Sir Creek dispute between India and Pakistan: 5 key facts about the region and ongoing feud

PTC Web Desk: Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday issued a stern warning to Pakistan regarding any aggressive moves near the Sir Creek region, emphasising that any such action would elicit a “resounding response” capable of altering both “history and geography.”

Speaking on the matter, Rajnath Singh noted, “India has made multiple attempts to resolve the Sir Creek issue through dialogue, but Pakistan’s intentions remain unclear. The recent expansion of its military infrastructure near the creek clearly reveals its intentions.”

Sir Creek is a strategically sensitive and disputed zone located along Gujarat’s coastline.

Here are five key facts about the region and the ongoing dispute:

(1) Sir Creek is a 96-km-long tidal estuary situated between the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat and Pakistan, extending into the Arabian Sea.

(2) Named after a British official, it separates Pakistan’s Sindh province from India’s Kutch region.

(3) The creek is one of the largest fishing zones in South Asia and is believed to contain untapped oil and natural gas reserves. Navigating the area is challenging due to extremely hot summers and freezing winter nights.

(4) The Sir Creek dispute dates back to a 1914 Bombay government resolution, which attempted to demarcate the boundary between Sindh and Kutch. Both countries interpret the maritime boundary differently, leading to ongoing tensions.

(5) Paragraph 9 of the 1914 agreement states the boundary lies “to the east of the Creek,” suggesting it was part of Sindh (now in Pakistan). Post-Partition in 1947, Sindh and Kutch became part of Pakistan and India, respectively. India asserts the boundary should be settled under international maritime law using the Thalweg principle, which Pakistan contests, claiming the creek is non-navigable. India maintains that the creek remains navigable during high tide, justifying the application of the principle.