The Sir Creek dispute remains one of the longest unresolved territorial issues between India and Pakistan. Despite being only a 96-kilometre-long tidal estuary, the region holds significant strategic and economic importance, making its resolution complex and politically sensitive for both nations.

Understanding Sir Creek and Its Geography

Sir Creek, historically known as Ban Ganga, lies between the Kutch region of Gujarat in India and Sindh province in Pakistan. The area is an intricate network of marshlands and salt flats that frequently flood during the monsoon, making it inhospitable and difficult to monitor. The creek itself is inhabited by venomous snakes and scorpions, and the surrounding region remains sparsely populated due to harsh terrain and climatic conditions.

Despite its remoteness, Sir Creek has become a focal point of geopolitical contention because it serves as a potential gateway to valuable natural and maritime resources. The fluctuating nature of the creek’s course and lack of clear demarcation have complicated efforts to establish an internationally recognized boundary line.

Why Sir Creek Matters: Strategic and Economic Significance

Beyond the question of sovereignty, Sir Creek carries immense economic and strategic weight for both India and Pakistan. The region is believed to hold untapped oil and gas reserves, resources that could significantly benefit either nation’s energy security and economic growth. For India, which has been striving to diversify its oil imports, potential energy reserves in this region could be a game-changer.

Equally critical is the creek’s impact on the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of both countries. The EEZ extends up to 200 nautical miles (370.4 km) from a country’s coast, granting it exclusive rights over natural resources. The exact positioning of the boundary in Sir Creek directly influences how much of the Arabian Sea each nation can claim for fishing, exploration, and resource extraction.

The livelihoods of thousands of fishermen on both sides are also deeply affected. With no clearly defined maritime boundary, fishermen often cross into disputed waters unknowingly, leading to frequent arrests and long detentions, straining humanitarian and diplomatic relations.

The Core of the Dispute

The dispute essentially revolves around where the border should be drawn.

• Pakistan’s claim: The entire Sir Creek belongs to Pakistan.
• India’s claim: The boundary should lie along the middle of the navigable channel, following the Thalweg principle, which demarcates boundaries along the midpoint of navigable rivers or channels.

India argues that Sir Creek is navigable and thus qualifies under the Thalweg principle. Pakistan disputes this, asserting that the creek is non-navigable, and hence the principle is inapplicable.

The origins of this disagreement can be traced back to the early 20th century, when the princely states of Kutch and Sindh quarreled over the ownership of a small creek-side area. Post-Independence, the issue resurfaced after the 1965 Indo-Pak war, when Pakistan laid claim over half of the Rann of Kutch. Although a 1968 international tribunal awarded 90% of the disputed Rann to India, it left the Sir Creek issue unresolved, noting that it was “left out of consideration.”

Diplomatic Efforts and Stalled Negotiations

Since Independence, India and Pakistan have held multiple rounds of bilateral talks to settle the Sir Creek dispute:

• The first round took place in Islamabad on 2 June 1989, discussing fundamental aspects but yielding no results.
• Subsequent rounds in 1990, 1991, and 1992 in Rawalpindi and New Delhi also ended inconclusively, despite technical inputs from naval experts.
• In 1998, the two nations formed a separate Sir Creek Working Group to address the issue exclusively.

India, however, opposed Pakistan’s attempt to internationalise the dispute, reiterating that under the Simla Accord (1972), all bilateral differences must be resolved through direct dialogue. Pakistan, on the other hand, sought arbitration through international mechanisms. The Indian delegation, led by then Joint Secretary Vivek Katju, firmly stated that such arbitration was unacceptable under the composite dialogue framework.

Despite intermittent talks and technical surveys, progress has remained stagnant. Political tensions, trust deficits, and the broader volatility of Indo-Pak relations continue to overshadow any potential breakthrough.

What’s Happening Now?

The Sir Creek dispute is back in the news due to heightened security concerns and military activities along the border:

• Pakistan is reportedly expanding military infrastructure in the vicinity of Sir Creek.
• India is strengthening coastal security in response to these developments.
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has warned that any misadventure will face a decisive response.

These developments underline the strategic sensitivity of Sir Creek and its continued relevance in Indo-Pak relations, even decades after the dispute first emerged.

Conclusion

The Sir Creek dispute exemplifies how even a small geographical feature can have vast geopolitical, economic, and humanitarian implications. Its resolution has been hindered by conflicting territorial claims, mutual mistrust, and the strategic value of the region’s maritime resources.

For both India and Pakistan, settling the Sir Creek issue is not just about drawing a line on a map — it’s about unlocking economic opportunities, ensuring the livelihoods of coastal communities, and fostering regional stability. However, until both nations build a consistent framework of trust and cooperation, Sir Creek will continue to symbolize the broader challenges that define Indo-Pak relations.