Connects the Andaman Sea (Indian Ocean) and the South China Sea (Pacific Ocean).
Runs between the Indonesian island of Sumatra to the west and peninsular (West) Malaysia and extreme southern Thailand to the east.
Strategic Importance:
Shortest sea route between the Middle East and East Asia, helping to reduce the time and cost of transportation among Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
Through this corridor, approximately 60% of the world's maritime trade transits, and is the main source of oil supply for two of the main Asian consumers: the People's Republic of China and Japan.
The Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) was created in 2001 to safeguard India's strategic interests in Southeast Asia and the Strait of Malacca by increasing rapid deployment of military assets in the islands.
