Military drills, deployments and verbal threats. The Indian Army is preparing for heightened tensions on the western border. New Delhi is preparing for a possible conflict with Islamabad over Sir Creek—a 96-km estuary that borders Pakistan’s Sindh region.
According to News18, the Army has fast-tracked orders for eight Landing Craft Assault vessels and six Fast Patrol Boats -- all of which will be deployed in Sir Creek.
The development comes days after India concluded a major tri-services military exercise near Sir Creek, involving the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force.
A rattled Pakistan responded by closing off its airspace, signalling that it was closely watching the drills.
Sir Creek, a longstanding dispute
Though Kashmir usually dominates the India-Pakistan conflict narrative, Sir Creek is a colonial-era dispute that has remained unresolved for decades.
That’s because these waters are said to hold hydrocarbons, and are rich fishing grounds that support the livelihoods of thousands of people living on either side of the border.
Its strategic location and economic potential make it vital for both nations.
Both Pakistan and India have taken different positions on where the maritime boundary runs in the Sir Creek.
Pakistan claims the entire creek. It has cited the 1914 Bombay Government Resolution that established the boundary along Sir Creek’s eastern bank.
However, India cites a 1925 map and the Thalweg principle to claim that the boundary line runs through the middle of the creek.
The border has remained a contentious issue, despite multiple rounds of talks.
India warns Pak over Creek military build-up
This is why Pakistan has been trying to assert its control by heightening military infrastructure near the maritime boundary.
It has reportedly constructed new complexes, forward posts and barracks and deployed additional infantry and naval units—a move that has drawn strong reactions from India.
India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh warned Pakistan with a “decisive response” that could change both “history and geography”.
"If Pakistan dares to act in the Sir Creek sector, the reply will be so strong that it will change both history and geography. In 1965, the Indian Army showed courage by reaching Lahore and in 2025, Pakistan must remember that the road to Karachi also passes through the Creek," Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister, said.
