The Indian Ocean is the worlds third-largest body of water through which cross the vital sea lanes that help feed some of Asias largest economies. Nearly 80 percent of the worlds seaborne trade in oil passes through the choke-points in these sea lanes of which 40 percent passes through the Strait of Hormuz, 35 percent through the Strait of Malacca and 8 percent through the Bab el-Mandab Strait. This gives an extremely vital importance to the Indian Ocean.