CLASS-VII SOCIAL SCIENCE PART-2 LESSON 2 INDIA AND HER NEIGHBOURS

CLASS-VII SOCIAL SCIENCE PART-2

LESSON 2

INDIA AND HER NEIGHBOURS

v Introduction

Ø India’s destiny is closely connected with the destinies of her neighbouring countries.

Ø What happens in one nation often affects the entire region.

Ø Neighbours are not defined only by land borders but also by seas, oceans, culture, trade, and history.

Ø Geography and history strongly influence India’s relations with her neighbours.

Ø India occupies a central and strategic position in South Asia.

v Framing the Neighbourhood

Ø Traditionally, a neighbour is considered a country sharing a land boundary.

Ø India shares land borders with

§  Northwest-Pakistan and Afghanistan in the northwest

§  East- China (Tibet region), Nepal, and Bhutan

§  North- Bangladesh and Myanmar

Ø India’s land boundary stretches over approximately 15,100 kilometres.

Ø The land boundary passes through deserts, plains, forests, mountains, marshes, and river valleys.

Ø India is surrounded by the sea on three sides, making her a maritime nation.

Ø Sri Lanka and the Maldives are India’s immediate maritime neighbours.

Ø Countries such as Iran, Oman, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia form India’s wider maritime neighbourhood.

Ø India’s location gives her a central role in South Asia and the Indian Ocean region.

3. Maritime Neighbours

Ø A maritime neighbour is a country connected through a shared sea or ocean.

Ø Seas and oceans act as links rather than barriers between nations.

Ø Maritime routes enabled centuries of trade, cultural exchange, and migration.

Ø India’s long coastline 11100 km gives her access to major global sea routes.

Ø India’s maritime position connects Southeast Asia, West Asia, and Africa.

v Importance of the Indian Ocean

Ø The Indian Ocean is the third-largest ocean in the world.

Ø Nearly half of the world’s container ships pass through the Indian Ocean.

Ø One-third of the world’s bulk cargo is transported through this ocean.

Ø Two-thirds of the world’s oil trade moves through the Indian Ocean.

Ø About 2.7 billion people live in countries connected by the Indian Ocean.

Ø India’s coastline is approximately 11,100 kilometres long.

Ø India’s peninsular shape extends deep into the Indian Ocean.

Ø This location helps India play a key role in trade and regional cooperation.

Ø Indian ports act as gateways for imports and exports.

Ø India’s central position allows quick humanitarian aid and disaster relief.

Ø Regional cooperation based on shared geography is called regionalism.

v India and Her Land-Based Neighbours

1.    India and China

Ø India and China are two of Asia’s largest and most influential countries.

Ø They have shared relations since 1950.

Ø The Himalayas separate the two countries.

Ø The border passes through Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Ladakh.

Ø Buddhism forms a strong cultural link between India and China.

Ø Buddhism originated in India and reached China around the 1st century CE.

Ø Chinese monks like Faxian and Xuanzang visited Indian centres of learning.

Ø Indian monks carried Buddhist teachings to China.

Ø Trade relations between India and China continue today.

Ø India exports iron ore, chemicals, and cotton yarn to China.

Ø India imports electronic goods and industrial equipment from China.

Ø Trade imbalance currently favours China.

Ø Border disputes have caused tensions between the two countries.

Ø Dialogue and trade are used to resolve conflicts.

2.    India and Pakistan

Ø Pakistan was part of India before the Partition of 1947.

Ø Pakistan was created on a religious basis, unlike India.

Ø The two countries share a complex and tense relationship.

Ø Several wars occurred between India and Pakistan in 1948, 1965, and 1971.

Ø The Kargil War occurred in 1999.

Ø Terrorist attacks supported by Pakistan’s army have strained relations.

Ø The border runs through Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

Ø Despite tensions, cultural ties continue to exist. Languages, food, music, and festivals are shared.

Ø Pilgrimage routes have been opened during peace efforts. The Katas Raj temple complex in Pakistan’s Punjab is one such example, linked to the Mahābhārata and containing a sacred pond. Other examples include several ancient Hindu, Buddhist, and Sikh shrines, such as the Hinglaj Mata Mandir in Balochistan

Ø The Kartarpur Corridor allows visa-free travel for Sikh pilgrims. The corridor was opened in 2019 to mark Guru Nānak’s 550^th birth anniversary. It connects Indian pilgrims to the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan.

3.    India and Bangladesh

Ø Bangladesh was born in 1971 after a war between India and Pakistan.

Ø Bangladesh was earlier known as East Pakistan. India and Bangladesh share a common language, Bangla.

Ø The land border is longer than India’s border with China.

Ø The border passes through West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram.

Ø The two countries share rivers of the Ganga and Brahmaputra systems.

Ø Rivers support agriculture, fisheries, transport, and livelihoods.

Ø India and Bangladesh have strong diplomatic and economic cooperation.

Ø They share the Sundarbans mangrove forest. The Sundarban is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is the home of the Bengal tiger and many other

species, it is important in terms of biodiversity, it protects the region from cyclones.

Ø Climate change threatens Bangladesh with rising sea levels.

 

4.    India and Nepal

Ø Nepal is located in the Himalayas.

Ø India and Nepal share a long open border.

Ø The border passes through Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, and Sikkim.

Ø Cultural and spiritual ties are very strong.

Ø Hindu pilgrimage sites are visited by people from both countries.

Ø The Paśhupatinātha Temple in Kathmandu is an important Hindu site.

Ø Festivals like Daśhain, Tihar, and Holi are celebrated in both countries.

Ø The 1950 Treaty of Peace and Friendship guides relations.

Ø Citizens can cross the border without passports or visas.

Ø India is Nepal’s largest trading partner.

Ø Trade supports livelihoods on both sides of the border.

5.    India and Bhutan

Ø Bhutan is known as Drukyul or the Land of the Thunder Dragon.

Ø It is a small Himalayan kingdom between India and China.

Ø Bhutan borders Sikkim, West Bengal, Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh.

Ø Rivers from Bhutan flow into India. These rivers support agriculture and hydroelectric power.

Ø India helps Bhutan in hydropower projects.

Ø Buddhism forms a strong cultural bond.

Ø Bhutanese pilgrims visit Buddhist sites in India. Guru Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche) introduced Vajrayāna Buddhism to Bhutan.

Ø The dragon symbolises the Buddha’s teachings.

Ø The relationship is based on mutual trust and cooperation.

Ø Bhutan follows the concept of Gross National Happiness Index. This includes ideas of sustainability, good governance and the promotion of culture, among others.

 

6.    India and Myanmar

Ø Myanmar was earlier known as Burma. Myanmar is India’s gateway to Southeast Asia.

Ø India and Myanmar share land and maritime boundaries.

Ø North-eastern Indian states as Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, and Mizoram share borders border Myanmar.

Ø Buddhism connects the two countries spiritually.

Ø The 2018 Land Border Crossing Agreement eased movement.

Ø Cultural exchanges and trade are promoted through connectivity projects.

Ø Ananda temple in Bagan, was restore by India which was damaged by earthquake.

 

7.    India and Afghanistan

Ø Afghanistan is a landlocked country in south-central Asia.

Ø India once shared a direct land border with Afghanistan.

Ø Ancient trade routes connected the two regions.

Ø Uttarāpatha linked the Ganga plains with Central Asia.

Ø Afghanistan was once a centre of Buddhism and Hindu culture.

Ø The Bamiyan Buddhas symbolised cultural ties.

Ø India supports Afghanistan through education and infrastructure.

Ø India built the Afghan Parliament and Zaranj-Delaram highway.

 

6. India’s Maritime Neighbours

v Indian traders were sailing to Southeast Asian countries in BCE.They frequently visited the islands of Java, Sumatra, and Malaya, these places came to be known as ‘Suvarṇabhūmi’ (the ‘golden land’) or ‘Suvarṇadvīpa’ (the ‘golden island’).

v SAARC

Ø In 1985 many India’s Neighbouring form an association called SAARC — the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation — in order to promote mutual interests, sociocultural and economic progress.

Ø Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka are members.

Ø SAARC aims to share resources around development in science, education, health, and other areas. However, political tensions among some members have often disrupted its functioning.

(1) India and Sri Lanka

Ø Sri Lanka lies southeast of India. These two countries are separated by the Palk Strait. The shortest distance is about 32 kilometres.

Ø Buddhism reached Sri Lanka from India in the 3rd century BCE by Mahendra and Sanghamitrā, the son and the daughter of Emperor Aśhoka.

Ø Hindu epics also influenced Sri Lankan culture.

Ø The Sri Lankan civil war (Sinhalese majority (whose language is Sinhala) and the Tamil minority) from 1980’s affected relations.

Ø Many Tamil refugees migrated to India.

Ø Cultural and economic ties remain strong.

(2) India and the Maldives

Ø The Maldives consists of more than 1,100 islets (small islands).

Ø It lies about 130 kilometres from Lakshadweep.

Ø Maritime trade shaped cultural links.

Ø Buddhism once existed in the Maldives.

Ø South Indian culture influenced language and cuisine as coconut curries and roshi. Dhivehi (the official language of the Maldives, borrows words from Sanskrit, Prakrit, Tamil, Malayalam, and Hindi.

Ø India recognised the Maldives in 1965.

Ø India helped during the 2004 tsunami and the 2014 water crisis in Malé (the Maldives’ capital) and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ø The Maldives faces threats from climate change and rising sea levels.

Ø The Maldives is part of the International Solar Alliance.

(3) India and Thailand

Ø India and Thailand are connected through maritime routes.

Ø Indian culture influenced Thai kingdoms like Dvāravatī flourshied 6^th to 11 century (Dvārakā, Kṛiṣhṇa’s city) and Ayutthayā founded 1531 (Ayodhyā,).

Ø Theravāda Buddhism and Hinduism shaped Thai traditions. Hindu myth of samudra manthana or the churning of the ocean depicted at Bangkok airport.

Ø Indian epics influence Thai art and ceremonies.

Ø The India–Myanmar–Thailand Trilateral Highway improves connectivity.

(4) India and Malaysia

Ø India and Malaysia have relations dating back over 2,000 years.

Ø Hindu (Srivijaya Kingdom’; around the 4th century CE) and Buddhist influences shaped early culture.

Ø Islam later became the dominant religion.

Ø Many Indians migrated during British rule.

Ø Indian origin people form about 9 per cent of Malaysia’s population.

Ø India is a major trading partner of Malaysia.

Ø The Petronas Towers at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s capital, are the world’s tallest twin skyscrapers.

(5)  India and Singapore

Ø Singapore’s name comes from Singapuram or Lion City.

Ø Singapore became a British colony, then a part of Malaysia, and eventually a separate nation in 1965.

Ø Singapore has served as a benchmark for urban planning and maintenance. The citizens play an important role in keeping the streets litter-free

Ø Tamil is one of Singapore’s official languages.

Ø Indians form about 9 per cent of the population. Singapore called ‘Little India’.

Ø Singapore is a major investor in India.

Ø Cultural, educational, and economic ties are strong.

(6)  India and Indonesia

Ø Indonesia is an archipelago of over 17,000 islands.

Ø Ancient trade connected India with Java and Sumatra.

Ø Indian culture influenced Indonesian art and religion.

Ø Islam reached Indonesia through Indian traders.

Ø Both countries cooperate on maritime security and disaster relief.

Ø The Borobudur Stupa reflects Buddhist influence.

Ø India and neighbours cooperated after the 2004 tsunami.

(7)  India and Iran

Ø India and Iran share ties since the Bronze Age.

Ø Trade routes connected India to the Iranian plateau.

Ø Persian culture influenced Indian language and courts. Avesta, the ancient sacred text of Zoroastrianism.

Ø Mahābhārata mention Persians under the name Pārasīka, and the later Persian language was used as court language in India by the Mughals and other rulers.

Ø Parsis preserve Persian culture in India.

Ø India is developing Iran’s Chabahar Port.

Ø Cooperation continues in trade and transport.

(8) India and Oman

Ø Oman lies on the Arabian Peninsula.

Ø Trade relations date back 5,000 years. Harappans imported copper from Oman.

Ø A large Indian population lives in Oman.

Ø India and Oman conduct joint military exercises.

Ø Maritime security cooperation is strong.

Summary of the Lesson

Ø India’s neighbourhood includes land-based and maritime neighbours.

Ø Geography and history shape India’s relations with surrounding countries.

Ø Trade, religion, and culture created deep regional connections.

Ø Buddhism and Hinduism spread peacefully through travel and trade.

Ø India’s central location gives her strategic importance.

Ø Shared challenges encourage cooperation among neighbours.

Ø Regional connectivity projects revive ancient links.

Ø Peaceful coexistence and collaboration strengthen South Asia.