Why is Sir Creek back in the headlines?
A patch of muddy marshland on the India-Pakistan border is suddenly making big news. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has warned Pakistan against any “misadventure” near Sir Creek, saying the response would be so strong it could “change both history and geography.”
The warning came after reports that Pakistan has been expanding its military presence in the disputed creek area, with new posts, boats, and surveillance systems. India, too, has ramped up its security there.
What exactly is Sir Creek?
At first glance, Sir Creek doesn’t look like much—just a 96-km-long tidal estuary filled with mud and mangroves, separating Gujarat (India) from Sindh (Pakistan) before flowing into the Arabian Sea.
But here’s the catch: the creek isn’t just marshland. Whoever controls it has a big say over maritime boundaries, fishing rights, and possible oil and gas reserves in the Arabian Sea. That’s why both countries have been fighting over it for decades.
The decades-old dispute
The conflict goes back to 1947, when Partition split British India. Gujarat went to India, Sindh to Pakistan—and Sir Creek got caught in between.
- Pakistan’s claim: The creek belongs entirely to Sindh, based on a 1914 resolution that puts the boundary on the eastern bank.
- India’s stand: The same resolution mentions the thalweg principle—a rule that says the boundary should run along the middle of the navigable channel.
India also points to maps and mid-channel pillars to support its claim, while Pakistan argues that the thalweg rule applies only to rivers, not tidal creeks. To make it messier, the creek’s course keeps shifting over time.
In 1968, a tribunal settled most of the Rann of Kutch border dispute, but Sir Creek was left unresolved. Multiple rounds of talks later, the deadlock remains.
Why does it matter so much?
On the surface, Sir Creek doesn’t have huge military value—it’s swampy and hard to patrol. But the economic and strategic value is massive.
- Control over the creek decides how far each country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) stretches into the Arabian Sea.
- The EEZ is where countries can legally explore for oil, gas, and minerals.
- Local fishermen often cross into disputed waters unknowingly and end up jailed for years, adding a human cost to the dispute.
Pakistan also uses its Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD) to discharge saline water into the creek—something India sees as a violation of the Indus Waters Treaty.
Rajnath Singh’s strong words
At a Dussehra event in Bhuj, Rajnath Singh reminded Pakistan of the 1965 war, saying India once reached Lahore and could do it again if provoked.
He also said: “Today, in 2025, Pakistan must remember that one route to Karachi passes through the creek.”
Since 2019, Pakistan has built new Creek Battalions, coastal boats, radars, and missile systems in the area. India, mindful of the 2008 Mumbai attacks (which had links to this region), has been equally vigilant.
What happens next?
For now, Sir Creek remains a simmering flashpoint between India and Pakistan—an unresolved border issue that keeps flaring up whenever tensions rise.
Whether it’s about oil, fish, or national pride, this 96-km stretch of muddy marshland continues to hold more weight than it appears on the map.
