On the south, India projects into and is bounded by the Indian Ocean in particular, by the Arabian Sea on the west, the Lakshadweep Sea to the southwest, the Bay of Bengal on the east, and the Indian Ocean proper to the south. The Palk Strait and Gulf of Mannar separate India from Sri Lanka to its immediate southeast, and the Maldives are some 125 kilometres (78 mi) to the south of India's Lakshadweep Islands across the Eight Degree Channel.
India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands, some 1,200 kilometres (750 mi) southeast of the mainland, share maritime borders with Myanmar, Thailand and Indonesia. Kanyakumari at 8°4′41″N and 77°55′230″E is the southernmost tip of the Indian mainland, while the southernmost point in India is Indira Point on Great Nicobar Island. The northernmost point which is under Indian administration is Indira Col, Siachen Glacier. India's territorial waters extend into the sea to a distance of 12 nautical miles (13.8 mi; 22.2 km) from the coast baseline.
The northern frontiers of India are defined largely by the Himalayan mountain range, where the country borders China, Bhutan, and Nepal. Its western border with Pakistan lies in the Karakoram range, Punjab Plains, the Thar Desert and the Rann of Kutch salt marshes. In the far northeast, the Chin Hills and Kachin Hills, deeply forested mountainous regions, separate India from Burma. On the east, its border with Bangladesh is largely defined by the Khasi Hills and Mizo Hills, and the watershed region of the Indo-Gangetic Plain.
The geographical location of India can be identified in three ways:
1. With the help of latitudes and longitudes:
(A) Latitude: Being located in the northern hemisphere. India stretches from 8°04′ north latitude in the south to 37°06′ north latitude in the north, i.e. the mainland of India extends from Kanyakumari in the south to Kashmir in the north. The southernmost point of Indian union is Indira Point which was previously known as Persons Pygmalion; is actually the southernmost point of Car Nicobar where it touches the parallel of 6°45′ north.
(B) Longitude: In the eastern hemisphere, India stretches from 68’07 east longitude in the west to 97°25′ east longitude in the east, i.e. between the western frontier of Gujarat in the west to the eastern frontier of Arunachal Pradesh in the east.
2. According to the distance from
the sea:
India is surrounded by (i) the Bay of Bengal in the east, (ii) the Arabian Sea in the west, (iii) the Indian Ocean in the south and (iv) the Lakshadweep Sea to the southwest. No part of India is beyond 900 km from the sea.
3. In relation to the location of neighboring
countries:
India is bordered on the north by China
(the largest neighbour, 96 lakhs sq. km), Nepal and Bhutan, on the east by
Myanmar and Bangladesh, on the south By Sri Lanka, on the west by Pakistan and
on the north-west by Afghanistan. The smallest neighbour of India (298 sq. km),
Maldives, lies to the south-east of India; with these neighbours India has
trade relations as well as cultural links.
LOCATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE OF INDIA
1.Central location at the head of
Indian Ocean:
India commands an important
strategic position on the globe with respect to trade as well as social and
cultural interaction. India stands at the head of the Indian Ocean at the very
centre of the Eastern hemisphere commanding trade routes running in all
directions. East and West coast have many natural harbors due to which India
had a flourishing sea trade from ancient times. Indian Ocean is the only ocean
in the world which has been named after a country. The Indian Ocean bridges the
gap between East and the west. It has served as a great linkage between the
countries lying on its coast and even further beyond. The Peninsula table land
of India gets into the Indian Ocean for a distance of about 1600 km and divides
it into two parts the Western and Eastern parts are known as the Arabian Sea
and Bay of Bengal respectively no other country has such a long coastline on
this ocean as India has. These geographical features provide India a
significant edge in International trade.
India's central location at the head of Indian Ocean gives it a great strategic importance and helps in maintaining trade and commerce. It helps India to keep a close contact with west Asia, Africa and Europe from western coast and southeast and east Asia from the eastern Asia. It is also an important transit point for sea routes connecting the two regions that is countries of Europe with countries of East Asia. India is centrally located between the East and the West Asia. India is strategically located at the centre of the Trans-Indian Ocean routes which connect the European countries in the west and the countries of East Asia. India could establish close contact with West Asia, Africa and Europe from the western coast. India also serves as an important transit points for sea routes connecting the two regions that is countries of Europe with countries of East Asia. India has the longest coastline in the Indian Ocean and it helps a lot for trade with Africa, south-east Asia, Australia and Europe. Due to this maritime location India receive benefits of south west monsoon seasons.
2. Central Location in Eastern Hemisphere:
India is very favorably located in relation to Eurasia, Africa and Australia. It occupies central position in the eastern hemisphere. India's location has many economic advantages. It helped in establishing economic and cultural contacts with the East Asian countries. Moreover, it could establish close contact with Southeast and East Asia from the sea ports of eastern coast. It is favorably located on the world's highway of trade and commerce, both to the east and the west. There are some prominent air routes and sea routes passing through the Indian subcontinent.
3. Central Location in Southern Part of Asia’s Continent:
India is centrally located between the East and the West Asia. India is strategically located at the centre of the Trans-Indian Ocean routes which connect the European countries in the west and the countries of East Asia. India could establish close contact with West Asia, Africa and Europe from the western coast and Southeast and East Asia from the eastern coast.
India is a south west extension of the Asian continent. The Trans Indian Ocean routes which connect the developed countries of Europe in the west and the developing countries of East Asia in the east must skirt the shores of India thus provide a strategic central location to India. The Deccan Peninsula, India’s Southward extension protrudes into Indian Ocean and divides it into two seas, the Arabian Sea on the West and the Bay of Bengal on its East and thus helping India to establish easy contact with West Asia, East Africa and Europe from Western coast also establishes contacts with South-East Asia, East Asia and Australia from Eastern coast.
4. Strategic position midway between the Far East and the Middle East:
India’s strategic position midway between the
Far East and the Middle East is significant because the Trans-Indian Ocean
routes connect the industrially developed countries of Europe in the west and
the underdeveloped countries of East Asia. India being centrally located in
South Asia, she enjoys an advantageous-position for doing trade with Australia
and the countries of Africa, the Middle East and the Far East. Thus, India
dominates the Indian Ocean and commands an important strategic position. The
central location of India is considered of great significance as it helps India
to keep a close contact for business purpose with West Asia, Africa and Europe
from western coast, and Southeast and East Asia from the eastern coast. India
occupies a unique position on the globe. It enjoys a unique proximity with
Europe, Africa and Australia. The Indian landmass has a central location
between East and West Asia. India is Southward extension of Asia, thus, it
forms the South-Central Peninsula of world’s largest continent.
The central location of India is considered of great significance as it helps India to keep a close contact for business purpose with West Asia, Africa and Europe from western coast, and Southeast and East Asia from the eastern coast. Moreover, most of the air routes between Europe, West Asia and Africa in the west and East Asia, Southeast Asia, Japan & Australia in the east also pass through India.
The centrality and the consequent significance of India to broader Indian Ocean geopolitics and economics have been proved beyond doubt. It was India’s status as the principal entrepot in a highly profitable oceanic trade structure which attracted the West Asian Muslims, and the European colonial powers towards India. India became the ‘jewel in the crown’ of the vast British Empire due to its wealth and because of its role as a fulcrum upon which the imperial and commercial system in Asia was balanced. India thus commands as important strategic position on the globe with respect to trade as well as social and cultural interaction.
Advantages
- India is almost located centrally between the east and the west of Asia. It lies in the southern part of the Asian continent.
- The oceanic routes which link Europe in the West with the East Asian countries give an important strategically central location to India which helped establish oceanic trade links with the other countries in the past.
- The Deccan Peninsula which extends into the Indian Ocean has helped India in maintaining close relations with Africa, West Asia and Europe from its western coast and East Asia and Southeast Asia from its eastern coast.
- The Indian Ocean is named after India because India occupies an important strategic position in the ocean.
- India had trade relations with other parts of the world through land routes which were used long before the oceanic routes were used.
- Its mountain passes provided land routes to various travelers during the ancient and mediaeval times.
- The land and sea routes made the existence of trade and cultural exchanges of India possible with the other countries. While the Indian decimal number system travelled far and wide, India was influenced by Greek architecture and sculpture during the ancient period and the West Asian style of architecture since the early mediaeval period.
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