Marshland trap: on Sir Creek, Pakistan’s activities
India must address its concerns about Pakistan’s activities with care
Alluding to intelligence reports of Pakistan’s heavy military activity in areas adjoining Sir Creek, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has warned Pakistan against any adventurism. Mr. Singh’s statement that “a route to Karachi passes through Sir Creek” is both puzzling and disconcerting, considering the lingering tensions and the absence of diplomacy between India and Pakistan. His remarks drew a parallel with the 1965 India-Pakistan war, when the Indian Army advanced to the outskirts of Lahore. Sir Creek is an uninhabited, largely inaccessible marshland between Gujarat and Sindh in Pakistan, with a complex web of waterways and shifting tidal patterns. It remains a dispute between the two countries. Navigation is extremely challenging and requires expert knowledge of the terrain. On the Indian side, the estuarine region is already under layered security, with the Border Security Force, the Indian Army, the Indian Coast Guard and the Indian Air Force maintaining a strong presence. India considers the area as vital for oil and gas exploration as well as fishing rights. India’s major ports, Mundra and Kandla, located in the Gulf of Kutch, are also in close vicinity. Large-scale ground operations are nearly impossible in the region, which lacks roads, a civilian population and administrative infrastructure. However, during Operation Sindoor, Pakistan attempted to strike military infrastructure with close to 400 drones across 36 locations from Leh to Sir Creek. Indian forces neutralised many of them, but it perhaps signalled the expansion of the front between the two countries.
Strategically, opening a front here is disadvantageous for both sides, but conflicts often do not follow reason or logic. Mr. Singh, who was in Kutch to celebrate Vijayadashami with soldiers, had been scheduled to visit Sir Creek but could not due to adverse weather. Addressing troops at the Bhuj military base, he reiterated India’s consistent position to resolve the issue through dialogue. He said Pakistan’s intentions remain unclear, and went on to say that “any aggression by Pakistan in the Sir Creek area will be met with a resounding response that will change both history and geography”. Adding to India’s security concerns are Chinese-backed mining and power projects in the Pakistani part of the Rann of Kutch, near Gujarat. These projects, India fears, could evolve into a strategic-military challenge, if leveraged jointly by Beijing and Islamabad. Considering the volatility in geopolitical situations in many corners of the world, India must tread with care and wisdom. Strategy should be disconnected from domestic politics. New Delhi must do everything under its command — but first, diplomacy — to address its security concerns.