Consider the following statements:
- Statement-I: Sumed pipeline is a strategic route for Persian Gulf oil and natural gas shipments to Europe.
- Statement-II: Sumed pipeline connects the Red Sea with the Mediterranean Sea.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
The SUMED pipeline runs across Egypt and carries crude oil from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. Together with the Suez Canal it forms a strategic route for Persian Gulf energy shipments to Europe. The Red Sea-Mediterranean link is exactly what makes it a route to Europe, so Statement-II explains Statement-I.
- ✓ Statement-I The US Energy Information Administration calls the Suez Canal and the SUMED Pipeline strategic routes for Persian Gulf crude oil, petroleum products and LNG shipments to Europe and North America.
- ✓ Statement-II The roughly 200-mile SUMED Pipeline carries crude oil northbound through Egypt from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. It is the only alternative for such crude if ships cannot pass through the Suez Canal, which is why it works as a route to Europe.
Remember · SUMED pipeline: about 200 miles across Egypt, carrying crude oil from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean; the alternative to the Suez Canal for such crude.
Sources
- The Suez Canal and SUMED Pipeline are critical chokepoints for oil and natural gas trade (US Energy Information Administration, 2019) ↗ “The Suez Canal and the SUMED Pipeline are strategic routes for Persian Gulf crude oil, petroleum products, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments to Europe and North America. … The 200-mile long SUMED Pipeline transports crude oil northbound through Egypt from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea.”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2024, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·