India–Nepal border explained

India-Nepal border
Established:1815
Current:15 August 1947

The India–Nepal border is an open international boundary running between the republics of India and Nepal. The 17512NaN2 long border includes the Himalayan territories as well as Indo-Gangetic Plain of the subcontinent.[1] The current border was delimited after the Sugauli treaty of 1816 between Nepal and the British Raj. Following Indian independence, the prevailing border was recognised as the international border between the Kingdom of Nepal and the Dominion of India.

Description

The border starts in the west at the western tripoint with China near the Limpuyadhura. It then proceeds to the south-west through the Himalayas, the Sivalik Hills and then the Gangetic plain, initially overland and then utilising the Mahakali River. Just east of Majhola it turns to the south-east and proceeds in that direction overland, occasionally utilising various rivers and hill crests. North-west of Islampur the border turns to the north-east and proceeds overland to the eastern Chinese tripoint.

History

The border region has historically existed at the edge of various Indian and Nepali kingdoms. It took its modern shape during the period of British rule in India which began in the 17th century. During the late 18th century the Nepali kingdom launched an expansion drive, bringing them into conflict with the British and resulting in the Anglo-Nepalese War (1814–16).[2] [3] Nepal was defeated, and by the Treaty of Sugauli it was forced to cede large areas of land to Britain, effectively creating the modern India-Nepal boundary.[4] [5] Finding the Terai region difficult to manage, the British returned parts of it to Nepal in 1816.[6]

India gained independence in 1947, and three years later it signed a friendship treaty with Nepal, by which both countries agreed to respect the territorial integrity of the other.[6] Since then relations have largely been cordial, though a number of border disputes remain. There have also been occasional blockades on the border at times of tension, for example in 1987 and 2015.[7] [8]

Communities living in India and Nepal close to the Indo-Nepal border have usually shared old, customary ties of kinship and resource access with communities across the border, such as along the western part of the Indo-Nepal border, in the Mahakali valley.[9]

Border disputes

See main article: Kalapani territory and Susta territory. There are two existing territorial disputes between India and Nepal, over the Kalapani territory, a 35km2 area at the India–Nepal–China trijunction in North West Nepal, and Susta, a 20km2–140km2 area in Southern Nepal.[10] [11] [12]

Border crossings

ICP

There are several major border crossings that the Indian Integrated Check Posts (ICP) use for processing cargo customs and immigration entry for citizens of third countries. These are, from west to east subcategorised by the states of India:[13]

Customs crossings

Since there are no fences along the border, there are several smaller official and unofficial border crossings. Smaller official border crossings, known as Chhoti Bhansar (Minor Customs) in the Nepali language, are as follows from west to east (by Indian state):

Uttarakhand

Uttar Pradesh

Bihar

West Bengal

Cross-border railway lines

8 railway lines between India and Nepal either exist or they are under construction or planning as follows (listed east to west):[17]

  1. Babaganj-Nepalganj line - complete and operational:[17]
  2. Barhani-Kathmandu line - under planning:[17]
  3. Barhani-Kapilvastu line - under planning:[17]
  4. Nautanwa-Bhairwa line - under planning:[17]
  5. Raxaul-Kathmandu line - under planning:[17]
  6. Jaynagar-Bardibas railway line - mostly complete, except final and third phase (as of April 2022):[17] 52 km out of total 68 km complete as of April 2022 while remaining is awaiting land acquisition.[18] [19]
  7. Jogbanu-Biratnagar railway line - mostly complete, except 8 km long under construction section (as of April 2022):[17] total 18.6 km.[20] [21] [22]
  8. Kakarbhitta-New Jalpaiguri railway line - under planning:[17]

Border security

The Nepal–India border is relatively peaceful. Nepali and Indian nationals do not need passports or visas to enter each other's countries, and tens of thousands of people cross the border every day for tourism and commerce.

The Indian side of the border is regulated by Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) along with local police. The Nepali side of the border is regulated by the Armed Police Force (APF) along with the local branch of Nepal Police. Often SSB (India) and APF (Nepal) perform joint patrols on the border.[23]

On a local level, Indian and Nepali district officials meet regularly to discuss security challenges and other issues on their respective border portions. Such meetings are usually attended by District Magistrates, local SSB representatives, customs chiefs from India including the Chief District Officer (CDO), local APF, Police and custom chiefs from Nepal.[24]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Nepal . CIA World Factbook . 23 September 2020.
  2. Web site: History of the Nepalese Army . Nepal Army . nepalarmy.mil.np . 16 January 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171228014557/http://www.nepalarmy.mil.np/history.php?page=two . 28 December 2017 . dead .
  3. Book: Britain and Tibet 1765–1947: A Select Annotated Bibliography of British Relations with Tibet and the Himalayan States Including Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan . 9780415336475 . Marshall . Julie G. . 2005.
  4. Web site: Treaty of Sagauli British-Nepalese history [1816]]. Encyclopedia Britannica. en. 2020-05-27.
  5. Web site: Stephen Groves . India and Nepal Tackle Border Disputes . The Diplomat . 22 September 2014 . 2017-03-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170329050346/https://thediplomat.com/2014/09/india-and-nepal-tackle-border-disputes/ . 29 March 2017 . live.
  6. Web site: Nepal: A Country Study . Library of Congress . 1991. 23 September 2020.
  7. Web site: Nepal PM Wants India to Lift Undeclared Blockade . 2016-09-12.
  8. News: R.I.P., India’s Influence in Nepal . Arora . Vishal . The Diplomat . November 2015.
  9. Pandey . Abhimanyu . Pradhan . Nawraj . Chaudhari . Swapnil . Ghate . Rucha . 2017-01-02 . Withering of traditional institutions? An institutional analysis of the decline of migratory pastoralism in the rangelands of the Kailash Sacred Landscape, western Himalayas . Environmental Sociology . 3 . 1 . 87–100 . 10.1080/23251042.2016.1272179. free .

  10. "Kalapani, 35 square kilometres piece of land, is entangled in controversy since mid-1996, a few months after the ratification of the Mahakali treaty (with India on the harnessing of hydro-power) by Nepal's Parliament."

  11. Web site: Nepal objects to India-China trade pact via Lipu-Lekh Pass. 9 June 2015. The Economic Times.
  12. Nidhi Jamwal, As a river changed its course, a village on the India-Nepal border became disputed territory, Scroll.in, 19 March 2017: '"An area of some 5,000 acres [approximately 2,023 hectares] of land in Narsahi-Susta area adjoining the Gandak river in West Champaran district has been encroached upon by Nepalese nationals....," is how the then Union Minister of External Affairs answered a question in the Lok Sabha in 2002. Shrestha, however, alleged that over 14,860 hectares of Nepali land in Susta has been encroached upon by India.'
  13. https://www.newsdrum.in/national/india-bhutan-in-talks-for-establishing-railway-connectivity India Bhutan in talks for establishing connectivity
  14. Web site: India Nepal Trade Agreement. India-Nepal Foreign Treaty of Trade Agreement.. www.eximguru.com. 2019-09-12.
  15. Web site: Department of Customs, Nepal - Custom Contact Offices. www.customs.gov.np. 2019-09-12. 25 September 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190925112809/https://www.customs.gov.np/en/customsofficescontact.html. dead.
  16. https://www.outlookindia.com/national/10-land-customs-stations-to-come-up-in-bihar-along-indo-nepal-border-shah-news-318557/amp 10 Land Customs Stations To Come Up In Bihar Along Indo-Nepal Border: Shah.
  17. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/how-poor-rail-connectivity-is-acting-as-a-hindrance-to-indias-act-east-policy/articleshow/71665523.cms How poor rail connectivity is acting as a hindrance to India's Act East policy
  18. Web site: India- Nepal railway service: The projects, route, cost in 10 points . 1 April 2022 . The Times of India . 5 April 2022.
  19. Web site: Train services to restart on Jayanagar-Janakpur Dham-Kurtha section . 1 April 2022 . The Pioneer . 5 April 2022.
  20. Web site: Jaynagar-Kurtha Railway brings modernization in Nepal's railway connection, says Nepal Minister . 22 October 2021 . ANI . 5 April 2022.
  21. Web site: IRCON invites tender for civil works at Biratnagar Station on Jogbani (India) to Biratnagar (Nepal) Railway Line . 9 April 2021 . Metro Rail News . 5 April 2022.
  22. Web site: Construction work resumes on Katahari-Bathnaha railway line . 27 September 2021 . The Kathmandu Post . 5 April 2022.
  23. Web site: Armed Police Force, SSB start joint patrolling on no man’s land. 7 Jan 2019. The Himalayan Times.
  24. Web site: Nepal-India border security meeting concludes. 16 Oct 2018. The Himalayan Times.

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