Show Notes
In this episode of In Our Defence, host Dev Goswami is joined by national security expert Sandeep Unnithan to unpack one of the world’s most critical flashpoints—the Strait of Hormuz.
Why do narrow sea lanes like Hormuz matter so much to global trade and oil supply? What does a naval blockade actually look like in practice—not theory, but at sea? From ship strength and surveillance tech to geography and fleet positioning, we break down the real mechanics behind maritime chokeholds.
The episode also explores the counterplay: can a blockade be breached, and what does it take to punch through one? As tensions simmer between the US and Iran, does Washington’s naval dominance guarantee control, or is Tehran playing a deeper, asymmetric game?
They also unpack the curious case of the Rich Starry, the China-bound vessel whose strange movements through Hormuz have raised eyebrows. Additionally, a throwback to history — when India blockaded Karachi during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. What worked, what didn’t, and what it tells us about modern naval warfare.
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Produced by Taniya Dutta
Sound mixed by Rohan Bharti
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