Recently, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam governments have decided to constitute district-level committees aimed at resolving the lingering boundary disputes. These committees will conduct joint surveys in the disputed territories to arrive at concrete solutions hinged on historical perspectives, ethnicity, contiguity, residents’ desires, and administrative convenience of both states.
Understanding India’s Border Disputes
Assam shares an 804.10 km inter-state boundary with Arunachal Pradesh, a state birthed in 1987. Arunachal Pradesh claims that some of its land traditionally occupied by its residents was handed over to Assam. A tripartite committee had suggested certain territories transfer from Assam to Arunachal, culminating in a long-standing court dispute between the two states.
In contrast, Mizoram, which used to be a district of Assam before gaining statehood, has disputes with Assam over border demarcations. While Mizoram proposes the demarcation be along an inner line instituted in 1875 for tribal protection, Assam suggests following district boundaries drawn later on.
Assam and Nagaland’s border dispute began after Nagaland’s formation in 1963. Both states claim Merapani, a small village next to plains in Assam’s Golaghat district, leading to ongoing violent clashes since the 1960s.
Meghalaya has identified nearly 12 areas where it disputes the state borders with Assam. Similarly, disputes over the Parwanoo region exist between Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.
Furthermore, Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh both claim Sarchu, a significant halt point for travelers along the Leh-Manali highway located between Himachal Pradesh’s Lahaul and Ladakh’s Leh district.
The Belgaum district is the center of a large border dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka, having both Marathi and Kannada speaking populations. Originally part of the Bombay presidency during British rule, it was included in Karnataka post state reorganization in 1956.
Why do inter-state border disputes remain unresolved?
Border disputes often remain unresolved due to the linguistic basis for reorganization of states in 1956. Other contributing complexities include geographical features like rivers, hills and forests that overlap two states and unexplored or unmarked territories in colonial maps.
Indigenous communities were typically left undisturbed, with boundaries drawn for administrative convenience as required. The demarcation in 1956 left many discrepancies unresolved, which were not addressed even when new states were carved out of Assam, including Nagaland in 1963, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Tripura and Manipur in 1972, and Arunachal Pradesh in 1987.
Way Forward
Settling boundary disputes could be achieved by using satellite mapping of actual border locations. Reviving the Inter-state council could provide a resolution for Inter-state disputes, in line with Article 263 of the Constitution. The council is mandated to discuss subjects common to all states, make recommendations for better policy coordination and inquire and advise on disputes.
Similarly, reviving Zonal councils to discuss issues of common concern, including social and economic planning, border disputes, inter-state transport, amongst others, would be beneficial. To strengthen India’s unity, the center and state governments need to embrace the ethos of cooperative federalism.