what are the implications of India having long coastline
Answers
India’s coastline is roughly 7,500 km with Arabian Sea on the West and Bay of Bengal in the East. Indian subcontinent lies in the Indian Ocean region. This geography provides India with huge advantages. Some of them are:
1.Maritime Trade - This vast coastline and access to Indian Ocean allows India to trade with the most parts of the World. Arabian Sea gives it access to gulf countries which are major oil exporters. The Andaman Sea gives it access to Malacca Strait and then to South China sea. For this reason India has been a maritime nation since ancient past. It was a global trade center for spices and textile.
2.Tourism - A long coastline implies good tourism potential for several states of India like Goa, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. A variety of beaches are found in India.
3.Cheap Transport - Sea transport is cheaper than land transport and this implies low cost of imports and exports.
4.Monsoon - The South West monsoon from Indian ocean brings good amount of rainfall to India. The agriculture thrives due to good rainfall.
5.Safety and Security - The Sea borders are considered safer than land borders. There is no need for fencing like in case of land borders to check infiltration. Indian Coast Guard (ICG) protects India’s maritime interests.
6.Climate - The long coastline results in pleasant maritime climate near the coastal areas.
7.Resources - India is heavily dependent on Indian Ocean for it’s resources. India’s fishing industry is one of the largest in the World. Mineral resouces extraction is also important. India has exclusive rights to explore Central Indian Ocean.