Lok Sabha Question No. 881 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-26
Subject: Indo-Pak Border Dispute
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Rahul Kaswan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.881

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 26.06.2019

## INDO-PAK BORDER DISPUTE

## †881.    SHRI RAHUL KASWAN:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has any plans to resolve the border dispute between India and Pakistan in the near future;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d) the  timeframe  and  means  to  resolve  the  issues  related  to neighbouring countries;
- (e) whether there is any legal hurdle for this; and
- (f) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS [SHRI V. MURALEEDHARAN]

(a) to (c) The Government is committed to resolving all outstanding  issues  with  Pakistan  through  a  bilateral  dialogue  in accordance  with  Simla  Agreement  (1972)  and  Lahore  declaration (1999).  However  a  meaningful  dialogue  is  possible  only  in  an atmosphere free from terror, violence and hostility. The Government has made it clear that the onus is on Pakistan for creating such an environment.

- (d) to (f) As for other neighbouring countries, there is no outstanding  boundary  dispute  with  Afghanistan,  Bhutan,  Maldives and Sri Lanka.

During  the  visit  of  our  Prime Minister  to  Bangladesh  in June  2015,  the  Land  Boundary  Agreement  between  India  and Bangladesh  of  1974  and  its  Protocol  of  2011  were  ratified.  The implementation  of  the  Agreement  and  Protocol  has  settled  all outstanding  land  boundary  issues  between  India  and  Bangladesh. The  award  rendered  by  Arbitration  Tribunal  for  Delimitation  of Maritime  Boundary  between  India  and  Bangladesh  on  7  July  2014 has settled maritime boundary between India and Bangladesh.

With  China,  both  countries  have  each  appointed  a  Special Representative  (SR)  to  explore  the  framework  for  a  boundary settlement  from  the  political  perspective  of  the  overall  bilateral relationship. There have been twenty one meetings of SRs, with the last meeting being held in Chengdu on 24 November 2018. The two sides have agreed to seek a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution to the boundary question through dialogue and peaceful negotiations.

With Nepal, strip maps covering 98 percent of the India-Nepal boundary have been jointly finalized and initialled by the two sides. There are, however, differences of perception on alignment of the boundary  in  some  areas  such  as  Kalapani  in  Uttarakhand  and Narsahi-Susta  in  Bihar.  The  two  sides  have  set  up  a  high-level bilateral  mechanism  to  discuss  the  matter,  with  technical  inputs from the India-Nepal Boundary Working Group.

There  is  no  border  dispute  between  India  and  Myanmar. However, certain sectors of India-Myanmar boundary remain to be demarcated. Regular dialogue is held between India  and Myanmar on issues related with boundary demarcation and border management,  through  institutionalized  mechanisms  such  as  Joint Boundary  Working  Group,  Foreign  Office  Consultations,  National Level  Meetings,  Sectoral  Level  Meetings  and  Heads  of  Survey Department meeting.

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