offering limited diplomatic protection.
- Economic Dependence
- India's economic interests are deeply tied to the free flow of commerce through the Strait of Hormuz.
| Type | Reference |
|---|---|
| Conceptual area | External Sector & Capital Flows |
| Conceptual area | Geopolitics & International Conflicts |
| Body | Role |
|---|---|
| International Maritime Organization (IMO) | Sets global standards for maritime safety, security, and environmental performance |
Prelims angle
Prelims angle: Statement-based questions
Prelims angle: Conceptual understanding
- Strait of Hormuz: vital for India's energy and trade.
- Indian seafarers: large global presence, vulnerable to conflicts.
- Flags of convenience: limit diplomatic protection.
- Need for India to assert maritime norms in multilateral forums.
- Geopolitical conflicts impact India's economic and human security.
| Year | Framing tags |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis |
| 2023 | Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding |
| 2023 | Statement-based questions, Factual recall |
| 2019 | Factual recall, Policy measures |
| 2015 | Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding |
Timeline
-
External Sector & Capital Flows
Conceptual area
-
Geopolitics & International Conflicts
Conceptual area
-
Prelims 2015
Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding
-
Prelims 2019
Factual recall, Policy measures
-
Prelims 2023
Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding
-
Prelims 2023
Statement-based questions, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2026
Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis
-
Rubio’s remarks and the limits of strategic empathy
India faces significant challenges in ensuring maritime security and protecting its seafarers in volatile regions like the Strait of Hormuz, exacerbated by geopolitical conflicts and the use of 'flags of convenience'.
See also
Past papers
2015–2026 · 4 questions
In the news
Rubio’s remarks and the limits of strategic empathy
India faces significant challenges in ensuring maritime security and protecting its seafarers in volatile regions like the Strait of Hormuz, exacerbated by geopolitical conflicts and the use of 'flags of convenience'.
Try these PYQs
Consider the following statements :
Statement-I: Recently, the United States of America (USA) and the European Union (EU) have launched the 'Trade and Technology Council'
Statement-II: The USA and the EU claim that through this they are trying to begin technological progress and physical productivity under their control.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statement?
* Statement 1 is correct: Trade and Technology Council was launched by the the United States of America and the European Union during the EU-US Summit on 15 June 2021 in Brussels. * Statement 2 is incorrect: Trade and Technology council, the USA and EU does not aim to bring technological progress and physical productivity under their control. Rather the initiative intends to promote pooling of digital resources such as AI models and computing power, and make them available to partner countries to address challenges in areas such as climate change and extreme weather, healthcare or smart agriculture.
With reference to ‘Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC)’, Consider the following statements:
1. It was established very recently in response to incidents of piracy and accidents of oil spills
2. It is an alliance meant for maritime security only
Which of the following statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1 is incorrect. IOR-ARC is a regional cooperation initiative of the Indian Ocean Rim countries. It was established in Mauritius in March 1997 with the aim of promoting economic and technical cooperation. IOR-ARC is the only pan-Indian ocean grouping. It brings together countries from three continents having different sizes, economic strengths, and a wide diversity of languages, cultures. Statement 2 is incorrect. It aims to create a platform for trade, socio-economic and cultural cooperation in the Indian Ocean rim area. The Indian Ocean Rim is rich in strategic and precious minerals, metals and other natural resources, marine resources and energy, all of which can be sourced from Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ), continental shelves and the deep seabed.
Consider the following statements:
Statement-I :Israel has established diplomatic relations with some Arab States.
Statement-II :The 'Arab Peace Initiative' Mediated by Saudi Arabia was signed by Israel and Arab League.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
* Statement I is correct: Several Arab states, including Egypt, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan, have established diplomatic relations with Israel. * Statement II is incorrect: The Arab Peace Initiative, mediated by Saudi Arabia, was endorsed by the Arab League but not signed by Israel. It outlines a path towards peace in exchange for Israeli concessions, but Israel has not formally accepted all its terms.
Match List I with List II and select the answer using the code given below the Lists :
| List I (BIMSTEC Centre/Establishment) | List II (Location) |
|---|---|
| A. BIMSTEC Cultural Industries Observatory | 1. NOIDA |
| B. BIMSTEC Energy Centre | 2. Bengaluru |
| C. BIMSTEC Centre for Weather and Climate | 3. Colombo |
| D. BIMSTEC Technology Transfer Facility | 4. Thimphu |
The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) has established several specialized centres to foster regional cooperation. The correct matching of these centres with their locations is as follows: * BIMSTEC Cultural Industries Observatory (BCIO): Located in Thimphu, Bhutan. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for its establishment was signed during the Third BIMSTEC Summit in 2014 to promote cultural cooperation and preserve heritage.
* BIMSTEC Energy Centre (BEC): Located in Bengaluru, India. Housed at the Central Power Research Institute, it coordinates regional energy cooperation, capacity building, and acts as the Secretariat for the BIMSTEC Grid Interconnection Coordination Committee.
* BIMSTEC Centre for Weather and Climate (BCWC): Located in NOIDA, Uttar Pradesh, India. It is hosted at the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF) to enhance regional cooperation in weather prediction, climate modeling, and disaster preparedness.
* BIMSTEC Technology Transfer Facility (TTF): Located in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The Memorandum of Association (MoA) for its establishment was signed during the Fifth BIMSTEC Summit in 2022 to facilitate technology sharing, innovation, and capacity building among member states. Therefore, the correct matching is A-4, B-2, C-1, D-3, which corresponds to the correct option.
Recently, India signed a deal known as ‘Action Plan for Prioritization and Implementation of Cooperation Areas in the Nuclear Field’ with which of the following countries?
* India signed the ‘Action Plan for Prioritization and Implementation of Cooperation Areas in the Nuclear Field’ with Russia. * India and Russia have a long-standing strategic partnership in the field of civil nuclear cooperation. * The agreement aims to enhance collaboration in areas such as nuclear fuel cycle management, nuclear power projects, and research in nuclear science and technology. * Russia has been a key partner in India's nuclear energy sector, particularly through Rosatom, which has been involved in building Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) in Tamil Nadu. * Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States have also engaged in nuclear cooperation with India but were not part of this specific agreement.