India–Pakistan border
The India–Pakistan, Indo–Pakistani or Pakistani-Indian border is the international boundary that separates the nations of the Republic of India and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. At its northern end is the Line of Control, which separates Indian-administered Kashmir from Pakistani-administered Kashmir; and at its southern end is Sir Creek, a tidal estuary in the Rann of Kutch between the Indian state of Gujarat and the Pakistani province of Sindh.
| Indo–Pakistani border | |
|---|---|
Nighttime panorama from outer space showing the border's span from the Arabian Sea to the foothills of the Himalayas | |
| Characteristics | |
| Entities | India Pakistan |
| Length | 3,323 kilometres (2,065 mi) |
| History | |
| Established | 17 August 1947 partition of British India |
| Current shape | 2 July 1972 Demarcation of the Line of Control post-ratification of the Shimla Treaty |
| Treaties | Karachi Agreement (1949), Shimla Agreement (1972) |
| Notes | The Line of Control divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan—it is not a part of the internationally recognized section of the border due to the Kashmir conflict |
Arising from the partition of British India in 1947, the border covers the provincial boundaries of Gujarat and Rajasthan with Sindh, and the Radcliff Line between the partitions of Punjab. It traverses a variety of terrain in the northwestern region of the subcontinent, ranging from major urban areas to inhospitable deserts. Since the beginning of the India–Pakistan conflict shortly after the two countries' conjoined independence, it has been the site of numerous cross-border military standoffs and full-scale wars. The border's total length is 3,323 kilometres (2,065 mi) according to figures given by the PBS; it is also ranked as one of the most dangerous international boundaries in the world, based on an article written in Foreign Policy in 2011. During the nighttime, the India–Pakistan border is distinctly visible from outer space due to the 150,000 floodlights installed by India on approximately 50,000 poles.