Cheat Sheet: India And Her Neighbours

1. Framing the Neighbourhood

1.1 Definitions and Types

1.2 India's Borders and Maritime Position

2. India and Her Land-based Neighbours

2.1 Overview

2.2 China - key points

• Separated from India by the Himalayas
• Buddhism spread from India to China around 1st century CE
• Chinese monks Faxian and Xuanzang travelled to India
• Indian monks Bodhidharma, Dharmakṣhema, Kumārajīva carried Buddhist teachings to China
• Trade: India exports iron ore, chemicals, cotton yarn to China
• Trade: India imports electronics and industrial equipment from China
• Trade balance favours China
• Border-related tensions occurred; dialogue, trade, diplomatic mechanisms used to resolve issues

2.3 Pakistan - key points

• Pakistan founded after the 1947 Partition on a religious basis
• Several wars: 1948, 1965, 1971, Kargil in 1999
• Frequent terrorist attacks cited as launched with support of the Pakistan army
• Peace efforts include trade and opening of pilgrimage routes
• Cultural landmarks: Katas Raj temple complex; Hinglaj Mata Mandir
• Kartarpur Corridor: visa-free crossing to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib; opened in 2019 on Guru Nānak's 550th birth anniversary

2.4 Bangladesh - key points

• Born in 1971; earlier called East Pakistan
• Shares several transboundary river systems from the Ganga and Brahmaputra
• Bangla language common to Bangladesh and West Bengal
• Border longer than India's border with China
• Sundarban National Park: UNESCO World Heritage Site; largest mangrove forest; two-thirds in Bangladesh and one-third in India
• Sundarban: home to Bengal tiger; important for biodiversity, climate resilience, and barrier to cyclones

2.5 Nepal - key points

• Located in the lap of the Himalayas with a long open border with India
• Paśhupatinātha temple in Kathmandu is a major Hindu pilgrimage destination
• Festivals shared: Daśhain (Daśhaharā), Tihar (Dīpāvalī), Holi
• 1950 Treaty of Peace and Friendship: open borders; free movement of people and goods; cooperation in defence and foreign policy
• Trade: India supplies petroleum, medicines, food items, manufactured products
• Trade: Nepal exports agricultural produce, handicrafts, garments

2.6 Bhutan - key points

• Called 'Drukyul' or 'Land of the Thunder Dragon'
• Hydroelectric power: rivers originate in Bhutan and flow into India; power plants supply renewable energy and support agriculture
• Cultural ties rooted in shared heritage of Buddhism
• Bhutanese pilgrims visit Bodh Gaya, Rajgir, Nalanda, Udayagiri, Sikkim
• Guru Padmasambhava introduced Vajrayāna Buddhism to Bhutan in 8th century CE
• Dragon on Bhutan's emblem symbolises 'the thunderous voice of the Buddha's teachings'
• Gross National Happiness Index devised as holistic measure including sustainability, governance, and culture

2.7 Myanmar - key points

• Shares land border with Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram
• Shares maritime boundary with India in the Bay of Bengal
• Myanmar holds special spiritual significance as a birthplace of Buddhism
• Land Border Crossing Agreement of 2018 eased cross-border movement
• Agreement boosted trade, connectivity, and people-to-people ties
• Recent restrictions placed due to conflicts in border areas
• India restored Ananda temple in Bagan and gifted a 16-foot replica of Sarnath Buddha to Shwedagon Pagoda

2.8 Afghanistan - key points

• Landlocked; earlier direct access to India complicated after Pakistan creation in 1947
• Connected via the Uttarāpatha trade route linking Ganga plains to Central Asia through Afghanistan
• Uttarāpatha stretched from Gandhāra (modern Kandahar) through Takṣhaśhilā, Varanasi, Pāṭaliputra
• Route enabled flow of Buddhism, Hinduism, art, and philosophy
• Before 7th century CE, Afghanistan was centre of Buddhist and Hindu culture with kingdoms like Kapiśha and Zābul
• Buddhas of Bamiyan were symbols of Mahāyāna Buddhism; destroyed in 2001
• Recent relations: India supported education, healthcare, infrastructure; built Afghan Parliament and Zaranj-Delaram highway

3. India's Maritime Neighbours

3.1 Overview and Organisation

3.2 Sri Lanka - key points

• Nearest maritime neighbour separated by the Palk Strait; nearest distance about 32 km
• Buddhism introduced in 3rd century BCE by Mahendra and Sanghamitrā (children of Emperor Aśhoka)
• Hinduism travelled via the two Epics: Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata
• Civil war from mid-1980s to around 2010 between Sinhalese majority and Tamil minority
• Many Tamil families moved to South India, especially Tamil Nadu
• Current relations combine cultural closeness, historical ties, economic cooperation, strategic collaboration

3.3 Maldives - key points

• Consists of over 1,100 islets; about 130 km from Minicoy (Lakshadweep)
• Early presence of Buddhism; later South Indian influences from Tamil Nadu and Kerala
• Cultural elements: coconut-based dishes and roshi; Boduberu dance echoes Tamil folk rhythms
• Dhivehi language and boat-building show South Indian roots
• India was among first to recognise Maldives after independence in 1965
• India provided quick help during the 2004 tsunami, the 2014 water crisis in Malé, and the COVID-19 pandemic
• Maldives is highly vulnerable to climate change; sea level could rise 1 metre by end of century potentially submerging many islands
• Member of the International Solar Alliance (Indian initiative)

3.4 Thailand - key points

• Connected by maritime routes; shares a maritime boundary with India
• Indian traders and scholars sailed to Thailand as early as 3rd century BCE
• Indian influence: Dvāravatī culture (6th-11th centuries CE)
• Ayutthayā Kingdom founded 1351 and named after Indian Ayodhyā
• Chakri dynasty monarchs named after Rāma; current king referred to as Rama X
• Cultural ties: Indian monks, scholars and texts shaped Thai religious and philosophical foundations
• Theravāda Buddhism is widely practised in Thailand
• Hindu deities and stories integrated into Thai royal ceremonies, dance, and literature
• India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway improves overland connectivity and trade

3.5 Malay Peninsula / Malaysia - key points

• Historical Hindu and Buddhist influences began early
• Names like Srivijaya reflect Indian influence
• By 4th century CE region adopted script based on Brāhmī
• By 15th century Islam became predominant
• Large-scale Indian migration in 19th-20th centuries for rubber plantations
• Malaysian Indian community constitutes about 9% of population
• India is one of Malaysia's largest trading partners
• Collaborations: palm oil, energy, infrastructure, information technology
• Strategic partners in regional security and maritime stability

3.6 Singapore - key points

• Name derives from 'Singapuram' or 'lion city'
• Buddhist monks and traders visited the region a few centuries BCE
• Former British colony; part of Malaysia; became separate nation in 1965
• Tamil is one of Singapore's official languages
• Benchmark for urban planning and maintenance with heavy fines for littering and jaywalking
• People-friendly urban features: parks, walkways, terrace gardens
• One of largest foreign investors in India's infrastructure and technology
• Many Indian companies have offices; 'Little India' area exists; about 9% of residents are of Indian origin
• Preferred destination for higher studies and visited by large numbers of Indian tourists

3.7 Indonesia - key points

• Archipelago with several large islands and over 17,000 smaller ones; separated from India by Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea
• Legacy of trade with India over 2,000 years; early maritime trade with Java and Sumatra
• Nālandā university collaborated with Muara Jambi temple complex
• Islam travelled to Indonesia from the shores of India
• Indonesian rupiah carries Garuḍa, the vāhana of Viṣhṇu
• Borobudur Stūpa built in 8th-9th centuries CE; world's largest Buddhist monument; five platforms; over 500 Buddha statues; geometric design replicates a mandala
• 2004 tsunami: earthquake on 26 December 2004 triggered massive tsunami; about 15,000 deaths in India; over 200,000 deaths across the region
• Led to need for better early warning systems; Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre in Hyderabad alerts India and neighbouring countries
• Current cooperation: regional groups for peace, trade, sustainable development; strategic cooperation in maritime security, defence, and disaster relief

3.8 Iran - key points

• Shared ties since the Bronze Age via land routes through present-day Pakistan and Afghanistan
• Routes became part of the Silk Route
• Avesta (Zoroastrian sacred text) has parallels with India's Ṛigveda
• Mahābhārata mentions Persians as Pārasīka
• Persian language from same family as Sanskrit used as Mughal court language
• Parsis of India are a living link with ancient Persian culture
• Modern cooperation: trade, energy, transport; India helping develop Chabahar Port to access Afghanistan and Central Asia

3.9 Oman - key points

• Located on southeastern coast of Arabian Peninsula at intersection of Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea
• People-to-people contact with India dates back over 5,000 years (Indus/Harappan civilisation)
• Oman rich in copper; Harappan traders brought back copper ingots
• Over 10% of Oman's population is of Indian origin
• Merchant communities from northwestern India settled in Oman over past centuries
• Hindu community allowed to build Śhiva temple (Motishwar Mandir) in early 20th century
• Defence partnership: India's closest defence partner in the Gulf; first Gulf country where India holds joint military exercises with all three armed forces
• Collaboration on Indian Ocean maritime security

4. Key Takeaways

4.1 Summary points

• India's neighbourhood includes both land and maritime connections with strategic trade and cultural links
• Centuries-old exchanges spread religion, culture, arts, literature, and political ideas across South and Southeast Asia
• Ancient trade routes named in the text: Uttarāpatha, Dakṣhiṇāpatha, Silk Route, spice routes
• Regional connectivity projects and highways aim to revive historical links and boost trade
• Shared strategic and trade interests underpin modern bilateral and multilateral cooperation
• Natural hazards such as the 2004 tsunami highlighted need for regional disaster-warning systems
• India provides humanitarian and development assistance and acts as a regional first responder
• Culture (films, music, television) continues to sustain bonds across the neighbourhood