Major International Boundaries of India

An international boundary shows how two distinct nations are split apart. Two distinct nations are separated by an international model line, which also delineates their respective physical boundaries. India's land borders extend for 15106.7 km and pass through 18 states, 92 districts, and the union territories. India has international land borders with seven distinct nations. The seven nations that share borders with India internationally are Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Bhutan, and China. Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and Indonesia are its marine neighbours.

Features of Major Boundaries of India

Here are the descriptions of major boundaries of India −

India-Pakistan Border

The international line dividing the Republic of India and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is known as the India-Pakistan border (or Indo-Pakistani border). There are 3,323 kilometres in total along the boundary. The boundary, which dates back to the 1947 partition of British India, includes the Radcliff Line between the provinces of Punjab as well as the provincial borders between Gujarat and Rajasthan and Sindh. The Line of Control, which divides Kashmir between Indian and Pakistani administration, is at its northern end, and Sir Creek, a tidal estuary in the Rann of Kutch between the Indian state of Gujarat and the Pakistani province of Sindh, is at its southern end.

The line of control is the name of the section of the border between India and Pakistan that touches the state of Jammu & Kashmir. This boundary is controlled by the military and was formerly known as the ceasefire line. After the Shimla Accord in 1972, the crease firing line was renamed as a line of control, or LOC.

Also, the Radcliffe Line, which separates India and Pakistan, bears Sir Cyril Radcliffe's name as the architect. He served as the border commission's chairman, and in August 1947, The Radcliffe line was formed. Between India and Pakistan on the western side and India and Bangladesh on the eastern side, the Radcliffe line was drawn.

India-Afghanistan Border

India and Afghanistan are divided by the Durand Line, which was established by British diplomat Sir Mortimer Durand. The Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir is where the Durand line touches. The international border between India and Afghanistan is 106 kilometres long and is largely controlled by Pakistan, but some portions still touch India.

The Durand Line, which divides Afghanistan and Pakistan, has been a source of conflict between the two countries ever since British India was partitioned in 1947. Mortimer Durand developed the Durand Line in 1893 to serve as the nation-to-nation border between British India and the Emirate of Afghanistan. Despite being acknowledged as Pakistan's western boundary on a global scale, the Durand Line is still widely disregarded in Afghanistan.

India-China Border

The "line of actual control" is the name given to the border between China and India. After the conflict, it was transformed from a cease-fire line into a line of actual control, or LAC. LAC divides China and India. Also, the international line dividing China and India is known as the McMahon line. It became official when Tibet and India signed a convention on July 3rd, 1914, at Shimla. The McMahon Line was established by Sir Henry McMahon, the British government's foreign secretary. The Sino-Indian border dispute is an ongoing territorial conflict between China and India over the ownership of two relatively large and many smaller, divided areas of land.

India-Nepal Border

The open international border between the republics of India and Nepal is known as the India-Nepal border. The 1,770 km long boundary spans both the Indo-Gangetic Plain and the Himalayan regions of the subcontinent. Following the Sugauli contract between Nepal and the British Raj in 1816, the present border was established. The existing border between the Kingdom of Nepal and the Dominion of India was acknowledged as the international border after India attained independence. The western tripoint with China, close to Limpuyadhura, is where the border begins. It then travels to the south-west, first overland and then by the Mahakali River, passing through the Himalayas, the Sivalik Hills, and finally the Gangetic plain.

India-Bhutan Border

The open international border dividing the Kingdom of Bhutan and the Republic of India is known as the Bhutan-India border. The border is 699 km (434 m) long and abuts the Indian states of Sikkim (32 km; 20 m), West Bengal (183 km; 114 m), Arunachal Pradesh (217 km; 135 m), and Assam (267 km; 166 m). Beginning at the western tripoint with Tibet, China, the border runs widely southward from there, crossing Mount Gipmochi and ending at the Jaldhaka River.

India-Myanmar Border

The international border separating Myanmar (previously Burma) and India is known as the India-Myanmar border. From the tripoint with China in the north to the tripoint with Bangladesh in the south, the boundary stretches 1,643 kilometres (1,021 mi) in length. Due to the Sino-Indian border dispute, the exact location of the tripoint with China is unknown; at the moment, the de facto tripoint is situated just to the north of the Diphu Pass. The border region, which sits on the boundary of several Indian and Burmese empires, has always been a contentious territory.

India-Bangladesh Border

The international border between the republics of Bangladesh and India, also referred to as the Radcliffe line (IB), separates the eight divisions of Bangladesh and the Indian states. The fifth-longest land border in the world, Bangladesh and India's shared border spans 4,096 kilometres, comprising 262 kilometres in Assam, 856 kilometres in Tripura, 318 kilometres in Mizoram, 443 kilometres in Meghalaya, and 2,217 kilometres in West Bengal. After India was divided into Pakistan and India, a boundary delineation line known as The Radcliffe Line was issued on August 17, 1947. Bangladesh and the Indian Republic continue to share the same border due to the division of Bengal region.

List of Major Boundaries of India

Here is a table of major boundaries of India and their approximate lengths −

Boundary	Approximate Length (in kilometers)
India-Pakistan	3,323
India-Afghanistan	106
India-China	N/A
India-Nepal	1,770
Bhutan-India	699
India-Myanmar	1,643
India-Bangladesh	4,096

Conclusion

Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Bhutan, China, and maritime boundaries with Sri Lanka and the Maldives are the seven countries with whom India shares borders. These international borders delineate India's territorial limits and are significant historically. The boundaries between India and Pakistan, the Durand Line (the border between India and Afghanistan), the Line of Actual Control (the border between India and China), the borders with Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, and Bangladesh all have a significant impact on how India interacts with its neighbours.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many nations does India share its borders with?

India shares its borders with seven nations: Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Bhutan, China, and maritime boundaries with Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

What is the length of the India-Pakistan border?

The India-Pakistan border has a total length of 3,323 kilometers.

What is the disputed border between China and India called?

The disputed border between China and India is known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

What is the border between India and Nepal called?

The border between India and Nepal is known as the India-Nepal border.

How long is the India-Bangladesh border?

The India-Bangladesh border spans approximately 4,096 kilometers, making it one of the longest land borders in the world.