Sir Creek Dispute: India–Pakistan Border, Map
Gajendra Singh Godara
Oct 3, 2025
8
mins read
Sir Creek is a 96-km tidal estuary in the marshy Rann of Kutch, forming part of the India–Pakistan coastal border. It lies between India’s Gujarat (Kutch) and Pakistan’s Sindh, eventually flowing into the Arabian Sea. The creek is uninhabited salt marshland, with shifting channels and harsh terrain (noted for snakes and scorpions).
It is contentious because India and Pakistan interpret the Sir Creek boundary differently: this narrow waterway serves as the starting point for their maritime limit, fishing zones and EEZ claims. Control of Sir Creek thus has significant strategic and economic implications, making it a flashpoint in bilateral relations.
Sir Creek is once again in the spotlight after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday warned Pakistan against any attempt to disturb the India–Pakistan border in the Sir Creek sector of the Rann of Kutch. He issued a stern warning to Pakistan, recalling that the Indian Army showed courage in past wars to protect India’s sovereignty. The Minister noted that if the neighbouring country dares to penetrate India’s defences, Indian forces would give a swift and effective counter. This long-standing border dispute remains a strategic and sensitive zone near the Arabian Sea.
Sir Creek lies in the Great Rann of Kutch, a marshy delta on India’s western coast. The estuary runs roughly north–south along the India–Pakistan border between Gujarat’s Kutch district and Pakistan’s Sindh province. The creek empties into the Arabian Sea, and its meandering channel weaves through salt flats and mangrove patches. On the map above, note the green line (Pakistan’s claim) running along Sir Creek’s eastern bank, and the red line (India’s claim) following the creek’s mid-channel. These disputed lines mark how each country has drawn the Sir Creek “line” versus the actual boundary. The area is completely flat and remote, with no villages or roads along the creek.
The disputes between India and Pakistan have led to various wars between the countries. The Bombay Presidency’s decision on Sir Creek left ambiguities that later became a long-standing border dispute between India and Pakistan.
1908: The dispute began under British India when the ruler of Kutch and officials in Sindh clashed over firewood collection rights in Sir Creek. The Bombay Presidency intervened.
1914: The Bombay Government issued a boundary resolution. Paragraph 9 placed the border east of Sir Creek (implying the creek belonged to Sindh/Pakistan), while Paragraph 10 applied the thalweg principle, saying the mid-channel was the boundary. These provisions directly conflict, sowing the seeds of disagreement.
1925: A new survey drew a detailed map and placed boundary pillars in Sir Creek’s mid-stream. This 1925 map and the installed markers suggested a mid-channel boundary per the thalweg view. Pakistan later disputed this.
1947 (Partition): When India and Pakistan became independent, Sindh joined Pakistan and Kutch (Gujarat) remained with India. The Sir Creek boundary then became an Indo-Pak issue. Both sides inherited these colonial-era claims.
1968: After the 1965 war, the India-Pak Great Rann of Kutch Tribunal (under UK PM Harold Wilson) settled most of the Gujarat–Sindh land border. India received 90% of its territorial claim, but Sir Creek itself was left undemarcated.
1997–present: Successive bilateral talks have occurred (e.g. 2005–07 joint surveys), but no agreement. India has proposed demarcating the maritime border first (per UNCLOS/TALOS), while Pakistan insists the land dispute be resolved first. Both countries have thus far refused third-party arbitration, citing the 1972 Simla Agreement clause to settle disputes bilaterally.
Boundary Interpretation:
India invokes the thalweg (mid-channel) principle – saying Sir Creek is navigable at high tide – so the international boundary should lie in the creek’s center.
Pakistan claims Sir Creek is non-navigable and argues Paragraph 9 of 1914 puts the boundary on the eastern bank. In effect, Pakistan’s line (green) would give it the entire creek, while India’s line (red) divides the creek down the middle.
Sir Creek Line vs Boundary:
The term Sir Creek line usually refers to whatever line is drawn in the creek. India’s claimed boundary runs along the creek’s thalweg (red line), whereas Pakistan’s proposed “line” follows the creek’s eastern shore (green line). No mutually accepted line has been finalized.
Changing Channel:
Sir Creek’s channel shifts regularly due to tides. If the border were fixed to the creek’s current path, each course shift would move the baseline. Both sides worry about territory lost or gained when the creek meanders. This natural instability adds legal complexity.
Maritime Limits/EEZs:
The disagreement extends offshore. The land-end point of Sir Creek serves as a base point for drawing each country’s maritime boundary. Control of Sir Creek thus determines who gets a larger slice of the adjoining Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and continental shelf in the Arabian Sea. Both nations have fishing and energy stakes in these waters.
Fishermen and Human Impact:
The undefined border often leads to arrests of poor fishermen. Boats easily drift across the invisible line. Each side regularly detains the other’s trawlers for inadvertent crossing.
After the 1965 war, British Prime Minister Harold Wilson mediated, resulting in a tribunal verdict in 1968 that granted Pakistan only 10% of its claim.
The Sir Creek issue was featured in the 1997 composite dialogue, aiming to improve broader Indo-Pak relations.
Tensions escalated in 1999 when India shot down a Pakistani surveillance aircraft over Sir Creek, citing airspace violation.
Joint India-Pakistan surveys of Sir Creek were conducted between 2005 and 2007 to facilitate boundary resolution.
Despite repeated initiatives, a final settlement remains unachieved due to conflicting interpretations of historical maps and legal principles governing the boundary.
Maritime Resources: Although Sir Creek itself is sparsely useful, its location is critical. The creek’s end-point serves as the onshore base for delimiting EEZs. If the boundary is drawn differently, it can award thousands of square kilometers of offshore areas to one side for fishing, oil, and gas exploitation. Huge untapped oil and gas reserves are believed to lie under the seabed off Kutch. A settled boundary would allow legal exploration.
Fishing Grounds: Sir Creek is adjacent to one of Asia’s richest fishing grounds. Tens of thousands of Indian and Pakistani fishers rely on these waters. The ambiguity in the boundary has repeatedly hurt their livelihood as they are detained at sea.
Security & Surveillance: The area near Sir Creek is strategically sensitive. During the 1965 war, the Kutch sector (near Sir Creek) saw clashes. Today, it remains a potential infiltration route (militants have used coastal approaches in the past). India maintains specialized BSF “Creek Crocodile Commandos” and amphibious patrols to guard this frontier.
Ecological Value: The Sir Creek wetlands are part of an ecologically fragile area. They attract migratory birds (flamingoes, pelicans) and support mangroves.
Water Issues (LBOD): A related concern is Pakistan’s Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD) project, which discharges saline water into Sir Creek. India argues this violates the Indus Waters Treaty by flooding Kutch with saline effluents.
Revive Bilateral Talks:
India and Pakistan should revive structured bilateral talks, using current joint surveys for technical clarity.
Use International Legal Principles:
International norms like the thalweg doctrine and UNCLOS can help shape a mutually acceptable boundary.
Protect Fishermen’s Rights:
Both sides must cooperate to protect fishermen and ensure humane treatment for inadvertent border crossings.
Promote Data Sharing and Science-Based Solutions:
Transparent ecological and hydrographic data sharing can reduce mistrust and support long-term, science-driven outcomes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is Sir Creek?
A. Sir Creek is a 96 km long tidal estuary in the marshlands of the Rann of Kutch. It forms part of the India–Pakistan border between Gujarat (Kutch) and Sindh, flowing into the Arabian Sea.
Q. Why is Sir Creek disputed?
A. India and Pakistan disagree on how to draw the boundary in Sir Creek. India says the line should run along the creek’s thalweg (mid-channel), while Pakistan says the boundary is the creek’s eastern bank.
Q. Where is Sir Creek located in Gujarat?
A. Sir Creek lies in the westernmost part of Gujarat’s Kutch district, in the salt marshes of the Great Rann of Kutch. It forms a narrow creek on the India–Pakistan coast
Q. What is the Sir Creek line vs boundary?
A. The Sir Creek line is the tentative border in the creek itself. India’s proposed Sir Creek line follows the main channel, whereas Pakistan’s version follows the eastern creek bank. No final agreed boundary has been demarcated.
Conclusion
The Sir Creek dispute is a classic example of a seemingly minor geographic feature carrying major strategic weight. Originating in a 1914 colonial agreement and compounded by a shifting river channel, the disagreement has persisted for over a century. Resolving it would clarify the India-Pakistan maritime border, unlock potential oil, gas and fishing resources, and boost bilateral trust.
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