What is the Total Land Border of India?

India is a country present in the Asian continent and is surrounded by both land and water bodies. The shape of India on the map is roughly triangular and is bordered by different countries in different directions. Some of the countries that border India are China, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and many more. Some countries border India with land, while some border it with water bodies. The total length of the border of India is approximately 15,200 km, and a total of 9 countries border India.

Facts about Indian Borders

• The Indian border is the third-largest border after China and Russia.

• The country’s land border is 15,200 km, and its coastline border is 7515 km.

• The border between India and Pakistan is visible from space, and this border is also regarded as one of the most dangerous borders by the Public Broadcasting Service.

• The shortest border in the world is present between India and Sri Lanka at 100 m in length only.

• The border between Bangladesh and India is the fifth-longest border at 4096 km in length.

• The Tin Mukh Peak in Tripura is the meeting point of the borders of Bangladesh, Myanmar, and India.

Countries That Border India

There are a total of 9 countries that border India via land and through water, known as land borders and maritime borders, respectively.

Land Borders of India

India shares land borders with seven countries which are as follows:

• Bangladesh – The states of India that share a border with Bangladesh are West Bengal, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura, and Assam. The total length of the border is approximately 4096 km and is maintained by the Border Security Force.

• Bhutan – This is an open border with a total length of 578 km and is maintained by Sashastra Seema Bal. The states of India that are a part of this border are West Bengal, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and Assam.

• China – The states sharing a border with China are Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh. The total length of this border is 3488 km, and it is maintained by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police and Special Frontier Force.

• Myanmar – The states that are a part of this border are Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, and Manipur, covering a total distance of 1643 km. This border is maintained by the Indian Army and Assam Rifles.

• Nepal – The total length of this open border is approximately 1752 Km and is maintained by the Sashastra Seema Bal. The states that are a part of this border are Bihar, Uttarakhand, UP, Sikkim, and West Bengal.

• Afghanistan –  Only Ladakh shares a border with this country, and the border length is 106 km.

• Pakistan – The states sharing a border with this country are Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. This border covers a total length of 3310 km and is maintained by the Border Security Force.

Maritime Borders of India

The maritime borders of India are shared with seven countries as well, but some of these countries share land borders with India as well. 

• Bangladesh – Its border with India covers a distance of approximately 550 km of coastline. This border is known to be maintained by the Indian Navy.

• Indonesia – This country also shares a maritime border with India with a total length of approximately 555 km. This border is also maintained by the Indian Navy.

• Myanmar – This country shares the border with India in the Bay of Bengal and is maintained by the Indian Navy.

• Pakistan – This country also shares some maritime borders with India known as the Sir Creek area. This border is also maintained by the Indian Navy.

• Thailand – India also shares a maritime border with Thailand of approximately 212 km in length, which is maintained by the Indian Navy.

• Sri Lanka – India shares a maritime border with Sri Lanka of approximately 400 km in length on the Gulf of Mannar.

• Maldives – The border with this country lies in the South-West part of the Indian ocean below the Lakshadweep Islands and this is also maintained by the Indian Navy.

Names of Borders with India

• The Bangladesh- India Border is an International border present between India and Bangladesh.

• McMahon Line is a boundary between Tibet and India.

• The India-Myanmar border is an international border between India and Myanmar.

• The Radcliffe Line is a boundary present between India and Pakistan and was named after the architect Cyril Radcliffe.

• Sir Creek is the maritime boundary present between India and Pakistan on the Indus River Delta.

• The Similan Islands is a maritime border between Thailand and India.

• Katchatheevu is a maritime border between India and Sri Lanka.

• Maliku Kandu is the sea area through which the maritime border of India and Maldives is present.

There are two open borders present between India and Nepal and India and Bhutan.

Some Important International Borders of India

• McMahon Line – This border is present between India and China and was drawn by Sir Henry McMahon in 1914.

• Radcliffe Line – This border is present between India and Pakistan and was demarcated by Sir Cyril Radcliffe for the partition of India and Pakistan. This border also includes present-day India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.

Conclusion

India is a country that shares its borders with nine different countries, covering a total area of about 15200 km. The borders are not only limited to land but are also present in the water bodies. India shares its borders with seven countries via land and seven countries via water as well. Some countries share a border with India both on land and water, that is, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Myanmar. Each water border is maintained by the Indian Navy. All the borders have their specific names, and most of the borders have an important economic role. Some borders also hold international importance, like the McMahon line border present between India and China drawn by Sir Henry McMahon in 1914 and the Radcliffe Line border present between India and Pakistan demarcated by Sir Cyril Radcliffe.