Maritime neighbour
Topic: India and her Neighbours · NCERT: Class 7, Ch 2 "India and Her Neighbours"
Meaning
A maritime neighbour is a country joined to India by a shared sea, even if there is no land border between them. The sea between them can carry trade, fishing boats, refugees or threats, just as a land border can. India has two island neighbours, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. India also shares maritime boundaries (lines at sea that divide each country's waters) with Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Pakistan. A wider ring of sea neighbours includes Iran, Oman, Malaysia and Singapore. These neighbours matter for sea routes, fishing rights and security in the Indian Ocean.
Example
Indonesia has no land border with India. Even so, it is only about 150 km from Indira Point (Great Nicobar) across the Six Degree Channel, so it is a maritime neighbour.
Don't confuse with
- Land neighbour: a land neighbour shares a land border with India. India has seven of them, including Nepal and Bangladesh. A maritime neighbour is linked to India only by sea.