Official Answer Key & Detailed Solution
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Correct Answer: Option (B) — 2 only
Concept & Option Breakdown
Standard Reference Verified- Statement 1 is incorrect: Deepening the Malacca Strait would allow larger draft vessels to pass through, but it does not reduce the geographical sailing distance or navigation route length between India and East Asia.
- Statement 2 is correct: Constructing a canal across the Isthmus of Kra (southern Thailand) connects the Andaman Sea directly to the Gulf of Thailand/South China Sea, bypassing the long detour around the Malay Peninsula and Strait of Malacca, thereby significantly reducing travel distance (~1,200 km) and time.
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