Key Terms & Concepts — UPSC Mains
Transit Passage (UNCLOS)
"The right of ships and aircraft to pass through international straits used for navigation, governed by UNCLOS Part III"
Transit passage is a navigational right under Part III of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS, 1982) that allows ships and aircraft to exercise continuous and expeditious passage through straits used for international navigation — such as the Strait of Hormuz, the Strait of Malacca, and the Turkish Straits. Unlike innocent passage (which applies to territorial seas and prohibits submarines from surfacing), transit passage permits submarines to remain submerged and allows military aircraft to overfly. The coastal state bordering the strait cannot suspend or impede transit passage. This right is non-suspendable — it applies even during armed conflict. Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz in 2026 directly violates the transit passage regime under UNCLOS.
A high-value UPSC topic for GS-2 (International Relations, International Law) and Prelims. UPSC tests the difference between transit passage and innocent passage, UNCLOS provisions, and the strategic importance of international straits. The Strait of Hormuz crisis of 2026 makes this concept immediately relevant for current affairs questions.
- 1 Governed by UNCLOS Part III — applies to straits used for international navigation
- 2 Ships and aircraft can pass continuously and expeditiously
- 3 Submarines may remain submerged (unlike innocent passage)
- 4 Coastal state cannot suspend or impede transit passage
- 5 Iran's 2026 Hormuz blockade violates UNCLOS transit passage regime
Iran's IRGC prohibited vessel passage through the Strait of Hormuz in 2026, violating the UNCLOS transit passage regime — the strait handles approximately 20 million barrels of crude oil daily (20% of global traded oil) and 25-30% of global LNG trade.
