INDIA’S LAND BORDERS AND INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARIES

INTRODUCTION

• India has a long and strategically very important land and sea boundary.
• India’s land border is about 15,106.7 km long.
• This land boundary runs through 13 States and Union Territories.
• India shares land borders with seven countries:
  - Bangladesh
  - China
  - Pakistan
  - Nepal
  - Myanmar
  - Bhutan
  - Afghanistan
• The nature of India’s borders has great importance for:
  - National security
  - Trade and connectivity
  - Cultural contacts
  - Geopolitics and diplomacy

LENGTH OF INDIA’S BORDER WITH DIFFERENT COUNTRIES (IN KM)

• Bangladesh – 4156 km (longest)
• China – 3488 km
• Pakistan – 3323 km
• Nepal – 1758 km
• Myanmar – 1674 km
• Bhutan – 699 km
• Afghanistan – 106 km

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INDIA – BANGLADESH BORDER
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• India’s longest international land border: about 4156 km.
• It was created after the partition of Bengal under the Radcliffe Award.
• The Radcliffe Line divided the old province of Bengal into:
  - West Bengal (India)
  - East Pakistan (now Bangladesh)
• This border passes through:
  - West Bengal
  - Assam
  - Meghalaya
  - Tripura
  - Mizoram
• Important features:
  - Very densely populated border areas
  - Earlier issues of enclaves and illegal migration (largely resolved after Land Boundary Agreement).

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SINO – INDIA BORDER (INDIA – CHINA BORDER)
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• Indian regions touching China:
  - Ladakh
  - Himachal Pradesh
  - Uttarakhand
  - Sikkim
  - Arunachal Pradesh

• The Sino-Indian border is divided into three sectors:
  - Western Sector
  - Middle Sector
  - Eastern Sector

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WESTERN SECTOR
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• Only Ladakh Union Territory touches China (Xinjiang region).
• China claims:
  - Aksai Chin
  - Changmo Valley
  - Pangong Tso
  - Spanggur Tso region
• China also claims part of Hunza-Gilgit area (ceded by Pakistan in 1963).

• Boundary lines:
  - Johnson Line (1865): Shows Aksai Chin as part of India.
  - McDonald Line (1893): Places Aksai Chin under China.
• India considers the Johnson Line as the rightful boundary.

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MIDDLE SECTOR
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• Lies between:
  - Himachal Pradesh
  - Uttarakhand
• This sector is relatively less disputed compared to the western and eastern sectors.

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EASTERN SECTOR
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• Runs from eastern Bhutan to Diphu Pass (tri-junction of India, China and Myanmar).
• This boundary is known as the McMahon Line.
• It was negotiated by Sir Henry McMahon in the Shimla Accord (1913–14).
• China does not accept the McMahon Line fully.

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INDIA – NEPAL BORDER
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• Indian states touching Nepal:
  - Uttarakhand
  - Uttar Pradesh
  - Bihar
  - West Bengal
  - Sikkim
• This is a porous border:
  - Free movement of people and goods is allowed.

KALAPANI ISSUE

• Kalapani is claimed by India as part of Pithoragarh district (Uttarakhand).
• It lies on the Kailash Mansarovar route.
• Kali River demarcates the India–Nepal border here.
• Treaty of Sugauli (1816):
  - Fixed Kali River as Nepal’s western boundary.

SUSTA ISSUE

• Susta is a disputed area between India and Nepal.
• Located on the bank of Gandak (Narayani) River.
• Cause of dispute:
  - Change in the course of Gandak River.
• According to Sugauli Treaty (1816):
  - The river is the boundary.
• Earlier Susta was on west of river, now it lies on east due to river shifting.

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INDIA – PAKISTAN BORDER
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• Created after the partition of India in 1947.
• Based on Radcliffe Award headed by Sir Cyril Radcliffe.

JAMMU & KASHMIR ISSUE

• Pakistan is in illegal occupation of about 78,000 sq km of Indian territory in:
  - Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK)
  - Gilgit-Baltistan
• In 1963, Pakistan illegally ceded about 5,180 sq km of PoK to China.

SIACHEN GLACIER

• Located in eastern Karakoram range.
• Lies east of the Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL).
• Under Indian control since 1984 (Operation Meghdoot).

SALTORO RIDGE

• Located west of Siachen Glacier.
• Claimed by:
  - India as part of Jammu and Kashmir (Ladakh UT)
  - Pakistan as part of Gilgit-Baltistan
• India controls the main peaks and passes since 1984.

SIR CREEK ISSUE

• Sir Creek is a 96 km long water channel in the Rann of Kutch.
• Dispute between India and Pakistan:
  - Pakistan claims boundary follows eastern bank.
  - India claims it should be the mid-channel line.
• Based on different interpretations of 1914 Bombay Government Resolution.
• The International Boundary and International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) here is not fully demarcated.

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INDIA – MYANMAR BORDER
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• This border runs along the watershed between:
  - Brahmaputra
  - Irrawaddy (Ayeyarwady)
• Passes through:
  - Mizoram
  - Manipur
  - Nagaland
• On Myanmar side:
  - Chin Hills
  - Naga Hills
  - Kachin region
• Region is:
  - Mountainous
  - Forested
  - Ethnically diverse

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INDIA – SRI LANKA MARITIME BOUNDARY
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• India and Sri Lanka are separated by:
  - Palk Strait
• Distance between:
  - Dhanushkodi (India) and Talaimanar (Sri Lanka) is about 32 km.
• Adam’s Bridge (Rama Setu):
  - A chain of islets connecting both sides.

KACHCHATHEEVU ISLAND ISSUE

• Kachchatheevu is a small island in Palk Strait.
• It was given by India to Sri Lanka in 1974.
• This sometimes creates issues related to fishing rights.

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IMPORTANCE OF INDIA’S BORDERS

• Strategic and defence importance
• Trade and connectivity routes
• Cultural and people-to-people contact
• Regional stability and diplomacy

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Subject: Geography

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