Mumbai: The disturbances in the Strait of Hormuz have had a severe economic impact and are causing energy instability in the region, Admiral DK Tripathi, Chief of Naval Staff, said in Mumbai on Thursday.
The strait, an international waterway between Iran and Oman, controls a large amount of the world’s oil flow and is in focus due to the war in West Asia, which has entered its fifth week.
Tripathi and Minister of State for Defense Sanjay Seth were in Mumbai to launch the second edition of the Indian Ocean Ship Initiative Sagar, where the offshore patrol ship INS Sunaina sailed from Mumbai to enhance maritime cooperation.
“Competition at sea is no longer limited to oil and energy. It is now expanding towards resources that will shape future growth – such as rare earth elements, critical minerals, new fishing grounds and even data,” the Admiral said.
Increase deep-sea research and marine surveys
“As a result, there is a significant increase in marine surveying, deep-sea research activities, and IUU fishing, which often violates the sovereign rights of coastal states and exploits gaps in monitoring and enforcement,” Tripathi said.
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Besides these, threats such as piracy, armed robbery and drug trafficking backed by unhindered access of advanced technology to non-state actors are becoming more complex and difficult to counter, the senior Navy officer said.
He said that last year alone, the Indian Ocean region witnessed an astonishing number of maritime accidents of varying nature, amounting to 3,700 accidents.
Additionally, drug seizures in the region exceeded US$1 billion in 2025, highlighting the persistence and prevalence of these challenges in the region.
The Admiral said that the Ocean Ship Sagar initiative comes at a critical juncture, when the global system is in a state of constant flux and friction.
“In such a complex maritime environment, the coming together of 16 like-minded maritime nations to achieve a common goal and collective commitment through IOS Sagar is rare and important,” he noted.
