New Delhi: The Bab el-Mandeb Strait may be nearly 3,000 km from India, but any prolonged disruption there could have a direct impact on the country’s energy security and foreign trade.
The 29-km-wide waterway connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and serves as an important link between the Indian Ocean, the Mediterranean and European markets. The reported Houthi advance along Yemen’s Red Sea coast has raised concerns over the future of this critical route.
The Houthis have reportedly captured the strategic port city of Mocha and Mayun Island, which lies inside the Bab el-Mandeb. Their reported advances towards the Hanish and Zuqar islands have further strengthened their position around the waterway.
For India, the biggest concern is energy. Oil shipments through the route have already fallen from 9.3 million barrels per day in 2023 to around 4.2 million bpd in the first half of 2025. Any fresh disruption could push global crude prices higher.
The impact could also extend to Indian exports. The Suez route is widely used to transport Indian diesel, aviation fuel, pharmaceuticals, textiles and machinery to European markets.
A diversion around the Cape of Good Hope would increase the Mumbai-Rotterdam distance from about 15,700 km to nearly 23,000 km. Longer voyages would raise fuel, freight and insurance costs.
With the Strait of Hormuz already under pressure, a prolonged crisis at Bab el-Mandeb could put additional strain on India’s energy supplies, shipping costs and export competitiveness.