Introduction on the Borders
Are borders anachronistic?
In December 1957, in a note addressed to the Foreign Secretary, Jawaharlal Nehru philosophically wrote about the borders of India and status of Tibet: “I would hazard the guess, however, that it will be an exceedingly difficult task for China to bring about this process of absorption and acceptance. No one can say what will happen in twenty or thirty year time because conditions in the world are changing so rapidly that the problems of today will take an entirely different shape later. For ought I know, the very existence of national independent states may not continue. We live in a world where national boundaries become more and more anachronistic.
He was commenting on a note sent by Apa B. Pant, Political Officer in Sikkim about the deteriorating situation in Tibet. “We live in a world where national boundaries become more and more anachronistic,” he said.
This raises a serious question, because, even if it may look unfortunate to some, borders are existing and are often an area of confrontation between States.
That is why the history of the boundary should not be neglected.
This website tries to fill this gap and provide historical materials (including maps) to get a deeper understanding of the northern frontiers of India.