India – Location, Extent and Size and Its Neighbours

Introduction

India shares land boundaries with Pakistan and Afghanistan in the northwest, China (Tibet), Nepal and Bhutan in the north and Myanmar and Bangladesh in the east. India’s southern neighbours across the sea consist of the two island countries, Sri Lanka and Maldives.

In India, there are many types of borders that are shared other than the international borders, such as coastal borders, ocean borders, neighbouring island borders, Coastal states, and states with International borders.

International Borders – This includes the neighbouring countries of India with whom India shares its water and land. These include Bangladesh and Myanmar in the east, Nepal and China in the north, and Pakistan and Afghanistan in the west.

Other Neighbouring Islands – Sri Lanka, Maldives. The Gulf of Mannar and Palk Strait divide Sri Lanka and India.

There are also states with international borders, such as India having International borders on Gujarat, Rajasthan, Arunachal Pradesh, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, Nagaland, Uttarakhand, Manipur, Mizoram, and UT of Jammu and Kashmir.

List of Neighbouring Countries of India

India and its Neighbouring Countries

• The neighbouring countries of India in the North-West

Pakistan is one of the neighbouring countries of India, with whom India shares an international border; Pakistan is a South Asian country that has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman. India and Pakistan are two independent and ideologically diverse countries, which were divided when the Indian subcontinent regained its long-awaited freedom from the British Raj. These two countries are not only geographically different but are also culturally different. During the colonial period, Pakistan got divided into two territories. One on the Northeast side of India and the other thousands of kilometres apart in the east of India.

These two countries were carved out from the geographical territories, including erstwhile British India, several princely states, and some Portuguese and French colonies, which were also added to India in the following years.

During the civil war of 1971,  a new country called Bangladesh was formed.

West Pakistan, which lies on the northwestern side of India, has been known as the Republic of Pakistan, and Bangladesh is the name given to this region in the east. The Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Punjab share their borders with Pakistan.  

Bangladesh – It is one of the countries that share International borders with India internally. Bangladesh’s capital is Dhaka and it has a parliamentary form of government. It shares its borders with the Indian states of Assam, Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya, and West Bengal. Bangladesh stretches over an area of about 1,43,998 sq km and has a coastline stretching 580 km.

China – China lies in the northern part of India, which is also the world’s most populous country. It is one of India’s neighbours and shares an international border with Indian states like Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. It has a border span of about an area of 95,96,960 sq km. The capital of China is Beijing, and it is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world.

The President of China or the Premier of China is the head of the state and the government. 

Nepal – It is India’s neighbour to the northeast. Nepal is a small country that has an area of 1,47,181 square kilometres, where tourism is one of the most significant features because it includes one of the world’s 10 tallest peaks called Mount Everest. Agriculture is the main economic activity of Nepal since most other industries are also involved in the processing of the product. The capital of Nepal is Kathmandu.

Bhutan – Our neighbour in the North East, Bhutan shares a border with Sikkim, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and West Bengal. The capital of Bhutan is Thimphu. The country spreads over an area of 38,394 square kilometres. The main contribution to the economy of Bhutan is provided by Hydropower, Tourism, Forestry, and Agriculture.

Myanmar – Our neighbour to the east, it shares a coastline along the Bay of Bengal. The states of India which share borders with Burma are Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh. Most of the population practises Buddhism. The country is governed by the Presidential Republic and has a bicameral legislature, stretching over 6,76,578 square kilometres. The present capital of Burma is Naypyidaw, where the country’s president is the head of the state.

Afghanistan – Afghanistan is another border of India like Pakistan and Bangladesh. The country shares its borders with China, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Afghanistan is in the central part of Asia and is spread over an area of 6,52,230 square kilometres. The main economic activities of this country are cotton textile, woven carpets, woollens, and different types of handicrafts.

Conclusion

India shares its boundaries with countries like Pakistan, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. When we talk about Close neighbours of India, it includes the Maldives and Myanmar. Due to this India aims to build better relations with these countries. This encourages trade and links among these countries. India is not a part of any big military alliance, then also it has close strategic and military relationships with most of the major powers. Having peaceful relations is included in  India’s foreign policy. They can help India during calamities.