MAINS Current Affairs includes War in the Middle East and the Exposure of Global Choke Point Vulnerabilities & India Recorded 65 Internet Shutdowns in 2025

International Relations

1. War in the Middle East and the Exposure of Global Choke Point Vulnerabilities

Context

The ongoing tensions around the Strait of Hormuz have once again demonstrated how the global economy and strategic balance continue to depend on a few highly sensitive trade corridors.

Historical Importance of Choke Points

• Strategic choke points have historically played a decisive role in wars.
• During the First World War, the conflict over the Dardanelles Strait centred on control of the narrow passage connecting the Mediterranean Sea with the Black Sea.
• The Dardanelles also forms a natural divide between Europe and Asia, separating the Gallipoli Peninsula from Anatolia.
• Similarly, in the Second World War, the Battle of the Atlantic was essentially about securing maritime supply routes vital for Britain and its allies.

These narrow routes did not merely influence wars but often shaped their outcomes.

• Strait of Hormuz: The Most Critical Maritime Choke Point
• The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the most crucial global maritime corridors.
• It carries nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil and petroleum consumption, along with a similar proportion of global LNG trade, making it central to global energy security.
• Any disruption here immediately affects oil prices, freight costs, and supply chains worldwide.

Other Major Maritime Choke Points

Malacca Strait

• The Malacca Strait is another major strategic bottleneck.
• It serves as the main route connecting Gulf oil producers with East Asian industrial economies.
• It is considered one of the world’s busiest oil transit routes.
• The adjoining South China Sea handles nearly one-third of global shipping traffic.
• Any regional conflict here can severely disrupt global trade flows.

Bab el-Mandeb Strait

• The Bab el-Mandeb Strait, linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, is equally significant.
• Disturbances in this region rapidly increase shipping costs, delay cargo movement, and may even affect global food prices.

Modern Choke Points Beyond Sea Routes

Semiconductor Bottlenecks

• Modern strategic vulnerabilities are no longer limited to maritime routes.
• Taiwan dominates global semiconductor foundry capacity and produces a major share of advanced logic chips.

This makes the Taiwan Strait a dual choke point:

• a shipping route
• a semiconductor manufacturing hub
• Any disruption here can affect industries ranging from smartphones and cloud computing to automobiles.

ASML and Advanced Chip Technology

• The Netherlands-based company ASML is currently the only commercial supplier of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines.
• These machines are indispensable for manufacturing advanced semiconductors.
• This creates another critical technological choke point.

Strategic Minerals and Rare Earths

• Rare earths and critical minerals have emerged as new strategic choke points.
• China currently dominates the refining of 19 out of 20 key strategic minerals.
• This gives it major leverage over industries that rely on high-tech manufacturing.

Subsea Cables

• Submarine fibre-optic cables carry the vast majority of intercontinental digital data traffic.
• Egypt has emerged as a critical corridor for cables linking Europe and Asia.
• More than 90% of Europe–Asia subsea cable capacity passes through the Red Sea corridor, making it another vital choke point.

Climate Change as a New Source of Vulnerability

• Climate change has added a new dimension to choke point risks.
• For example, the Panama Canal has faced severe disruptions due to falling water levels.
• This has constrained vessel movement and forced rerouting, showing how environmental stress now directly influences global geopolitics and trade.

Conclusion

The conflict in West Asia has revealed the fragility of a global order dependent on a few narrow maritime, industrial, and digital corridors.

Today’s choke points include not only straits and canals but also chip fabs, mineral processing hubs, and subsea communication cables.

Their strategic significance lies in the absence of immediate substitutes, making them powerful instruments of both economic leverage and geopolitical escalation.

Polity and Governance

2. India Recorded 65 Internet Shutdowns in 2025

Context

According to a recent report, India witnessed 65 internet shutdowns in 2025, which is the lowest number since 2017.

At the global level, the Asia-Pacific region accounted for the highest number of such disruptions, with 195 shutdowns across 11 countries.

Legal Framework Governing Internet Shutdowns

• States and Union Territories in India are permitted to suspend internet services only in situations involving a public emergency or in the interest of public safety, as provided under the Indian Telegraph Act.
• However, the law does not clearly define what constitutes a public emergency or public safety concern.
• Earlier, until 2017, such shutdowns were largely imposed using Section 144 of the CrPC, which empowers the District Magistrate and police authorities to prevent unlawful assemblies and restrict certain activities.
• In 2017, the government introduced the Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rules, 2017.
• These rules specify the conditions and procedure for temporary suspension of telecom and internet services.
• They also mandate that such orders must be reviewed by a competent review committee within five days to assess their legality.

Supreme Court Judgment: Anuradha Bhasin Case

• In Anuradha Bhasin v. Union of India (2020), the Supreme Court examined the internet shutdown imposed in Jammu and Kashmir.
• The Court ruled that indefinite suspension of internet services is unconstitutional.
• It also held that Section 144 cannot be used as a tool to suppress legitimate and peaceful protests protected under the Constitution.

Key observations of the Court:

• access to the internet is closely linked to freedom of speech and expression under Article 19
• shutdowns can only be temporary and proportionate
• all suspension orders must be published
• such orders are subject to judicial review

Arguments in Favour of Internet Shutdowns

• National Security
• The government often justifies shutdowns as a short-term and targeted measure to prevent threats to national security.
• Preventing Violence and Unrest
• Temporary suspension of internet services may help prevent mobilisation for riots, protests, or unlawful activities.
• Curbing Fake News and Misinformation
• During sensitive situations, the spread of rumours and false information online can worsen tensions.
• Shutdowns are sometimes seen as a preventive measure.

Arguments Against Internet Shutdowns

Impact on Freedom of Expression

• Frequent shutdowns restrict the constitutional right to free speech and access to information.

Economic Losses

• India’s expanding digital economy, e-commerce, fintech, and service sectors suffer major disruptions during shutdowns.

Human Rights Concerns

Such measures affect rights related to:

• access to information
• freedom of speech
• peaceful assembly

Educational Disruption

Students relying on online classes and digital learning platforms face serious difficulties during shutdowns.

Conclusion

Although internet shutdowns may be justified in rare cases involving genuine emergencies, their repeated and non-transparent use raises serious concerns regarding fundamental rights, economic activity, and democratic accountability.

A balanced framework based on proportionality, transparency, legal safeguards, and accountability is essential to ensure that shutdowns remain exceptional and constitutionally sound.

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