India and Its Neighbours Notes for UPSC

India shares land borders with seven countries (Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Afghanistan, though the Afghan boundary is under Pakistani control in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir) and sea borders with Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The relations with these neighbours decide India's security, trade and regional stability, so "India and its neighbours" is a key topic in GS Paper 2 of the UPSC Civil Services Examination. Prelims asks about treaties, projects, border facts and groupings, while Mains asks about policies and challenges. This note explains each neighbour in simple language.

India's Neighbourhood Policy

India follows the Neighbourhood First Policy, which gives priority to the countries around it and stresses connectivity, people-to-people links, trade and development help, with the idea of "SABKA SAATH, SABKA VIKAS" extended to the region. India's size and economy make it a natural leader in South Asia, but the smaller neighbours sometimes see it as a big brother, and some use closeness with China to balance India. India's approach is therefore a mix of generous help, such as lines of credit, energy grids and emergency aid, and care for the sensitivities of smaller states. Regional groupings include SAARC (founded in 1985 in Dhaka, with its secretariat in Kathmandu, but largely frozen since 2016), BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal, with the Secretariat in Dhaka), the BBIN initiative for road and power links, and IORA.

Country-wise Overview

Nepal and Bhutan: The Himalayan Neighbours

Nepal and India share an open border and people can freely move and work. The 1950 Treaty of Peace and Friendship is the base of the relation, though Nepal asks for a review. Nepal is a land-linked country that depends on India for transit and trade, and India is its largest trade partner. Disputes such as Kalapani and Lipulekh arise from the 1816 Treaty of Sugauli. Bhutan is India's closest friend: it has no formal ties with China, India helps with hydropower and finances Bhutan's development plans, and Bhutan buys power from India. The Doklam stand-off of 2017 showed how Bhutan's security links with India's own security.

Bangladesh, Myanmar and Sri Lanka

Bangladesh is India's biggest trade partner in South Asia and a key to the security of the North-East. Both sides settled their land boundary in 2015 by exchanging enclaves, and later a maritime boundary through arbitration in 2014. Connectivity projects such as the Agartala-Akhaura rail link and use of Chittagong and Mongla ports strengthen the bond. The Teesta river dispute is yet to be solved. In Myanmar, the Kaladan project links Kolkata to Mizoram through Sittwe port, and the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway will connect to Southeast Asia. In Sri Lanka, India supports housing, health and rail projects and has helped the country with fuel, food and credit during the economic crisis. The rights of the Tamil minority and the fishermen's issue are repeating points.

Pakistan and Afghanistan

Relations with Pakistan have been tense since Partition because of the Kashmir issue and cross-border terrorism, including the 2001 Parliament attack, the 2008 Mumbai attacks, the 2016 Uri and 2019 Pulwama attacks, and the 2025 Pahalgam attack that led to Operation Sindoor. India has used both dialogue and strong action, such as the surgical strikes and the Balakot air strike. India's stand is that talks and terror cannot go together. The Indus Waters Treaty (1960), brokered by the World Bank, divided the Indus system rivers: the eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas and Sutlej) went to India and the western rivers (Indus, Jhelum and Chenab) to Pakistan, with limited Indian use. After the Pahalgam attack, India put the treaty in abeyance. In Afghanistan, India has built roads, a dam and the Parliament building and has provided food and medicine, and it has kept engagement with the Taliban government while protecting its own interests.

Key Challenges

The key challenges are the growing Chinese footprint through the Belt and Road Initiative and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir; unstable politics in neighbouring states; terrorism, drug trafficking and illegal migration; water sharing disputes; and a slow pace of connectivity projects. The decline of SAARC has also left a gap in regional cooperation. India has to work with an approach that combines economic aid, political patience and firm security.

Way Forward

India should deliver its projects on time, as delays hurt its credibility. It should widen trade and energy links, such as power grids with Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh, and use sub-regional groups like BBIN and BIMSTEC. It should keep its soft power strong through education, health and culture, and it should avoid interference in internal politics. It should also build economic and military strength to guard its interests. A well-balanced answer will show that India's long-term interest lies in a peaceful, connected and prosperous neighbourhood.

Water, Energy and Trade Links

Rivers and power lines are bridges as well as sources of tension. India shares major rivers with Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, and the way these waters are shared decides the quality of ties. Hydropower projects in Bhutan and Nepal provide clean electricity to India, and surplus power from India reaches Bangladesh through a cross-border line. Trade within South Asia is still low compared with what is possible, because of high tariffs, poor roads and customs delays. Improving border haats, integrated check posts such as Petrapole and Raxaul, and trade facilitation can lift the entire region. In your answer, say that economic interdependence builds trust and makes conflict costly for all sides.

The China Factor in the Neighbourhood

China has expanded its presence in India's neighbourhood by building ports, roads, railways and power plants under the Belt and Road Initiative. Examples are Gwadar in Pakistan, Hambantota in Sri Lanka, Kyaukpyu in Myanmar and projects in Nepal and the Maldives. Critics call this the debt-trap approach and the String of Pearls strategy, because it can give China strategic access around India. India responds by offering faster and cleaner options: development credit, quick relief in crises, vaccine supplies, and projects that respect local sensitivities. India has also promoted the SAGAR vision for the Indian Ocean and works with partners in the Quad. Understanding this competition helps you explain many events in the news.

Role of Culture and People-to-People Ties

India's shared culture, languages, religion, food and cinema with its neighbours make soft power a strong tool. Buddhist circuits link India with Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Bhutan. Scholarships, medical treatment for foreign patients, and training of officers add to goodwill. At the same time, issues like migration, minority rights and border incidents can create anger, and so they must be handled with care. A mature policy treats the neighbours as partners, keeps communication channels open even in hard times and gives equal respect to large and small states.

Prelims Tip: Border and Geography Facts

Many Prelims questions on neighbours test simple geography. India's longest land border is with Bangladesh, about 4,096 km, and the shortest is with Afghanistan. Among the states, West Bengal shares the longest stretch with Bangladesh. The Line of Actual Control (LAC) divides Indian and Chinese-controlled areas, the Line of Control (LoC) divides Indian and Pakistani-controlled areas in Jammu and Kashmir, and the Radcliffe Line is the international boundary drawn in 1947. The McMahon Line is the boundary between India and Tibet, which China does not accept. The Palk Strait separates India from Sri Lanka, and the Ten Degree Channel separates the Andaman and Nicobar Islands from each other, while the Eight Degree Channel separates Minicoy Island of Lakshadweep from the Maldives. Keep these small facts on one revision sheet.

Quick Revision

• SAARC 1985 (Dhaka; secretariat Kathmandu); BIMSTEC; BBIN; Neighbourhood First.
• Nepal: 1950 Treaty; Bhutan: 2007 Treaty; Bangladesh: LBA 2015, Ganga Treaty 1996.
• Indus Waters Treaty 1960; Kaladan project; Chabahar link to Afghanistan.

India's neighbourhood is both its biggest opportunity and its biggest challenge. Prepare a country-wise table with treaties, projects and disputes, and update it from the news, so you can use real examples in each answer.

Related Notes to Read Next

Continue your preparation with these related notes from the same subject:

• India-China Relations Notes for UPSC
• Global Groupings Notes for UPSC
• United Nations and Security Council Notes for UPSC
• All International Relations notes

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How many countries share land borders with India?

India shares land borders with seven countries: Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Afghanistan (through the area of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir that India claims).

What is the Neighbourhood First policy?

It is India’s policy of giving top priority to relations with its immediate neighbours by improving connectivity, trade, security cooperation and development partnerships.

What is the 1950 Treaty of Peace and Friendship?

It is a treaty between India and Nepal that provides for an open border, free movement of people and special economic and security relations.

Why is Bhutan important for India?

Bhutan is a close friend and a buffer state between India and China. India helps Bhutan in hydropower and development, and Bhutan helps India’s security interests.

What is the Land Boundary Agreement of 2015?

It is an agreement between India and Bangladesh that settled the land boundary and exchanged enclaves, bringing clarity to the border.

What is the Ganga Water Treaty?

The Ganga Water Treaty of 1996 is an agreement between India and Bangladesh on sharing the Ganga waters at the Farakka barrage during the dry season.

What is the Indus Waters Treaty?

It is a 1960 treaty between India and Pakistan that allocates the eastern rivers to India and the western rivers to Pakistan, mediated by the World Bank.

What is the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project?

It is a project to connect Kolkata with Mizoram through the Sittwe port in Myanmar by sea, river and road, giving the North-East an alternative route.

What is SAARC?

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation was formed in 1985 with eight members to promote regional cooperation. Its activity has been low in recent years.

What is BIMSTEC?

BIMSTEC is a regional organisation of seven countries around the Bay of Bengal that promotes trade, connectivity and security cooperation.

What is the Doklam issue?

Doklam is a plateau near the India-China-Bhutan tri-junction where Indian and Chinese troops faced each other in 2017 over a Chinese road construction.

What is the Chabahar port?

Chabahar is a port in Iran developed with Indian support that gives India sea access to Afghanistan and Central Asia bypassing Pakistan.