the east china sea

A new report highlights China's key maritime vulnerability lies at the Strait of Hormuz, not the Malacca Strait. This shifts strategic competition in the Indian Ocean to a new arena involving India, France, and the US. China's energy imports through this region expose it to potential exploitation by rival powers.

According to the government, India has around 60 days of petroleum supplies in various forms including strategic reserves. But if 20% of the world’s crude supply remains disrupted over 2.5 months of the war, where is India getting its oil from?

A recent Iran conflict has significantly depleted US high-end missile stockpiles, raising alarms in Washington. Critical systems like Tomahawks and Patriots may take years to replenish, creating a 'window of vulnerability' amid rising tensions with China. Production bottlenecks and allied demands complicate rebuilding efforts, impacting future defense readiness.

The proposed Middle East-India Deep-water Pipeline (MEIDP) is planned as a 2,000-kilometre underwater network running beneath the Arabian Sea and connecting Oman directly with the Gujarat coastline.

Malaysia's maritime agency refutes claims of ignoring sanctioned Iranian oil transfers near its waters. Iranian-linked tankers reportedly exploit "jurisdictional gaps" for ship-to-ship transfers, a practice advocacy groups say Malaysia facilitates. Authorities state operations often occur beyond radar coverage, complicating enforcement. Indonesia is also reviewing border oil transfers.

President Trump's China visit occurs amid a US-Iran stalemate, with analysts suggesting Xi Jinping holds more leverage. Many in Beijing view Trump as a symptom of liberal democracy's instability and American decline, validating Xi's "rise of the East" worldview. This perception of US weakness could lead China to miscalculate and test Washington.

India has reportedly rejected Russian LNG cargoes under US sanctions, despite energy security worries. A sanctioned Russian LNG shipment is now stranded near Singapore as India navigates compliance risks. While India continues to import Russian crude, LNG is harder to conceal from global tracking systems. Discussions are ongoing for non-sanctioned Russian supplies.

While the US and Israel engaged in conflict with Iran, China quietly leveraged the situation to expand its influence. By positioning itself as a diplomatic alternative and stabilizing energy supplies, Beijing benefited from a weakened American strategic position and growing uncertainty about US reliability among allies.

Pakistan's Fatah-3 missile test sparks debate, potentially challenging India's BrahMos dominance in precision strikes. Analysts question if it's a Pakistani leap or Chinese hardware, highlighting China's growing military influence. Operation Sindoor showcased India's advanced capabilities, underscoring the importance of integrated systems beyond just missile technology.

India’s strength has never come from imagined civilisational supremacy or from screaming insults at 'Macaulay’s children'.

The State Now Houses One In Five Of India’s Marine Fish Processing Units. Behind That Share Lies A Fishing Economy Of 4 Lakh People, Seafood That Travels From Veraval To Foreign Markets, And A Warming Arabian Sea That Is Pushing Kerala’s Mackerel Into Nets That Never Used To Hold It