CURRENT AFFAIRS | 24 APRIL 2026
CLAT GK + INTERNATIONAL LAW — UNCLOS, MARITIME CHOKEPOINTS
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stormed three container ships in the Strait of Hormuz on 22-23 April 2026. Twenty-one Indian seafarers were aboard the Panama-flagged MSC Francesca and one Indian was on the Liberia-flagged Epaminondas — a total of 22 Indian nationals affected. Additional Secretary (Shipping Ministry) Mukesh Mangal confirmed all were safe and that the government was in continuous touch with Iranian authorities.
The same day, the United States seized another Iran-linked tanker in the Indian Ocean, claiming the action was part of its effort to stop vessels attempting to slip into Iran. Tehran cited retaliation for the US blockade and earlier US seizures of Iranian tankers. Iran has previously detained Indian-linked tankers including the Sanmar Herald and Jag Arnav.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Particular | Detail |
|---|---|
| Ships Seized | 3 — incl. MSC Francesca (Panama), Epaminondas (Liberia) |
| Indian Seafarers | 22 total (21 + 1) |
| Seizing Force | Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) |
| Hormuz Oil/LNG Flow | ~20% of global energy shipments |
| Indians in Gulf | ~10 million |
| India’s Energy Imports via Gulf | ~60% |
International Law Framework
- UNCLOS Article 38 — Right of transit passage through straits used for international navigation (continuous and expeditious transit; submerged transit and overflight permitted).
- UNCLOS Article 17 — Right of innocent passage through the territorial sea.
- UNCLOS Article 19 — Defines conduct prejudicial to peace, good order and security (what breaks “innocence”).
- UNCLOS Article 44 — Strait states must not hamper transit passage.
- Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (1963) — India’s consular access to detained seafarers.
- UN Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS, 1974) — Flag-state responsibility and crew safety obligations.
Regional & Diplomatic Context
- Strait of Hormuz — 21 nautical miles at its narrowest; world’s most critical oil chokepoint.
- Chabahar Port — India’s Iranian port operated by India Ports Global; gateway to Afghanistan and Central Asia via INSTC.
- Indian Diaspora in Gulf — ~10 million citizens; largest Indian diaspora bloc.
- Operation Sankalp — Indian Navy maritime security operation in the Gulf since June 2019.
- UNCLOS & ITLOS — International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea at Hamburg is the designated dispute forum.
CLAT 2027 Perspective
Very high-probability Legal Reasoning passage on transit passage vs innocent passage — the classic UNCLOS distinction. Factual GK: 22 Indians, IRGC, MSC Francesca, Hormuz 20% oil share, 10 million Gulf Indians, 60% Indian energy via the Gulf. Expect a passage contrasting Iran’s interdiction rights with the Article 38 transit-passage regime. Map-linkage: Hormuz, Chabahar, Strait of Bab-el-Mandeb and Malacca as the four maritime chokepoints near India’s trade corridors.
Practice Quiz — 10 CLAT-Style Questions
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