India and Her NeighboursClass 7 Social Science Notes

Framing the Neighbourhood

When we think of a neighbour, we usually mean a country that shares a land border with us. This is the traditional way of looking at it. However, the idea of a "neighbour" can be much broader.

Types of Neighbours

• Land-based Neighbours: These are countries that share a physical land boundary with India. This includes Pakistan and Afghanistan to the northwest; China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the north; and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east. India's total land boundary is over 15,100 km long.
• Maritime Neighbours: A maritime neighbour is a country connected to another by a shared sea or ocean, even if they don't share a land border. For India, which is a maritime nation surrounded by water on three sides, our closest maritime neighbours are Sri Lanka and the Maldives. A wider view includes countries like Iran, Oman, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia.

India's Strategic Location

India's peninsular shape extends deep into the Indian Ocean. This central location gives it access to important sea routes, making it a crucial link between Southeast Asia, West Asia, and Africa. This position helps India play a key role in trade, regional cooperation, and providing humanitarian aid during disasters. Working together with neighbouring countries for peace, stability, and shared progress is known as regionalism.

India and Her Land-based Neighbours

India's relationships with its land-based neighbours are shaped by a mix of shared history, culture, geography, and politics.

India and China

Separated by the massive Himalayas, India and China have a long and complex relationship. The border between them passes through Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and the Union Territory of Ladakh.

• Cultural Links: Buddhism, which originated in India, is a powerful connection between the two nations. It reached China around the 1st century CE. Chinese monks like Faxian and Xuanzang travelled to India, while Indian monks like Bodhidharma took Buddhist teachings to China.
• Trade: The trade relationship continues today. India exports items like iron ore and cotton yarn to China and imports electronics and industrial equipment. However, the trade balance is heavily in China's favour, meaning India imports much more than it exports to China.
• Challenges: In recent years, there have been tensions and conflicts related to their shared border.

India and Pakistan

Before the 1947 Partition, Pakistan was a part of India. This shared history makes their relationship one of the most complex in the region.

• A Divided History: The border runs through Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, and the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The relationship has been marked by several wars (in 1948, 1965, and 1971) and conflicts like the Kargil War in 1999. Terrorist attacks supported by the Pakistan army have also prevented normal relations.
• Shared Heritage: Despite the conflicts, the two nations share deep cultural ties in language, food, music, and festivals. Important pilgrimage sites for Hindus and Sikhs, such as the Katas Raj temple complex and Hinglaj Mata Mandir, are located in Pakistan.
• Peace Initiatives: The Kartarpur Corridor, opened in 2019, is a visa-free crossing that allows Indian Sikh pilgrims to visit the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan, the final resting place of Guru Nānak Dev.

India and Bangladesh

India and Bangladesh share a strong relationship built on common history, culture, and language. Bangladesh was formed in 1971 as the outcome of a war between India and Pakistan, when it was known as 'East Pakistan'.

• Geography and Environment: The land border between India and Bangladesh is longer than India's border with China. They also share major river systems like the Ganga and the Brahmaputra. The Sundarban National Park, the world's largest mangrove forest and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is shared and managed by both countries.
• Shared Culture: The Bangla language is common to both Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, creating a strong cultural bond.
• Challenges: Bangladesh is very vulnerable to the effects of climate change, including rising sea levels and more intense cyclones, which threaten the homes and livelihoods of millions.

India and Nepal

Nestled in the Himalayas, Nepal shares a unique and close relationship with India, marked by an open border.

• Open Border Policy: The 1950 Treaty of Peace and Friendship allows people from both countries to cross the border freely without a passport or visa. This makes it easy for people to travel for work, education, healthcare, and to visit family.
• Cultural and Religious Ties: Hinduism and Buddhism connect the people of both nations. The Paśhupatinātha temple in Kathmandu is a major pilgrimage site for Indian Hindus. Festivals like Daśhain (Daśhaharā) and Tihar (Dīpāvalī) are celebrated in both countries.
• Economic Interdependence: India is Nepal's largest trading partner, supplying essential goods like fuel, medicines, and food.

India and Bhutan

Bhutan, known as the 'Land of the Thunder Dragon', is a small Himalayan kingdom with strong economic and cultural links to India.

• Economic Cooperation: A key area of partnership is in hydroelectric power. Rivers flowing from Bhutan to India are used to generate electricity, which benefits Bhutan's economy and provides renewable energy to India. The Tala Hydroelectric Project is a major example of this cooperation.
• Spiritual Heritage: The two nations share a deep connection through Buddhism. The Indian master Guru Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche) introduced the Vajrayāna school of Buddhism to Bhutan in the 8th century CE, which remains central to its identity.
• A Unique Philosophy: Bhutan developed the concept of the Gross National Happiness Index to measure its progress, focusing on sustainability, good governance, and culture, rather than just economic growth.

India and Myanmar

India and Myanmar (formerly Burma) share a long relationship based on historical and cultural connections.

• Geographic Connection: The two countries share a land border through India's northeastern states (Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, and Mizoram) and a maritime boundary in the Bay of Bengal.
• Cultural Ties: As the birthplace of Buddhism, India holds special spiritual importance for the people of Myanmar. India has helped restore important sites like the Ananda temple in Bagan after it was damaged by earthquakes.
• Gateway to Southeast Asia: Myanmar is India's land bridge to Southeast Asia. The Land Border Crossing Agreement of 2018 was signed to improve connectivity and trade, though recent conflicts have led to some restrictions.

India and Afghanistan

A landlocked country, Afghanistan has ancient ties with India, though direct access became complicated after the creation of Pakistan in 1947.

• Historical Connections: The ancient Uttarāpatha trade route linked the Ganga plains with Central Asia through Afghanistan, allowing for centuries of exchange in goods, religion, and ideas. Before the 7th century CE, Afghanistan was a major centre of Buddhist and Hindu culture.
• Symbols of Shared Past: The giant Buddhas of Bamiyan, though tragically destroyed in 2001, were powerful symbols of the reach of Indian culture and religion.
• Modern Partnership: India has supported Afghanistan's development by helping build infrastructure like the Afghan Parliament building and the Zaranj-Delaram highway.

India's Maritime Neighbours

India's connections across the seas have been just as important as its land connections, shaping culture and trade for thousands of years.

India and Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is an island nation separated from India by a narrow sea called the Palk Strait.

• Ancient Cultural Exchange: Buddhism was introduced to Sri Lanka in the 3rd century BCE by Mahendra and Sanghamitrā, the children of Emperor Aśhoka. Hinduism also has a strong presence, influenced by Indian epics.
• A Complex Past: The relationship faced challenges during Sri Lanka's civil war (mid-1980s to 2010), which was between the Sinhalese majority and the Tamil minority, who have close cultural ties to India.

India and the Maldives

The Maldives is a nation made up of over 1,100 small islands, or islets, located southwest of India.

• Cultural Fusion: The culture of the Maldives has been shaped by centuries of maritime contact with India. Its language, Dhivehi, contains words from Sanskrit, Tamil, and Malayalam. Its cuisine and folk dances also show South Indian influences.
• A Trusted Partner: India was one of the first countries to recognize the Maldives after its independence in 1965. India has acted as a "first responder" for the Maldives during crises, such as the 2004 tsunami and the 2014 water crisis in its capital, Malé.
• Shared Challenges: As a low-lying island nation, the Maldives is extremely vulnerable to rising sea levels caused by climate change. It is a member of the International Solar Alliance, an initiative led by India to promote solar energy.

India and Thailand

India and Thailand are connected by a shared maritime boundary and have a history of deep cultural exchange.

• Echoes of India: The influence of Indian culture is seen in the names of ancient Thai kingdoms. The Dvāravatī kingdom was named after Dvārakā (Lord Krishna's city), and the Ayutthayā Kingdom was named after Ayodhyā (Lord Rama's birthplace). The current royal dynasty of Thailand names its kings after Rāma.
• Religious Bonds: Theravāda Buddhism is widely practised in Thailand, and Hindu stories and deities are part of its royal ceremonies and literature.
• Modern Connectivity: The India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway is a modern project aimed at improving land connectivity and boosting trade between the three countries.

India and Malaysia

Relations with Malaysia are built on over two thousand years of trade and cultural links across the Bay of Bengal.

• Historical Influence: Early Hindu and Buddhist influences are seen in kingdom names like 'Srivijaya Kingdom' and the adoption of a script based on India’s Brāhmī script.
• People-to-People Ties: In the 19th and 20th centuries, many workers from south India migrated to Malaysia. Today, the Malaysian Indian community makes up about 9% of the country's population.
• Economic Partnership: India is one of Malaysia's largest trading partners, with cooperation in industries like palm oil, energy, and information technology.

India and Singapore

Singapore's name comes from 'Singapuram', meaning 'lion city', reflecting its ancient cultural ties with India.

• Cultural Connections: Tamil is one of Singapore's four official languages, which shows the strong historical relationship with south India. About 9% of Singapore's residents are of Indian origin, with a vibrant community in an area called 'Little India'.
• Modern Partnership: Singapore is a major foreign investor in India, particularly in technology and infrastructure. It is also a popular destination for Indian tourists and students.

India and Indonesia

India and Indonesia are close maritime neighbours and an archipelago (a group of islands) of over 17,000 islands.

• A Legacy of Exchange: Trade and cultural interactions date back over 2,000 years. This exchange brought Hinduism and Buddhism to Indonesia, leading to the construction of magnificent monuments like the Borobudur Stūpa, the world's largest Buddhist monument. Later, Islam also travelled to Indonesia from India's shores.
• Cooperation on Shared Challenges: Both countries have large coastlines and work together on maritime security and disaster relief. After the devastating 2004 tsunami, India and other nations in the region worked together to create an early warning system. The Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre in Hyderabad now helps protect the entire region.

India and Iran

India and Iran have shared ties since the Bronze Age, connected by both land routes (part of the Silk Route) and sea routes.

• Ancient Civilizational Links: The ancient Zoroastrian text, the Avesta, has similarities with India's Rigveda. The Persian language was used as a court language by the Mughals and other rulers in India.
• Modern Strategic Partnership: Today, India is helping to develop Iran's Chabahar Port, which provides India with better access to Afghanistan and Central Asia, bypassing Pakistan.

India and Oman

Located on the Arabian Peninsula, Oman is a key maritime neighbour and strategic partner for India in the Gulf region.

• Ancient Trade: The relationship dates back over 5,000 years to the time of the Indus-Sarasvatī civilisation. Archaeologists believe that Harappan traders imported copper ingots (blocks of metal) from Oman.
• Strong People-to-People Ties: Over 10% of Oman's population is of Indian origin.
• Defence Partnership: Oman is India's closest defence partner in the Gulf. The two countries regularly conduct joint military exercises and cooperate on maritime security in the Indian Ocean.