“Which Indian state shares a border with the most countries?” “What is the parliament of Nepal called?” Questions on India’s neighbours are common in SSC, railway and bank exams. This page covers borders, capitals, currencies and parliaments.
India’s land borders
India’s land border is about 15,106.7 km long and touches 7 countries.
| Country | Border length (approx) | Indian states/UTs on the border |
|---|---|---|
| Bangladesh | 4,096.7 km (longest) | West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram |
| China | 3,488 km | Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh |
| Pakistan | 3,323 km | Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh |
| Nepal | 1,751 km | Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Sikkim |
| Myanmar | 1,643 km | Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram |
| Bhutan | 699 km | Sikkim, West Bengal, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh |
| Afghanistan | 106 km (shortest) | Ladakh (through PoK, as per India’s map) |
Sri Lanka and Maldives are maritime neighbours (no land border).
States that border the most countries
| State/UT | Countries |
|---|---|
| Sikkim | Nepal, Bhutan, China (3) |
| West Bengal | Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan (3) |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Bhutan, China, Myanmar (3) |
| Ladakh | China, Pakistan, Afghanistan (3, as per India’s map) |
West Bengal has the longest border with Bangladesh.
Capitals, currencies and parliaments
| Country | Capital | Currency | Parliament |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pakistan | Islamabad | Pakistani rupee | Majlis-e-Shoora (National Assembly + Senate) |
| China | Beijing | Renminbi (Yuan) | National People’s Congress |
| Nepal | Kathmandu | Nepalese rupee | Sansad (House of Representatives + National Assembly) |
| Bhutan | Thimphu | Ngultrum | Chi Tshog (National Assembly + National Council) |
| Bangladesh | Dhaka | Taka | Jatiya Sangsad |
| Myanmar | Naypyidaw | Kyat | Pyidaungsu Hluttaw |
| Afghanistan | Kabul | Afghani | (No functioning parliament since 2021) |
| Sri Lanka | Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte (legislative); Colombo (commercial) | Sri Lankan rupee | Parliament |
| Maldives | Malé | Rufiyaa | People’s Majlis |
Boundary lines
| Line | Between |
|---|---|
| Radcliffe Line | India–Pakistan and India–Bangladesh (drawn in 1947 by Sir Cyril Radcliffe) |
| McMahon Line | India–China (eastern sector); drawn at the Simla Convention, 1914 |
| Line of Actual Control (LAC) | India–China (effective boundary) |
| Line of Control (LoC) | India–Pakistan in J&K (from the Simla Agreement, 1972) |
| Durand Line | Pakistan–Afghanistan (1893) |
| Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL) | India–Pakistan in the Siachen area |
Sea neighbours and channels
| Water body | Separates |
|---|---|
| Palk Strait | India (Tamil Nadu) and Sri Lanka |
| Gulf of Mannar | India and Sri Lanka (south of Palk Strait) |
| Ram Setu (Adam’s Bridge) | Chain of shoals between Rameswaram and Mannar Island |
| 8° Channel | Minicoy (Lakshadweep) and Maldives |
| 9° Channel | Minicoy and Kavaratti (within Lakshadweep) |
| 10° Channel | Andaman and Nicobar islands |
| Coco Channel | North Andaman and Coco Islands (Myanmar) |
| Grand Channel | Great Nicobar and Sumatra (Indonesia) |
Indira Point (Great Nicobar) is India’s southernmost point; Indonesia, Thailand and Myanmar are India’s other maritime neighbours.
Memory tips
- Border length order: “Bangladesh China Pakistan Nepal Myanmar Bhutan Afghanistan”, longest to shortest.
- Bhutan’s currency (ngultrum) is pegged to the Indian rupee; the Indian rupee is also used in Nepal and Bhutan.
- Radcliffe = Partition; McMahon = China; Durand = Pakistan–Afghanistan.
Exam-ready one-liners
- India shares its longest border with Bangladesh and its shortest with Afghanistan.
- Five Indian states/UTs border China: Ladakh, HP, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal.
- Five states border Nepal: Uttarakhand, UP, Bihar, West Bengal, Sikkim.
- The McMahon Line was drawn at the Simla Convention (1914).
- The 10° Channel separates the Andaman and Nicobar islands.
- The 8° Channel separates Minicoy from the Maldives.
- Myanmar’s capital is Naypyidaw; Sri Lanka’s administrative capital is Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte.
- Bhutan’s parliament is the Chi Tshog; Bangladesh’s is the Jatiya Sangsad.
Related reading
- States and UTs: capitals, CMs and Governors
- Dams and rivers of India
- National and international organisations and headquarters
Quiz: test yourself
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Border lengths are as per the Ministry of Home Affairs (approx). Political details of neighbouring countries can change.
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