India and Her Neighbours — Question 2

Geography and history together play a decisive role in shaping India’s relations with its neighbours. India’s vast land borders with countries like Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar, as well as its maritime proximity to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, naturally influence issues of security, trade, and cultural exchange. Shared rivers, mountains, and seas create opportunities for cooperation but also disputes over territory and resources. Historically, centuries of cultural and religious tiessuch as the spread of Buddhism and Hindu traditions-have fostered closeness, while colonial legacies like the 1947 partition and subsequent wars with Pakistan, as well as border clashes with China, have generated tension. Thus, India’s neighbourhood relations are a blend of friendship and rivalry, shaped by geography that binds nations together and history that both unites and divides them.