India, May 13 -- The recent tensions around the Strait of Hormuz have once again reminded us how delicate the global energy system really is. For India, this is not a distant geopolitical headline - it shows up much closer to home. Nearly 20 per cent of the world's oil trade passes through this narrow corridor, and India imports over 80 per cent of its crude requirements, with a significant share coming from the Gulf. Even brief disruptions here tend to be reflected quickly in domestic fuel prices, freight costs, and inflation.

What does not get talked about enough is this: even if every tanker were escorted safely, things could still go wrong. It is easy to assume that naval escorts solve the problem, but they do not. In high-threat env...