Transnational Issues India

Disputes - international:
Kashmir remains the world's most highly militarized territorial
dispute with portions under the de facto administration of China
(Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad Kashmir
and Northern Areas), but recent discussions and confidence-building
measures among parties are beginning to defuse tensions; India does
not recognize Pakistan's ceding lands to China in the 1965 boundary
agreement; disputes with Pakistan over Indus River water sharing and
the terminus of the Sir Creek Estuary at the mouth of the Rann of
Kutch, which prevents maritime boundary delimitation; Pakistani maps
continue to show Junagadh claim in Indian Gujarat State; most of the
rugged, militarized boundary with China is in dispute, but sides
have committed to begin resolution with discussions on the least
disputed Middle Sector; Joint Border Committee with Nepal continues
to work on resolution of minor disputed boundary sections;
discussions with Bangladesh remain stalled to delimit a small
section of river boundary, to exchange 162 miniscule enclaves in
both countries, to allocate divided villages, and to stop illegal
cross-border trade, migration, and violence; Bangladesh protests
India's attempts to fence off high-traffic sections of the porous
boundary; dispute with Bangladesh over volcanic New Moore/South
Talpatty/Purbasha Island in the Bay of Bengal deters maritime
boundary delimitation; India seeks cooperation from Bhutan and Burma
to keep out Indian Nagaland insurgents; joint border commission
continues to work on small disputed sections of boundary with Nepal;
India has instituted a stricter border regime to restrict transit of
Maoist insurgents and illegal cross-border activities from Nepal

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 92,394 (China), 60,922 (Sri Lanka)
IDPs: 650,000 (Jammu and Kashmir conflicts; most IDPs are Kashmiri
Hindus) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
world's largest producer of licit opium for the pharmaceutical
trade, but an undetermined quantity of opium is diverted to illicit
international drug markets; transit point for illicit narcotics
produced in neighboring countries; illicit producer of methaqualone;
vulnerable to narcotics money laundering through the hawala system

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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