Soft, Porous or Rigid? Towards Stable Borders in South Asia

Abstract

Numerous suggestions and proposals have been made on how to manage the borders inSouth Asia. This article analyses these proposals, including soft and open borders, fencing and making borders irrelevant. With the concept of borders undergoing a tremendous change in the last two decades, the article first looks at how the concept of security has evolved and the role that borders play in the new strategic calculus. The article then adopts a historical perspective on the geopolitical and strategic ground realities relating to borders in South Asia. How did borders evolve in South Asia, what kind of movements have been taking place ever since, and how have these two factors shaped the security concerns of respective governments relating to borders? Finally, the article studies the applicability of various proposals and assesses the best border policy options available to states in South Asia, given the ground realities.IS THERE A need for us to re-vision the borders in South Asia? Would open borders be a better idea? Would that improve relations between the countries in South Asia? Is South Asia ready for a borderless region? Or would fencing make good neighbours?Before answering these questions, it is imperative to look into some of the major problems and issues facing South Asia. The region has been facing tremendous pressure and serious threats owing to political and military instability both from inside and from its neighbouring regions. The following factors in particular have had a negative impact on the stability of the region: emergence of armed non-state actors with independent objectives and the subsequent violence; growth of religious radicalism and the political and popular patronage it receives; proliferation and easy availability of narcotics and small arms; illegal movement of goods and people; and cross-border terrorism with an element of support from other countries. All these pose serious challenges to both state and regional security.

Placing Borders in Development

“…The World Bank promotes the reduction of "divisions" between states, as "today's developing countries face a stark choice: stay divided and lose ground, or become winners without borders" 13 . In similar vein, regional 14 and cross-border integration 15 are promoted by policy-makers across the world as a panacea for economic development and security woes 16 . Carefully managed borders are seen as crucial for harnessing the development potentials of migration and remittances 17 , and for "humanising" migration-management's ever-harsher controls 18 .…”

5. The Wall of Western Sahara

“…The fence consists of barbed wire; movement sensors and infra-red, radio, television and electronic monitors at strategic points that can locate any intrusion within 500 meters; routine road patrols along the security road and fine sand that allows the detection of footprints. 48 Though equipped with the latest technology ostensibly making infiltration nearly impossible, the fence failed to prevent Hezbollah fighters from penetrating into Israel on 12 July 2006. They killed five soldiers and took two of the bodies back north into Lebanon.…”

“…Rampant corruption in border crossing and "innovative methods" used by those who cross the Indo-Pakistani border are likely to sustain illegal cross-border activities. 48 The porosity of the Line of Control and its diverse geographical terrains and dense forests in some areas limit the effectiveness of the fence. Furthermore, fences cannot be erected in the high mountains in which the two neighbors could deploy some measures of cooperative monitoring.…”

“…This can be explained, for example, by the meeting of the North Atlantic Council being held in Rabat on 7 April 2006 and by Morocco's contribution to "Operation Active Endeavour". 48 It is argued that international straits do not concern only their coastal states but are vital for the whole of the international community. So, it is difficult to imagine that any state in the world would accept that one country can control the two shores of the Strait of Gibraltar.…”

Scholarship on India’s International Relations

“…For the most part, one finds straightforward general assessments of where India stands vis-à-vis the rest of the world and its capacity to influence or resist global structures and processes. That said, there is an array of thoughtful quality studies on such topics as borders, the Indian Ocean 'base race', national security formulation and military studies, covering the social composition of the Indian army, civil-military relations and the revolution in military affairs (Berlin 2004;Chandran and Rajamohan 2007;Coates 2008;Hilali 2001;Khalidi 2001/02;Staniland 2008). In contrast with the work on nuclear issues, the work on hard security issues is more encouraging in range.…”