SECTION A
Essay
125 marks
Management of Indian border disputes – a complex task.
WRITE IN
90 min
1,000–1,200 words
Reading the topic
The topic asks why managing India's disputed borders, with China, Pakistan and smaller neighbours, is so complex. The examiner expects analysis of colonial legacies, difficult terrain, strategic rivalry, domestic politics and border communities, alongside successful models of resolution.
ThesisIndia's border disputes are complex because history, geography, strategy and identity overlap, so they need patient diplomacy, strong border infrastructure and inclusion of border populations rather than quick fixes.
Dimensions to cover
- 1History: colonial-era lines such as the McMahon Line were drawn vaguely or without local consent, leaving lasting disagreements
- 2Security: an undemarcated Line of Actual Control with China allows patrol clashes and infrastructure competition
- 3Diplomacy: negotiated settlements show disputes can be resolved when political will exists
- 4Development: remote border villages losing people weaken claims and security, so development is part of border management
- 5Domestic politics: border issues are emotive, which makes compromise hard for any government
Counter-view
- Some argue that only military strength resolves border disputes. The essay should show that deterrence is necessary but settlements like the Land Boundary Agreement prove diplomacy delivers lasting results
Open and close
- Open: Open with residents of a former enclave in Cooch Behar who, in 2015, became citizens of a country for the first time after decades of being stateless on the map
- Close: Conclude that India's borders will be secure when firm deterrence, steady diplomacy and thriving border communities work together
Where marks usually go
- Writing a GS2 answer listing every dispute without analysing why management is complex
- Covering only China and Pakistan and ignoring neighbours like Nepal and Bangladesh
- Using stale facts without noting developments such as the 2024 patrolling arrangement
Examples that fit
- CaseThe India-Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement, implemented through the Constitution (100th Amendment) Act, 2015, exchanged enclaves and settled a dispute dating from Partition.Constitution (One Hundredth Amendment) Act, 2015; Ministry of External Affairs
- CaseThe Galwan Valley clash of June 2020 was the first deadly India-China border clash in decades; an October 2024 understanding restored patrolling at Depsang and Demchok.Ministry of External Affairs statements, June 2020 and October 2024
- CaseIn 2020 Nepal issued a new political map showing Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura as its territory, showing how border disputes enter nationalism.Ministry of External Affairs; Government of Nepal, 2020
- CurrentThe Vibrant Villages Programme, approved in 2023, aims to develop villages along the northern border to stem out-migration and strengthen the frontier.Ministry of Home Affairs, Vibrant Villages Programme