New Delhi, June 9 (IANS) Major General Dhruv Katoch (retired) asserted that the Great Nicobar Project will give India “leverage by having its military presence” in the Six Degree Channel on the south of the Great Nicobar, from where 90 per cent of the world’s containers will pass in the future.Also, following the breakthrough of the country’s longest Zojila Tunnel on Tuesday, Dhruv Katoch said that besides serving as a strategic importance for the Indian Army, Ladakh and Kargil will now be conne…
Latest Strait of Malacca News & Updates
New Delhi, May 24 (IANS) The Great Nicobar Project, work on which is underway, aims to transform the island into a strategic maritime and economic hub by leveraging its proximity to the global East–West shipping route and reducing dependence on foreign transshipment ports, keeping in view India’s defence and national security, an article contended.The project, which will strengthen India’s strategic presence in the Andaman Sea and Southeast Asia, seeks to balance port-led economic growth w…
New Delhi, May 21 (IANS) After Iran demonstrated that it can exploit its geographical advantage to use the Strait of Hormuz as a chokepoint and monetise transit through the narrow waterway by charging a fee on ships, the trend appears to be spreading, with Indonesia sending a signal that it is contemplating similar steps to raise revenue from the Strait of Malacca.Critical sea trade passages are no longer deemed safe and neutral. Instead, they are increasingly viewed as assets that can be regula…
New Delhi, May 10 (IANS) India to build a strategic outpost in the Indo-Pacific, expanding its defence focus towards some of the busiest shipping routes in the world in Southeast Asia, a report said.India is pushing forward with a $9 billion infrastructure project on Great Nicobar Island, which is located near one of the world’s critical shipping arteries away from the Indian mainland.”It leverages Great Nicobar’s strategic location to strengthen India’s national security, maritime and defence p…
New Delhi, May 10 (IANS) The blockade of Strait of Hormuz, for about two months by the Iranian and US forces in the Persian Gulf has resulted in escalation of oil prices and its cascading effect on economies worldwide, however, one point being increasingly debated by nations lining the Indian oceans is that — should they also put similar restraints and limitations on their sea-routes. The Hormuz Strait has been at the centre of US-Iran war, with their animosity turning into a nightmare for econ…
Beijing/Dhaka, May 2 (IANS) Bangladesh’s engagement with the Chinese-financed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) over the past decade has produced significant but uneven progress, especially in transport and energy infrastructure, with delays, rising costs and selective project revisions limiting its impact, a report stated. According to a report in the international magazine ‘The Diplomat’, under the BRI framework, Bangladesh was expected to receive around $40 billion in Chinese investments from Ch…
Gurugram, May 1 (IANS) Stressing the strategic and economic importance of the Great Nicobar Project, Major General (Retd.) Arvind Bhatia said on Friday that the ambitious development plan in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands will significantly enhance India’s maritime capabilities, reduce dependence on foreign ports, and strengthen surveillance over key global shipping routes.Speaking to IANS on the project’s geopolitical relevance, Bhatia underlined that proximity to the Strait of Malacca — one …
New Delhi, May 1 (IANS) Defence experts on Friday voiced strong support for the Great Nicobar Project, describing it as a transformative initiative that will strengthen India’s maritime security, reduce dependence on foreign ports, and position the country as a key player in global trade.Speaking to IANS, they stressed that the project reflects a forward-looking vision aimed at enhancing national security while unlocking significant trade potential.Air Vice Marshal (Retd.) P. K. Srivastava sai…
Naypyidaw, March 28 (IANS) As the conflict in the Middle East heightened maritime instability, Myanmar’s long-term strategic significance has assumed greater importance in China’s security calculus. There are also other chokepoints beyond the Strait of Hormuz, and it is in this context that the China Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC) comes into focus – a glance at the map shows how vital the outlet to the Indian Ocean through Myanmar is for China, a report has highlighted. “It began in th…
New Delhi, Feb 15 (IANS) The Indian Ocean Region (IOR), being the critical maritime domain bordering three continents — Asia, African and Australia, and contributing to more than 70 to 75 per cent international trade via the crucial sea-route, remains one of the most vital and vulnerable assets in the 21st century. With India positioned at the centre, its role as security provider for the 7,500-km coastline becomes all the more important evident.The government’s focus on building ties with key …