From Hormuz to Malacca, the Annexation of Power in the World's Narrow Straits

The cases of the Strait of Hormuz and the Strait of Malacca illustrate two faces of the same phenomenon: in the modern era, mastery over straits no longer relies on physical annexation but on the ability to control functions.

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Amid an increasingly fragmented geopolitical landscape, strategic straits are once again becoming the epicentre of global power calculations.

Narrow passages like the Strait of Malacca and the Strait of Hormuz are no longer mere maritime connectors but vital knots that determine energy stability, trade, and international security.

More than a third of global trade and around 20 percent of worldwide oil distribution pass through these points. These figures explain one thing: whoever controls the straits holds leverage over the global economic system.

However, the form of control evolving today is not always conventional territorial annexation. There are no official declarations, no flag-raising. What emerges is what can be called functional annexation: mastery through regulation, security, and especially economic instruments.

States or actors capable of controlling port infrastructure, logistics systems, and security mechanisms around the straits have essentially seized de facto control over the flows passing through them.

The case of the Strait of Hormuz provides the most vivid illustration of how a strait becomes a tool of geopolitical bargaining. This strait is the main export route for oil from the Persian Gulf to global markets.

During various periods of tension—particularly between Iran and Western countries—threats of closure or disruption to the Strait of Hormuz directly trigger turmoil and volatility in world oil prices, while shaking global economic stability.

Even without actually closing the strait, Iran’s ability to disrupt tanker traffic is sufficient to create psychological and economic effects worldwide. This is a form of non-territorial control where the power to influence exists without formal ownership.