BharatNotes
Malacca Dilemma
/məˈlækə dɪˈlɛmə/China's strategic vulnerability arising from its dependence on the Strait of Malacca for ~two-thirds of its maritime trade and a significant share of its oil imports — the dilemma is that this narrow strait could be blockaded by a hostile naval power (particularly the US or India) during a conflict, cutting off China's energy and trade lifelines.
Context & Background
The Malacca Dilemma is a primary driver of CPEC (bypassing Malacca via Gwadar) and China's "String of Pearls" strategy (developing ports in the Indian Ocean — Hambantota, Gwadar, Djibouti) to secure alternative supply routes.
UPSC Exam Relevance
GS1 (Geography — chokepoints), GS2 (International Relations — Indo-Pacific strategy). Prelims: definition; Malacca Strait statistics (~30% global trade). Mains: how the Malacca Dilemma drives China's Indian Ocean strategy and India's counter-strategy.
