BharatNotes
India shares land borders with 7 countries (total land border: ~15,106.7 km) and maritime boundaries with Sri Lanka, Maldives, Indonesia, Thailand, and Myanmar. Border-related questions in UPSC cover which states share borders with which countries, disputed lines, key land ports, and the geopolitical significance of each boundary. States that border multiple countries are a frequent trap.
India's Land Borders — Country-wise
| Country | Border Length (approx.) | Indian States/UTs Sharing Border | Key Border Features / Checkposts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bangladesh | 4,096.7 km (longest land border) | West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram | Petrapole-Benapole (busiest land port); Dawki (Meghalaya); Agartala (Tripura); India-Bangladesh Comprehensive Border Management Plan — ~3,232 km fenced as of 2025 (out of 4,096.7 km); India resumed fencing Jan 2025 amid protests from Dhaka; bilateral relations strained since Sheikh Hasina government fell Aug 2024 |
| China | 3,488 km | Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh | McMahon Line (disputed in east); LAC (Line of Actual Control); Nathu La (Sikkim); Bumla (AP); Lipulekh (Uttarakhand); Shipki La (HP); India-China agreed Aug 2025 to reopen border trade via Lipulekh, Shipki La and Nathu La — trade through Lipulekh began Mar 2026; ongoing boundary disputes along LAC |
| Pakistan | 3,323 km | Ladakh (UT), Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat | Radcliffe Line (1947) + LoC in J&K; Wagah-Attari (Punjab); Munabao-Khokrapar (rail crossing, Rajasthan); Sir Creek dispute (Gujarat-Sindh maritime boundary — unresolved, 12 rounds of talks since 1997 without breakthrough; remains active flashpoint) |
| Nepal | 1,751 km | Uttarakhand, UP, Bihar, West Bengal, Sikkim | Open border (no passport required); Kalapani-Lipulekh-Limpiyadhura dispute ongoing — Nepal issued new ₹100 note with revised map claiming these territories (2025); India-China trade agreement through Lipulekh (Aug 2025) reignited Nepal's protests; Raxaul-Birgunj (busiest land port); Sunauli (UP-Nepal) |
| Myanmar | 1,643 km | Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram | Free Movement Regime (FMR) scrapped Feb 8, 2024 (MHA decision); India approved ₹30,000 crore border fence (only ~30 km completed by late 2024, construction ongoing); Moreh-Tamu (Manipur); Zokhawthar (Mizoram); Stilwell Road; India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway project |
| Bhutan | 699 km | Sikkim, West Bengal, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh | Special relationship (no formal defence treaty but India guides Bhutan's external affairs); Jaigaon-Phuentsholing (main land port); Bhutan-China border dispute affects Doklam region (India's strategic interest at Chumbi Valley tri-junction) |
| Afghanistan | 106 km (through Wakhan Corridor, in territory under Pakistani illegal occupation) | J&K (Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir — Indian territory that Pakistan illegally occupies) | India's rightful land border with Afghanistan exists through Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoJK), specifically Gilgit-Baltistan; operationally inaccessible as Pakistan illegally occupies this Indian territory |
Active Border Disputes — Summary
| Dispute | Countries | Status (as of Apr 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| LAC (Line of Actual Control) | India-China | Disengagement at friction points (Depsang, Demchok) completed Oct 2024; patrolling agreements signed; border trade resuming via Lipulekh, Shipki La, Nathu La from 2025-26 |
| McMahon Line | India-China (Arunachal Pradesh) | China claims entire Arunachal Pradesh as "South Tibet"; India rejects this; Sela Tunnel (2024) and other BRO projects strengthen India's strategic position |
| LoC (Line of Control) | India-Pakistan (J&K) | Pakistan illegally occupies Jammu & Kashmir including Gilgit-Baltistan (part of PoJK); LoC is the de facto border; ceasefire agreement renewed 2021 |
| Sir Creek | India-Pakistan (Gujarat/Sindh) | Unresolved tidal estuary boundary (96 km); 12 rounds of bilateral talks since 1997 without breakthrough; India and Pakistan interpret 1914 maps differently; remains strategic flashpoint |
| Kalapani-Lipulekh-Limpiyadhura | India-Nepal | Nepal claims these as its territory per Treaty of Sugauli (1816); India maintains they belong to Uttarakhand; Nepal issued revised ₹100 note (2025) asserting claim; India-China Lipulekh trade agreement (Aug 2025) sharpened Nepal's protests |
| Doklam | India-Bhutan-China | 2017 standoff resolved; China continues road construction in Doklam region; India-Bhutan close coordination |
States Bordering Multiple Countries
- Sikkim: borders 3 countries (China, Nepal, Bhutan)
- Arunachal Pradesh: borders 3 countries (China, Bhutan, Myanmar)
- West Bengal: borders 3 countries (Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan)
- Uttarakhand: borders 2 countries (China, Nepal)
- Assam: borders 2 countries (Bhutan, Bangladesh) + borders 7 Indian states
- Ladakh (UT): borders 2 countries (China, Pakistan)
States with no international land border: Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and most UTs.