Sir Creek, a strategic tidal estuary in the western state of Gujarat, which separates the Kutch region of India and the Sindh province of Pakistan. This largely uninhibited marshland is of immense strategic importance for India as it holds high-scale geopolitical and economic value. The region also is a reason for contestation between India and Pakistan, as an impact of the bully and expansionist behaviour of Islamabad. The strategic Sir Creek is yet again in news, due to the recent irresponsible comments uttered by Pakistan. However, this has ignited a stern warning from India.
The latest episode is also an illustration for Pakistan’s repeated atrocities. In this direction, India has to consciously revolutionize its military and security architecture across its north-western frontier bordering Pakistan, beyond Jammu & Kashmir, i.e. from Siachen to Sir Creek.
Decisive warning by the Defence Minister
On October 2, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited Bhuj military station in Gujarat on the occasion of Vijayadashami celebrations. While addressing the Army troops in the Rann of Kutch region, Defence Minister sent a decisive warning to Pakistan. He said any misadventure by Pakistan in the Sir Creek will be answered with a befitting response. Any illicit attempt by Islamabad to illegally annex Sir Creek will inevitably alter the “history and geography” of Pakistan, Rajnath Singh further added.
These sharp comments from the Defence Minister come as Pakistan attacked India from Leh to Sir Creek during Operation Sindoor. However, Pakistan’s attempt to intrude into India was unequivocally neutralized by the Indian Armed Forces all through the border areas. Despite such unsuccessful attempts and humiliation, Rawalpindi is yet again building up military infrastructure in the vicinity of Sir Creek. Defence Minister thus mentioned that the military deployment illustrates the true intentions of Pakistan, however, any mishap in the region will significantly change the history and geography, meaning it will be a big blow to the very existence and survival of Pakistan.
Infact recently, then-Chief of Pakistan Navy Karambir Singh had claimed that JeM terror outfit is training its members for an underwater attack. As a sharp reply to these irrational triggers by Pakistan, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh recalled the courage and valour of the Indian Army during the 1965 Indo-Pak war. He said that, then Indian Army had reached Lahore. The message to Pakistan was that one route to Karachi passes through Sir Creek, so testing India’s patience would cost huge for Pakistan, indeed compromising for changes in their map.
Pakistan’s spiking military buildup in Sir Creek
As per the intelligence reports and satellite imageries, Pakistan is steadily spiking up its military buildup in Sir Creek. This includes forward posts, roads and fortified bunkers. It is said that the pace of military infrastructure deployment by Pakistan in the vicinity of Sir Creek is spiraling with greater speed, especially post the Operation Sindoor, when India achieved a clear-cut strategic victory against Pakistan.
For example, Pakistan Navy maintains a base at Sir Creek for littoral defence and amphibious operations. It also has barracks(buildings in which soldiers reside) at Rah-de-Pir which is just two kilometers away from the Pakistan’s bank of Sir Creek. These barracks are said to be militarily active in the recent days. Pakistan has also stepped up its offshore patrol vessels and marine assault boats.
These rigorous military activities of Pakistan surrounding Sir Creek cannot be deemed as isolated activities, devoid of security threats to India. New Delhi must always ascend with cautious actions and is indeed being vigilant with respect to Pakistan’s activities. The strong message from the Defence Minister comes in this background. Security and geopolitical experts also opine that Pakistan with its expansionist, assertive and bully behaviour is enacting a foul play across the Indo-Pak border and considers, Sir Creek as its latest battleground and is attempting to link it to the Kashmir issue without any credibility of connections between the two regions. A slice of this foul play was witnessed during Operation Sindoor, when Rawalpindi attacked India from Kashmir to Kutch, though unsuccessful and defeated.
The strategic significance of Sir Creek
Sir Creek is a tidal estuary(a narrow strip of water) that expands for less than 100 kms in the Rann of Kutch(one of the largest salt deserts of the world spanning more than 7,500 sq. kilometers) in Gujarat. It later flows into Arabian Sea. The creek is officially the westernmost border between India and Pakistan. The exact point of bifurcation of the creek is disputed between India and Pakistan. Pakistan claims that the border line lies to the east of the creek. However, such a demarcation gives Islamabad direct access to the heartland of Gujarat.
On the other hand, India quotes the internationally accepted Thalweg principle, a framework to demarcate international border line in navigable waters. Accordingly, the border in the navigable waters is the line drawn across the deepest point of the water channel. In line with this internationally acclaimed principle, mid-channel of the creek is the border and infact a map drawn in 1925 also cites the same aspect.
- Sir Creek: Significant to strengthen India’s security apparatus
Pakistan keeps stirring the boiling pot of Sir Creek in order to fulfill its selfish and illegitimate hegemonic motives. It links the Sir Creek issue with Kashmir and seeks to launch a dual-front or multi-front conflict with India. In this backdrop, Sir Creek is pivotal for India to defend and strengthen the national security apparatus. The marshy and predominantly uninhibited estuary can be a brewing ground for the terrorists, smugglers, opium traders etc. They can easily infiltrate into India. For example, during 26/11, terrorists had hijacked an Indian Army boat off the coast of Sir Creek and penetrated into India with it.
Increased presence of Pakistan military near Sir Creek, can give easy accessibility to India for drug dealers and terrorists. It can also enhance the surveillance capability of Pakistan targeted towards India. Thus, strong military presence of India in the Sir Creek spikes India’s potential for strategic deterrence and also strengthens the national security architecture from the westernmost frontiers. With this agenda, Sir Creek is of paramount importance to India to ensure it doesn’t give Pakistan an alternate or additional channel to attack India. The warning by Defence Minister comes in this backdrop.
Another dimension of the security prospects is, Pakistan is hitherto selling its country and its ports to the US and China. Beijing has considerable stakes in Karachi and Gwadar port as a part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor(CPEC). Islamabad recently is inviting the Trump administration to invest in Pakistan for energy exploration. Sir Creek, thus, cannot be a geopolitical theatre for multipolar contestations. In this view, India has to protect its security and sovereignty.
- Sir Creek is resource rich
Apart from the security perspective, Sir Creek has abundant importance related to economic prosperity. The sea bed of the creek has billions of dollars’ worth of untapped potential of oil and gas reservoirs. This resource rich region can boost the economic and energy prospects of India, especially in an era of trade wars and energy security conundrums. Ofcourse, it is still an untapped potential and has a prolonged gestation period. However, protecting it and securing it from the illicit hands of Pakistan will help determine energy security and consequentially the economic growth of India. The exploration of oil reserves have been stalled due to the disputed border.
- Sir Creek: Boon to India’s coastal community
Sir Creek is Asia’s one of the largest fishing grounds. Thus, the region is nurturing thousands of coastal communities and is responsible for nourishing the coastal livelihood & economy. Hence, Pakistan’s occupation in the region will be a blow to the coastal economy of India to a considerable extent and it will also create havocs in the life of common people residing in the region as an impact of Pakistan’s atrocities.
Sir Creek thus holds immense strategic importance to India’s security, sovereignty, strategic autonomy and economic prosperity. The stern message by the Defence Minister is thus extremely pivotal to script strategic deterrence and carve a solid national security signature. The government and the Indian Armed Forces is indeed marching in this path with credible intelligence mechanisms, sound and state-of-the-art military infrastructure, solid policy push from the administration, ultimately to solidify country’s security and sovereignty synchronization model from Siachen to Sir Creek.
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