India's Strategic Balancing Act in Strait of Hormuz Reflects Global Power Shifts and Energy Dependence

India's engagement with Iran is not a 'tightrope walk' but a calculated response to structural constraints: US sanctions, energy dependence, and historical ties.

The Strait of Hormuz crisis reflects broader tensions between US unilateralism and multipolar realignment, where India's role as a swing state is often understated. Historical precedents, from the Cold War to colonial-era trade routes, show that balancing multiple alliances is a pragmatic strategy. Marginalised voices, like fishermen and migrant workers, highlight how geopolitics disproportionately impacts vulnerable populations. Future scenarios suggest that as climate change exacerbates resource competition, cooperative frameworks like IORA will be essential. The solution lies in multilateral security initiatives, energy diversification, and South-South diplomacy—approaches that challenge Western-dominated narratives and prioritize systemic resilience over binary alliances.