Oil, War, and the Hormuz Strait: South Asia and China’s Fragile Link to the Gulf
The Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most critical oil chokepoint, is under threat amid rising Gulf tensions. For South Asian nations like Pakistan and India—heavily reliant on oil and trade flowing through this narrow waterway—any disruption could trigger a devastating energy crisis, inflation surge, and economic paralysis.
Tehran’s Tremors: Pakistan’s Predicament
With Israel’s “Operation Rising Lion” pushing Iran towards regime change, Pakistan faces an immediate and severe threat. Its long border could become a battlefield, nuclear security questioned, diplomatic ties strained between Saudi Arabia and Iran, and the economy crippled by oil price spikes and internal unrest.