Management of Indian border disputes – a complex task | UPSC Mains Essay Preparation PDF Download

Politics

India shares 15,106.7 km of its land boundary with seven nations—Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. The land borders run through varied geographical terrains like deserts, fertile lands, swampy marshes, snow-covered peaks, and tropical evergreen jungles, which throw unusual challenges for the security personnel manning them.
In addition, India’s coastal boundary runs 5,422.6 km on the mainland and 2,094 km around its islands, with maritime borders shared with the island nations of Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Maldives, and Thailand. India’s territorial sovereignty extends till 12 nautical miles from the coast into the waters; a further 12 nautical miles beyond this lies the ‘zone of hot pursuit’ where intrusion calls for action from its coastal states; and extending 200 nautical miles further into the waters lies India’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) granting exclusive fishing, mining, and oil exploration rights to its coastal states.
Managing such diverse borders is a complex task when national security and international trade are equally important for economic prosperity and social stability; more so, when national borders divide common sociocultural landscape and ethnolinguistic groups, land disputes abound.

Indo-Pak Border Challenges

Since the Partition of 1947, incessant border skirmishes have marked the line of actual control. Neither side has formally recognized the accession of the territories claimed by the other even after several wars and conflicts between them. The border dispute over Pakistan occupied Kashmir and over Sir Creek tidal estuary between Gujarat and Sindh, including the maritime border in that area, are highly contentious issues. India is highly susceptible to Pakistan sponsored cross-border terrorism, separatist movements, disruptive activities and counterfeit Indian currency commissioned for destabilizing the economy. Infiltration by armed militants, smugglers of narcotics and even for Illegal migration is common. These issues often renew hostilities, and peace initiatives have largely failed. The border forces are not equipped to handle these with their poor intelligence capabilities and severe resource crunch. Securing the border stretches lying on dangerous snowy cliffs like Kargil are particularly challenging.

Indo-China Border Challenges

Since China’s occupation of Tibet in 1950, the original Indo-Tibet border is the disputed Indo-China border at the McMahon line with Arunachal Pradesh and at the Johnson Line with Ladakh. India adheres to the Johnson Line of 1865, which puts Aksai Chin within Jammu and Kashmir territory, but China claims Aksai Chin in accordance with the Macartney-Macdonald line of 1899. The claim of China over the Aksai Chin, trans-Karakoram tract, and Arunachal Pradesh is a constant irritant. Despite Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) and several bilateral peace incursions have not stopped. Border stand-offs in 2013 and 2014; the Increased presence of Chinese troops towards their rapid infrastructure build-up in Tibet; the Doklam stand-off in 2017; and the BRI (Belt and Road Initiative) have raised India’s apprehensions and necessitated aggressive border patrolling; but a yet more effective border management strategy is called for.

Indo-Bangladesh Border Challenges

The partition of India in 1947 gave rise to a sensitive situation among the inhabitants of some scattered plots of lands lying on the Indo-Bangladesh border areas who were paying revenues to one state but were surrounded by the territory of another. The boundary line drawn by Sir Radcliffe made them enclave (chhitmahal) dwellers – Indian citizens in Bangladesh  territory and Bangladeshis in the Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura, Assam, and Meghalaya. The 2015 Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) and the exchange of enclaves and adverse possessions between the two countries resolved the severe identity crisis to an extent, but challenges remain.  The international boundary is fenced only along the Tin Bigha corridor, elsewhere smuggling of goods and trafficking of cattle thrive despite BSF patrolling and surveillance cameras.
India and Bangladesh had also locked horns over the tiny New Moore island or South Talpatti in the Bay of Bengal before rising sea levels claimed it. The issue of 40,000 Rohingya refugees who infiltrated through the Bangladesh border needs the cooperation of both countries for a sustainable solution.

Indo-Myanmar Border Challenges

India’s border with Myanmar is susceptible to cross-border activities of Naga, Mizo, Meitei, and Assamese insurgents who exploit the strong cross-border ethnic linkages to find sympathy, shelter, and support for their ‘cause’ among their own people across the border. Arms trafficking from Thailand, Cambodia, and China; and narcotics smuggling from the Golden Triangle of Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar are big concerns. Most battalions are deployed in counter-insurgency operations, leaving the border posts undermanned and heightened threats. An unprecedented challenge arose when Myanmar’s military crackdown sent more than 700,000 Rohingya refugees fleeing to Bangladesh and subsequently into India through the Indo Bangladesh border.

Indo-Sri Lanka Border Challenges

Ethnic conflicts between indigenous Sinhalese and Indian-origin Tamils had strained India- Sri Lanka relations, but today, the two are one of the largest trade partners. The signatories to a trilateral maritime security cooperation agreement with the Maldives to improve surveillance and antipiracy operations and reduce maritime pollution in the Indian Ocean Region. However, the disputes over fishing rights in Palk bay and control over Kachchatheevu Island continue. China’s steadily increasing investments in Sri Lanka’s infrastructure building, weaponry, and development loans have also raised threats.

Friendly Neighbours Nepal and Bhutan

Indo-Bhutan relations are friendly, and the border is secure with a collaborative Group Border Management and Security. However, an otherwise friendly Nepal has renewed its claim on Kalapani as part of its Darchul district since the latest Map of India was released after the reorganization of Jammu, and Kashmir shows Kalapani in the Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand.

Way Forward in The Face of Border Threats

Effective border management can no longer be restricted to border security in the changing world.  Ensuring a seamless legal movement of people and trade across the borders, as well as curbing illegal flow, is imperative. Opening borders is essential for economic growth, but risks of insurgency, militancy, and smuggling of drugs and arms must be addressed with cooperation. This can only be accomplished through proper planning and a three-pronged approach of people, process, and technology.
India needs to upgrade border security with the latest technologies for border control and surveillance, especially in the high altitude snowy posts. At the same time, the development of integrated systems for entry, exchange, and storage of data is indispensable to facilitate the movement of people and products without endangering security. With the development of various economic corridors, the BSF will have to evolve from a restrictive to a permissive organization without compromising security. At the same time, giving the BSF investigative powers for specific border crimes will help in improving prosecution of border crimes and prevention of crimes therewith.
Diplomatic overtures should be aggressively followed up for bilateral and multilateral cooperation towards countering insurgency and addressing other security concerns. Myanmar’s recent crackdown on insurgents is a good result of such attempts by India. US–Mexico cooperation for developing border areas economically, socially, and demographically to minimize border crime can prove a good model. Knowledge exchange and experience sharing with international border-guarding forces can also be taken into consideration.
Sustained community interaction programmes to sensitise the border communities to participate in nation building exercises can also ease things. Still, security infrastructure must be people-friendly and cause minimum inconvenience to the local population.