SIR CREEK DISPUTE

Current Context : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh recently warned Pakistan against any aggression in the Sir Creek region, stating India would give a “resounding and decisive response.”

ABOUT SIR CREEK

• Location – 96 km tidal estuary in the marshy Rann of Kutch, between Gujarat (India) and Sindh (Pakistan).
• Flows Into – Arabian Sea.
• Importance – Strategic security zone, fishing rights, oil & gas exploration, and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

NATURE OF THE DISPUTE

• Origin – 1914 Bombay Resolution between Sindh (then British India) and the Ruler of Kutch.
• Pakistan’s Claim – Boundary lies on eastern bank (giving full creek to Sindh).
• India’s Claim – Boundary follows thalweg principle (mid-channel line).
• Counter-point – Pakistan says creek is non-navigable; India says it is navigable at high tide, hence international maritime law applies.