Oceans as Contested Spaces
Strategic Importance of Oceans
- Oceans are far more than vast expanses of water, they are vital to the global economy, communication systems, and geopolitical stability.
- Let’s examine the key reasons behind their strategic importance.
1. Transit Routes and Trade Chokepoints
- Oceans function as the arteries of global trade, with approximately 90% of global trade by volume transported by sea.
- Within these trade routes, chokepoints, narrow passages connecting larger bodies of water, are especially critical.
- These chokepoints handle immense volumes of shipping traffic, making them hotspots for both economic activity and geopolitical tension.
The Strait of Malacca, a narrow passage linking the Indian and Pacific Oceans, is one of the busiest waterways in the world. Annually, over 50,000 ships pass through it, carrying about 25% of global trade.
NoteControl over chokepoints provides countries with significant leverage over global trade flows, which is why these areas are often highly contested.
2. Undersea Cables: The Backbone of Communication
- While satellites often grab headlines, undersea cables are the unsung heroes of global communication.
- These cables facilitate around 99% of international data transfer, including internet traffic, financial transactions, and government communications.
- Stretching across the ocean floor, they connect continents and underpin the global digital economy.
- Undersea cables are vulnerable to both accidental damage, such as from fishing activities, and deliberate sabotage.
- This makes their security a strategic priority for nations.
Oceans as Sources of Conflict
- The strategic value of oceans often leads to disputes over control, access, and resources.
- These conflicts take various forms, including territorial disputes, competition over resources, and disagreements over shipping lanes.
1. Territorial Disputes Over Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs)
- The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) grants countries the right to an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) extending 200 nautical miles from their coastline.
