India's Border Management with Pakistan-An Overview
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IC Value 2016 : 61.33| SJIF Impact Factor(2017) : 7.144| ISI Impact Factor (2013): 1.259(Dubai)|UGC J No :47335 Research Paper Volume - 6, Issue- 3, March 2018 | e-ISSN : 2347 - 9671| p- ISSN : 2349 - 0187 EPRA International Journal ofEconomic and Business Review INDIA’S BORDER MANAGEMENT WITH PAKISTAN-AN OVERVIEW Dr. Sanjay Kumar Associate Professor, Department of Defence Studies, Meerut College, Meerut, U.P, India ABSTRACT Boundaries are the framework of a nation. The location of boundary determines KEYWORDS: the rules and laws that the people have to follow, the national culture with which they would be identified with, and many other such things. Boundary questions have often Border, Boundaries, Border led to war in the history for numerous reasons. Before one delves deeper into this Guarding Forces, Illegal subject, one needs to define the terms that are often used as synonyms: boundary and Immigration, Indian Sub- border. To sum up, boundary is to be defended in times of war; border has to be patrolled Continent, Neighbours, in times of peace to prevent illegal immigration and to control smuggling, trafficking RAW etc; and needs to be consolidated by evolving appropriate socio – economic and political policies1. Boundaries perform a variety of functions, namely, political, strategic, administrative and cultural and also have a psychological, economic, cultural, anthropological and a strategic significance. INTRODUCTION complex task. Despite best intentions and efforts, fool proof The evolution of boundaries in the Indian borders are unlikely to materialize in the short term in the subcontinent has a long historical legacy, which often has context of India and Pakistan. been a source of tension and conflict between neighbours. THE CONCEPTUAL ISSUES OF BORDER Like all boundaries in South Asia, India’s boundaries are also MANAGEMENT man-made. India shares 14,880 kilometres of boundary with Borders and Boundaries Pakistan (3323 km), China (3488 km), Nepal (1751 km), Boundaries are the framework of a nation. The location of Bhutan (699 km), Myanmar (1643 km), and Bangladesh (4097 boundary determines the rules and laws that the people have km). India’s boundary with each of its neighbours runs through to follow, the national culture with which they would be a variety of ecological milieus, each with its own unique setting identified with, and many other such things. Boundary and associated problems. India-Pakistan border areas are questions have often led to war in the history for numerous spread across extreme climatic conditions wherein the reasons. Before one delves deeper into this subject, one needs boundary runs from the hot Thar Desert in Rajasthan to the to define the terms that are often used as synonyms: boundary cold Himalayas in Jammu and Kashmir. and border. Some of our maritime boundaries are still unsettled. Boundary: It is a line of demarcation, based on Land borders are also not fully demarcated. Sections of our political agreements that determine the limits of borders are based on artificial boundaries and not based on legal and administrative jurisdiction of a sovereign natural features. Institutional mechanisms for coordinating independent state. Boundary has international legal intelligence gathering, sharing and intelligence coordination significance. Defence of the boundary is the primary are weak. India’s neighbourhood is in turmoil. Several of India’s responsibility of the armed forces2. neighbours and particularly Pakistan are undergoing political Border: It is the area that extends inwards from and economic instability. India also has continuing border the boundary. The depth of the border may vary disputes with several of its neighbours. depending upon the terrain and the geopolitical Uncertain borders not only raise bilateral tensions location of the area concerned. Unless otherwise but also facilitate cross border infiltration, illegal migration, specified, the administrative infrastructure of the smuggling and crime. Illegal migration has emerged as one of border is the same as that of other parts of the the major national security challenges. The Group of country. Defence of the border, especially in Ministers undertook a thorough review of border management peacetime, is the primary responsibility of the issues and made several recommendations in 2001. Many of appropriate para - military forces like the BSF, these recommendations are being implemented. It is, however, ITBP etc. clear that managing borders is likely to be prove a long and www.eprawisdom.com Volume - 6, Issue- 3, March 2018 A 35 EPRA International Journal of Economic and Business Review|SJIF Impact Factor(2017) : 7.144 e-ISSN : 2347 - 9671| p- ISSN : 2349 - 0187 To sum up, boundary is to be defended in times of Myanmar, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, and marked war; border has to be patrolled in times of peace to prevent by political, social and economic unity. People and illegal immigration and to control smuggling, trafficking etc; goods were free to move anywhere in the and needs to be consolidated by evolving appropriate socio – subcontinent unhindered by barriers. economic and political policies3. Boundaries perform a variety Post 1947: Political and administrative compulsions of functions, namely, political, strategic, administrative and led to the division of the subcontinent and the cultural and also have a psychological, economic, cultural, eventual break-up of its social and economic unity anthropological and a strategic significance. It thus assumes as well. States based on religious and ethnic identities importance in not only the functions it performs but also in were carved out from this single geographical unit. its very nature of raising conflicts and thereby affecting peace Boundaries hastily drawn to give shape to the new and stability in a region. The boundary negotiations between political entities did not follow any distinct physical states usually originate once a conflict of interest develops or feature. These superimposed lines cut across ethnic, seems imminent. social and economic communities, severing social EVOLUTION OF BOUNDARIES IN THE and economic ties among the people straddling these INDIAN SUB-CONTINENT new borders. Consequently, people of the same Pre 1947: The evolution of boundaries in the Indian village often found themselves citizens of two subcontinent has a long historical legacy, which different countries separated by a line. Their often has been a source of tension and conflict livelihoods were severely threatened by the between neighbours. Before 1947, the Indian disruption of trade as barriers were erected in the subcontinent was a single geographical unit way of the smooth flow of cargo and passengers. comprising present day India, Pakistan, Nepal, India’s Boundaries with Pakistan: conditions create immense hurdles for extending the India’s boundary with each of its neighbours runs security and administrative reach in these border through a variety of ecological milieus, each with areas. Coupled with this, the man-made nature of its own unique setting and associated unique these boundaries also throws up serious issues such problems. India-Pakistan border areas are spread as border disputes, porous borders, continuance of across extreme climatic conditions given that the trans-border ethnic and social ties, etc. Together, boundary runs from the hot Thar Desert in they pose a serious challenge to the effective Rajasthan to the cold Himalayas in Jammu and management of the borders in general and Kashmir. The diverse ecological and climatic particularly with Pakistan. A 36 Volume - 6, Issue- 3, March 2018 www.eprawisdom.com Dr. Sanjay Kumar PECULIARITIES OF INDIA’S BORDER immigration. Basins and alignment of three major WITH PAKISTAN rivers i.e. Ravi, Sutlej and Beas and their tributaries India shares 3323 km long and complicated boundary with provide alternate routes for smugglers and other Pakistan. The India-Pakistan boundary is categorised under anti national elements to reach areas in depth with three different heads4. relative ease. International Boundary. International J & K Border. The most complicated boundary is also known as the ‘Radcliff line’. It is arrangements for border management – probably 2340 km long and stretches from Gujarat to parts anywhere in the world exist here. The whole of of Jammu district in Jammu and Kashmir. 1,225 Kms long borders can be divided into three Line of Control. sectors i.e. the IB sector, LC sector and the AGPL. Actual Ground Position Line. (i) IB Sector (240 Km).The IB sector extends The borders between India and Pakistan can be further from Madhopur in the South to Sangam in the subdivided as under5: - North. This sector generally corresponds to Gujarat Border: The total stretch along this the border districts of Samba, Kathua and border is 508 Kms and is characterised by arid Jammu. The area is also referred to as the wasteland and large number of creeks. The plains sector of J&K but has large tracts of population is sparse and there is lack of vegetation broken country and large number of water and water. The high salt content in the soil and bodies flowing across. Terrain and the large extremely hot temperatures make the area unsuitable number of ‘enclaves‘ in the region make the for agriculture. The resultant poverty and abundance area conducive for infiltration and smuggling of creeks lends the area to nefarious trans-border of arms in support of the militant groups activities. operating in the valley and more particularly Rajasthan Border: The 1,037 Kms long those operating in Doda district. border along Rajasthan stretches from Sanchor in (ii) LC Sector (776 Kms).LC sector extends the South to Ganganagar in the North. However, from Sangam in the South to NJ 9842 in the the major portion of this land comprises of the Thar North. This sector corresponds to the border Desert on own side. The area opposite this region districts of Chamb – Jaurian, Akhnoor, comprises the Sindh and Punjab provinces of Rajouri, Poonch, Uri, Baramula, Kargil and Pakistan. The construction of Indira Gandhi Canal some portion of Leh rising to almost 20,000 (IGC) has created a Green Belt, which is popularly feet.