The modern geopolitics of energy was irreversibly shaped in 1956 at the Suez Canal. What began as an attempt by Britain and France to reclaim imperial control ended in strategic humiliation. The Suez Crisis not only marked the decline of European colonial power, but also announced the arrival of the United States as the dominant Western force in global affairs.
In the aftermath of the crisis, a frustrated Dwight D. Eisenhower is said to have remarked of British Prime Minister Anthony Eden, “I just can’t believe that Anthony Eden is so stupid.” The bluntness captured a deeper truth: the age of European strategic autonomy had collapsed, replaced by American primacy. Over the decades, this dominance evolved into a firm strategic axis with Israel, shaping the politics of West Asia.
Nearly seven decades later, the region is once again at the center of global turbulence. Escalating tensions involving Iran, targeted strikes, and the ever-present threat to the Strait of Hormuz have revived concerns over the stability of global energy supply chains. Nearly a fifth of the world’s oil still passes through this narrow chokepoint, and any disruption reverberates across continents.
As Washington once again drives a conflict in West Asia, this time against Iran, the echoes of Suez are unmistakable. European leaders, from Berlin to Madrid, are questioning the wisdom and legality of American action, with some calling it a “politically disastrous mistake” and others declaring, “This is not our war.” History, it seems, is not merely repeating itself, it rhymes, with old hierarchies tested and new balances being forged.
For India, however, the stakes are far more immediate, and far more consequential.
Until recently, India’s energy lifeline was heavily dependent on the Strait of Hormuz. As late as 2020, over 60% of its crude imports transited through this volatile corridor. The Iran-West Asia tensions exposed the risks of over-reliance on a single geography, bringing into sharp focus the vulnerabilities of a rapidly growing economy.
What followed is a case study in strategic foresight.
By 2024–25, India had reduced this dependence to nearly one-third. This transformation was neither accidental nor reactive. It was the result of a deliberate and calibrated shift, combining diplomacy, diversification, and infrastructure.
India ramped up imports of discounted Russian crude, particularly in the wake of disruptions caused by the Ukraine conflict. At the same time, it expanded its energy partnerships across continents, from Brazil and Venezuela in Latin America to Angola and Nigeria in Africa. The message was unambiguous: India would not be held hostage by geography.
At the heart of this transformation lies what may be described as the Modi Doctrine - Balance without alignment. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has crafted a foreign policy that resists binary choices while advancing national interest with clarity and confidence.
India today engages deeply with Israel in areas of defense and technology, maintains longstanding civilizational and energy ties with Iran, and strengthens economic and diaspora linkages with the Gulf nations. This is not contradiction; it is calibration. As the Prime Minister has repeatedly emphasized, India’s foreign policy is guided by national interest, not external pressure.
In an increasingly polarized world, India has demonstrated that multi-alignment is not just viable, it is effective.
This diplomatic balance has been matched by a parallel reimagining of energy routes. Diversification of suppliers was only half the strategy; the other half lay in breaking the tyranny of chokepoints. India has significantly increased imports via alternative pathways, including the Suez Canal, the Danish Straits, and even the longer but strategically safer Cape of Good Hope route. The objective is clear: ensure that no single disruption can imperil national energy security.
Equally transformative is the emerging Chennai–Vladivostok maritime corridor. By reducing distance from roughly 8,700 nautical miles to about 5,600, and cutting transit time from nearly 40 days to just over three weeks, this route is poised to become a cornerstone of India’s engagement with the Russian Far East. Beyond energy, it opens new avenues for trade, investment, and industrial growth along India’s eastern seaboard.
For decades, India’s western coast dominated maritime trade, shaped largely by historical routes linked to the Suez Canal. That geography is now being rewritten. Ports such as Chennai, Visakhapatnam and Paradip are emerging as critical nodes in India’s evolving trade and energy architecture. Backed by investments in highways, inland waterways, and dedicated freight corridors, the eastern coast is transitioning from periphery to powerhouse.
There is also a deeper strategic dimension to this eastern pivot. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, located near some of the busiest sea lanes in the world, offer India a unique vantage point in the Indo-Pacific. The presence of the country’s only tri-service command here underscores their military significance. Coupled with the proposed Great Nicobar Project, which envisions a transshipment hub and expanded infrastructure, India is positioning itself not merely as a participant in maritime trade, but as a shaper of it.
Emerging assessments of hydrocarbon potential in the Andaman Sea further add to the region’s importance, suggesting that the eastern seaboard could play a pivotal role in India’s long-term energy strategy.
India’s evolving approach is not merely about securing supplies, it is about redefining its place in the global order. By diversifying suppliers, it has enhanced resilience. By diversifying routes, it has reduced vulnerability. By balancing diplomacy, it has preserved decision-making independence.
In a fractured world, where conflicts from Ukraine to West Asia continue to disrupt established systems, India’s strategy offers a compelling template: pragmatic, flexible, and firmly anchored in national interest.
The arc from Suez to Hormuz is not merely a story of shifting power; it is a story of how nations respond to it. India’s response stands out.
It is the story of a nation that refused to be constrained by geography, of leadership that chose balance over binaries, and of strategy that transformed vulnerability into strength.
As global fault lines deepen, India is not merely navigating the storm, it is charting a new course.
And in doing so, it is quietly rewriting the rules of power in the 21st century.
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