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General Studies 2022 GS Paper I 15 marks 250 words Compulsory Mention

GS Paper I — Q16

Mention the significance of straits and isthmus in international trade. (Answer in 250 words) 15

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

अंतर्राष्ट्रीय व्यापार में जलसंधि व स्थलसंधि के महत्व का उल्लेख कीजिए। (250 शब्दों में उत्तर दें)

Q16 of the 2022 UPSC Mains General Studies GS Paper I, as printed
The question as printed in the 2022 General Studies paper
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Model answer

Written by UPSC Answer Check against this question's marking rubric, to the 250-word length. UPSC does not publish answers for Mains — this is one way to score well, not an official key.

Straits are narrow waterways linking larger seas or oceans, while isthmuses are narrow land strips joining two larger landmasses with water on either side. Their significance in international trade lies in compressing long oceanic journeys into short passages.

The Strait of Malacca, Strait of Hormuz and Bab-el-Mandeb are key maritime chokepoints. Malacca links the Indian Ocean with the Pacific and carries a major share of Asian trade; Hormuz channels a large part of global oil and LNG; Bab-el-Mandeb connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, while the Red Sea reaches the Mediterranean only through the Suez Canal. By shortening routes, these passages reduce freight costs, transit time and insurance risk, making them vital for India's imports of crude oil, refined products, LNG and manufactured goods.

Isthmuses gain trade importance when converted into canals. The Panama Canal across the Isthmus of Panama and the Suez Canal across the Isthmus of Suez transform narrow land bridges into global trade arteries, allowing vessels to avoid longer routes around Cape Horn or the Cape of Good Hope. Control over such straits and canal routes also has strategic significance, as it affects naval power projection, freedom of navigation and the ability to influence trade flows.

For India, the strategic Strait of Malacca, Chabahar port connectivity bypassing Pakistan, and the International North-South Transport Corridor are therefore key to diversifying trade routes and enhancing energy security. Thus, under SAGAR, straits and isthmuses remain vital nodes in global trade and energy security.

What "Mention" is asking you to do

Put specific factual content on record — the names, features, targets or instances the stem asks for. Mention is usually the subordinate half of a larger question, so it must be done fully but quickly, leaving room for the part that carries the main directive.

Structure that answers it

The items named directly, without preamble → one qualifying detail against each → straight on to the part of the stem the marks actually sit in

Where marks are lost

Gesturing at the category instead of naming the particulars, or expanding it until the analytical half of the question is squeezed.

All UPSC directive words, compared →

How this answer will be evaluated

Approach

Framework: Geography: explain the mechanism, then location follows. highlight: name the salient points > one line of substance each > close Full marks: Defines terms, explains mechanism, uses 3+ specific examples with data, and links to global trade flow.

Key points expected

  • Define strait and isthmus
  • Explain the mechanism of trade route shortening
  • Mention specific examples (e.g., Suez, Panama, Malacca)
  • Link physical geography to economic outcome

Evaluation rubric

Each sub-part is marked on its own, against the marks and word limit printed on the paper.

  1. The answer Explain the strategic and economic importance of straits and isthmuses in global trade. 15 marks · 250 words

    highlight— name the salient points → one line of substance each → close

    Must cover

    • Define strait and isthmus
    • Explain the mechanism of trade route shortening
    • Mention specific examples (e.g., Suez, Panama, Malacca)
    • Link physical geography to economic outcome

    Loses marks

    • Listing locations without explaining trade significance
    • Confusing strait with isthmus
    • Ignoring the 'why' of their importance

    Earns more

    • Mention canal construction (Suez/Panama)
    • Discuss chokepoint vulnerability
    • Reference specific trade volume statistics
    • Mention strategic military importance

    Extra mark

    • 30-second sketch map of key straits
    • Specific tonnage data for a major strait

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