The Afghanistan-India Border: A Complex Geopolitical Relationship

Afghanistan and India do share a border, although the specifics are disputed. Sources state that the countries share a 106km land border, abutting the Wakhan Corridor in the Badakhshan province, which separates Afghanistan from Gilgit Baltistan in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). However, other sources claim that Afghanistan and India do not share a common border, and that the part of India which shares a boundary with Afghanistan now falls in PoK.

Afghanistan and India share a 106km land border

India has always claimed its right over PoK, and Indian maps show this as Indian territory. This means that it can be argued that India does share a border with Afghanistan. If India were to gain access to PoK, there could be direct trade with Afghanistan, bypassing Pakistan.

The Wakhan Corridor was annexed by the British to create a buffer between Russia and India. However, a US official has stated that India and Afghanistan do not share a common border. This statement contradicts India's position that the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of the country, which includes the area now occupied by Pakistan.

Afghanistan also shares land borders with Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and China.

The US claims that Afghanistan and India do not share a common border

The debate surrounding the India-Afghanistan border is complex and politically sensitive. India has consistently claimed its right over POK, and Indian maps depict this region as Indian territory. From the Indian perspective, the existence of a border with Afghanistan is undeniable. This border, abutting the Wakhan Corridor in the Badakhshan province, is approximately 106 kilometres long, making it the shortest among all of India's land borders.

However, the US perspective aligns with the stance taken by the Indian Home Ministry, which does not officially recognise a border with Afghanistan. Instead, it acknowledges borders with several other countries, including Pakistan, China, Nepal, and Bangladesh. This discrepancy in recognising the India-Afghanistan border stems from the unresolved territorial dispute over the POK region, which has been illegally occupied by Pakistan for decades.

The implications of this border dispute extend beyond mere cartographic differences. If India were to gain access to the POK region, it would facilitate direct trade with Afghanistan, bypassing Pakistan. This could have significant economic and geopolitical consequences in the region. Nonetheless, the US assertion that Afghanistan and India do not share a common border reflects the official position of the US government, despite India's insistence on its legitimate boundary with Afghanistan.

In conclusion, the US claim that Afghanistan and India do not share a common border is based on the recognition of POK as separate from Indian territory. This position contradicts India's longstanding assertion of its sovereignty over the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir, including POK. The dispute highlights the complex geopolitical dynamics and conflicting territorial claims surrounding this region.

India's Home Minister, Amit Shah, has stated that the countries share a border

India's Home Minister, Amit Shah, has stated that India shares a border with Afghanistan. This claim was made during a debate on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in 2019, which offered Indian citizenship to illegal migrants of religious minorities from Afghanistan, among other countries. Shah stated that India shares a 106-km land border with Afghanistan, abutting the Wakhan Corridor in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

However, this assertion is disputed. Officially, the Indian government does not recognise a border with Afghanistan, as stated in a ministry document. Instead, it acknowledges borders with several other countries, including Pakistan, China, and Bangladesh. The discrepancy lies in the status of the region known as Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). India has always claimed sovereignty over PoK, considering it an integral part of the country. As a result, the Indian maps depict PoK as Indian territory, which leads to the perception of a shared border with Afghanistan.

The Wakhan Corridor, a thin strip of land in Afghanistan's Badakhshan province, separates Afghanistan from the Gilgit-Baltistan region in PoK. This corridor was historically significant, annexed by the British to create a buffer between Russia and India. If India were to gain access to PoK, it could facilitate direct trade with Afghanistan, bypassing Pakistan.

The issue of the India-Afghanistan border is complex and politically sensitive. While Amit Shah's statement reflects India's longstanding position on PoK, it also highlights the ongoing territorial disputes and conflicting claims in the region.

In conclusion, India's Home Minister, Amit Shah, has asserted that India shares a border with Afghanistan, specifically a 106-km border abutting the Wakhan Corridor in PoK. However, this claim is contested, with the Indian government not officially recognising a border with Afghanistan due to the unresolved status of PoK. The border issue remains a subject of ongoing debate and has implications for India's relations with its neighbouring countries.

The Indian government does not recognise a border with Afghanistan

The Indian government's position is that it has a legitimate boundary with Afghanistan. However, the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs does not recognise a border with Afghanistan. This is despite the fact that Indian maps show the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) region as Indian territory, which shares a 106km border with Afghanistan.

The PoK region is a significant source of tension between India and Pakistan, with India claiming its right over the territory. The region has been occupied by Pakistan since the partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947.

The Durand Line, established in 1893, is the internationally recognised border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. However, Afghanistan has never recognised the Durand Line as its international border, and no Afghan government has recognised it as such since 1947.

The Indian government's position on the border with Afghanistan is complicated by the disputed status of the PoK region. While India claims sovereignty over the region, the international community generally recognises it as part of Pakistan.

The issue of the India-Afghanistan border is further complicated by the presence of the Wakhan Corridor, a narrow strip of Afghan territory that separates PoK from the rest of Afghanistan. The corridor was created by the British in the 19th century to serve as a buffer between Russia and India.

In summary, while India asserts that it shares a border with Afghanistan via the PoK region, its own Ministry of Home Affairs does not recognise this border. This discrepancy highlights the complex geopolitical situation in the region, with competing claims and unresolved territorial disputes.

Afghanistan borders Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and India

Afghanistan is a landlocked country in South-Central Asia, bordered by six countries: Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and China. The country has a complex geopolitical history, with its modern boundaries established during the Great Game rivalry between the British and Russian empires in the 19th century.

To the south and east, Afghanistan shares a border with Pakistan, known as the Durand Line. This border is approximately 2,600 kilometres long and cuts through the traditional homeland of the Pashtun people. The Durand Line is recognised internationally as the western border of Pakistan but remains largely unrecognised in Afghanistan, with Afghan governments throughout history refusing to acknowledge it as the official border.

Afghanistan's border with Iran is to the west of the country. To the north, Afghanistan is bordered by the Central Asian countries of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. Finally, in the far northeast, Afghanistan shares a small border with China, in the Wakhan Corridor region.

While Afghanistan does not directly border India, there is a disputed border section in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. This disputed border is approximately 106 kilometres long and abuts the Wakhan Corridor, which separates Afghanistan from the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. India claims sovereignty over the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir, which includes the region bordering Afghanistan.

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