Syllabus: GS-II: India and its Neighbourhood

Why in the News

Indian Defence Minister, recently issued a stern warning to Pakistan, asserting that “any misadventure in the Sir Creek sector will invite a decisive response.” He further remarked that “Pakistan must remember that the road to Karachi passes through the Creek.”

This statement came amid heightened Indo-Pak tensions following Operation Sindoor, increased Pakistani military activity along the Sir Creek sector, and the Pahalgam terror attacks. Singh’s remarks underline the enduring strategic importance of this little-known estuarine border and its potential to escalate into a flashpoint.

Where is Sir Creek?

• Location: Sir Creek is a 96-kilometre-long tidal estuary that lies along the India–Pakistan border, between the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat (India) and the Sindh province (Pakistan).
• Origin: Originally known as Ban Ganga, it was renamed Sir Creek after a British official during the colonial period.
• Physical Features: The creek is a fluctuating, marshy, and tidal zone, teeming with Russel’s vipers and scorpions, and prone to flooding during the monsoon.
• Strategic Context: It flows into the Arabian Sea, and the determination of its boundary affects the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of both India and Pakistan.

What is the Dispute over Sir Creek?

The Sir Creek dispute revolves around the demarcation of the maritime boundary between India and Pakistan in the Rann of Kutch region.

Competing Claims

• India’s Position: The boundary should run mid-channel according to the Thalweg Principle.
  • The Thalweg Principle states that the boundary between two states separated by a navigable river should be drawn along its midline.
• Pakistan’s Position: The entire creek belongs to Pakistan because it is non-navigable, making the Thalweg Principle inapplicable.
  

Historical Origin

The dispute traces its roots to the early 20th century, when the rulers of Kutch and Sindh argued over the ownership of a firewood pile along the creek. The British Government intervened through the 1914 Bombay Government Resolution, which later became the foundation for current boundary claims.

Post-Independence, after the 1965 India–Pakistan War, Pakistan claimed jurisdiction over half of the Rann of Kutch, prompting the formation of an international tribunal in 1968, which awarded 90% of the Rann to India. However, the Sir Creek portion was excluded from the tribunal’s purview — leaving the dispute unresolved.

What was the 1914 Resolution?

The 1914 Resolution of the Government of Bombay sought to resolve the boundary dispute between Sindh (then part of Bombay Presidency) and the Princely State of Kutch.

• It demarcated the boundary at the western end of the Rann, including areas around Sir Creek.
• The resolution recognised the Rann as a marshland and described the boundary as “conterminous”, or shared, between Sindh and Kutch.
• However, ambiguities in the exact coordinates and interpretation of this resolution became the basis of future conflict.

Pakistan today cites the 1914 resolution as evidence that Sir Creek belongs entirely to Sindh (and hence Pakistan), whereas India points to later 1925 revisions and official maps prepared by the Survey of India showing the midline as the boundary.

What Have India and Pakistan Argued?

India’s Arguments

• The Treaty of 1819 between the East India Company and Kutch rulers established the Kutch boundary, which remained unchanged.
• The Rann of Kutch is land, not a water body; thus, it should not be divided using the median line principle.
• Survey of India maps — accepted by British authorities and used for decades — show Sir Creek’s midline as the border.
• India emphasizes that the tribunal’s task was to determine the existing boundary, not redraw it on equitable grounds.

Pakistan’s Arguments

• Pakistan contends that the Rann of Kutch acts as a natural barrier, and thus, the boundary should be drawn along the median line of the creek.
• It argues that since the creek is non-navigable, the Thalweg Principle does not apply.
• Pakistan also asserts that the 24th parallel should represent the northern boundary in the Rann, potentially giving Pakistan access to around 3,500 square miles of territory.

Why Sir Creek Matters

1. Strategic Importance

• Sir Creek lies close to Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city and economic hub. Control over the area provides a strategic buffer to protect Karachi from naval threats.
• Pakistan’s military build-up — including bunkers, radar stations, and forward operating bases — poses challenges for India.
• The region could serve as a launch point for maritime infiltration, as seen during the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, when Pakistani terrorists entered India by sea.
• Indian forces, including the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Indian Navy, maintain strong surveillance to deter incursions.
  

2. Economic Importance

• Oil and Gas Reserves: The seabed in the Sir Creek region is believed to contain untapped hydrocarbon deposits.
• For India, this aligns with its goal to diversify oil sources beyond Russia and the Middle East.
• Fishing Grounds: The creek supports rich fisheries, crucial for local livelihoods in Gujarat and Sindh. However, the absence of a defined boundary often leads to arrests of fishermen crossing into each other’s waters.

3. Ecological Importance

• Sir Creek is part of the Indus River Delta ecosystem, home to mangroves, migratory birds, and marine species.
• The area acts as a natural carbon sink and protects coastal biodiversity.
• Environmental degradation from Pakistan’s Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD) — which discharges saline and industrial waste — has harmed local ecology and is seen as a violation of the Indus Waters Treaty.
• Rising sea levels and sediment shifts further threaten the fragile delta ecosystem.
  

Steps Taken to Resolve the Dispute

• Bilateral Talks (1989–2012): The first round of talks was held in Islamabad (1989), followed by several rounds in Rawalpindi and New Delhi until 2012, but without consensus.
  • A Working Group on Sir Creek (1998) was established, but India rejected Pakistan’s proposal to internationalize the dispute, citing the Simla Accord (1972) which mandates bilateral resolution.
• Hydrographic Surveys (2007): Both nations conducted joint hydrographic surveys and exchanged data to map the creek’s shifting channels.
• Composite Dialogue Process (2015): Sir Creek was part of the Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue, but talks stalled after the Pathankot terror attack (2016) and Pakistan’s continued support for cross-border terrorism.
• Simla Agreement (1972):
  • Bars any third-party mediation, emphasizing bilateralism under peaceful negotiation.
    

Latest Status of the Dispute

• As of 2025, the Sir Creek dispute remains unresolved.
• There has been no formal dialogue since 2012, and mutual trust has eroded due to repeated ceasefire violations and terror attacks.
• Despite data sharing and technical cooperation, differences over the application of the Thalweg principle persist.
• India remains firm on bilateral resolution, while Pakistan occasionally hints at international arbitration, contrary to the Simla Accord.
• The recent military expansion by Pakistan near the creek and India’s assertive posturing signal renewed tensions in this fragile frontier.
  

Conclusion

The Sir Creek dispute epitomizes the complex interplay of colonial legacies, geography, and geopolitics in South Asia. Despite being a marshy and sparsely populated area, its strategic access to the Arabian Sea, potential energy resources, and impact on EEZ demarcation make it a critical security and economic concern for both nations.

A resolution requires political will, mutual trust, and sustained dialogue, yet recurring terror incidents and militarization have rendered progress elusive. With regional stability and blue economy interests at stake, Sir Creek remains a litmus test for India–Pakistan diplomacy in the 21st century.

Mains Practice Question

1. Discuss the strategic, economic, and ecological importance of the Sir Creek region and examine why the India–Pakistan border dispute over it remains unresolved despite multiple rounds of negotiations.
   (Answer in 250 words)

SOURCE