New Delhi, India: India and China’s long-standing border disputes, marked by recurring military standoffs, are rooted in a fundamental question: Where does one country’s territory end and the other’s begin? Now, a recent report has reignited concerns over India’s borderlands. NDTV’s Science Editor, Pallava Bagla, explains how India may be losing land to China, though not for the reasons one might expect this time, the forces of nature are at play.
What Are Plate Tectonics?
The Earth’s crust is composed of multiple large plates that move across the molten mantle beneath. Driven by the flow of magma, these plates shift slowly, typically just a few centimeters each year, and sometimes grind, collide, or even subduct under each other. This natural phenomenon, known as plate tectonics, has been shaping Earth’s surface for billions of years.
The Uniqueness of the Indian Plate
Approximately 50 million years ago, the Indian plate collided with the Eurasian plate on which China rests at an extraordinary pace of nearly 30 centimeters per year. This collision is credited with creating the Himalayas, the world’s tallest mountain range. However, the impact wasn’t just geographical; it set the stage for a unique tectonic activity that still affects the region today.
Constant Land Loss for India
Since that initial collision, India has drifted roughly 2,000 kilometers northward and now continues to push beneath the Eurasian plate at a rate of about five centimeters per year. According to Sabrina Metzger, a geophysicist at the German Research Center for Geosciences, this gradual subduction theoretically results in India “losing” land to the Eurasian landmass above it.
Will India Disappear?
Although this movement seems ominous, Metzger clarifies that it won’t result in the literal disappearance of India. Tectonic collisions typically slow over time, and the Indian plate’s motion has indeed reduced from its initial rapid rate millions of years ago. However, Metzger raises a different concern: rising sea levels, which could lead to significant land loss in the coming centuries.
While these natural forces continue to shape India’s landscape, the geopolitical dynamics between India and China further complicate the region’s borders. For now, scientists and policymakers are watching these tectonic and environmental shifts closely, aware of the profound impact they could have on India’s future boundaries and geography.
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