Between India and East Asia, the navigation-time and distance can be greatly reduced by which of the following? 1. Deepening the Malacca straits between Malaysia and Indonesia. 2. Opening a new canal across the Kra isthmus between the Gulf of Siam and Andaman Sea. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. The question asks for ways to greatly reduce the navigation-time and distance between India and East Asia. 2. Statement 1 is incorrect. The Malacca Straits, located between Malaysia and Indonesia, is the current primary shipping route. Deepening it might facilitate traffic flow or accommodate larger vessels, but it would not significantly shorten the existing geographical route. Therefore, it would not *greatly reduce* the distance or navigation-time. 3. Statement 2 is correct. The Kra Isthmus is a narrow strip of land in southern Thailand separating the Andaman Sea (part of the Indian Ocean) from the Gulf of Siam (leading to the South China Sea and East Asia). Opening a new canal across the Kra Isthmus would allow ships to bypass the lengthy detour south around the Malay Peninsula and through the Malacca Straits. This shortcut would greatly reduce both the distance and the navigation-time for ships traveling between the Indian Ocean/India and the South China Sea/East Asia.