OPINION | The 1968 Verdict: How India Won the Larger Share of What Pakistan Contested

by Ashu Mann

In the salt marshes of the Rann of Kutch, one ratio settled an early and bitter dispute between India and Pakistan. When an international tribunal delivered its decision in February 1968, India received roughly 90 percent of the contested land, while Pakistan received only about 10 percent. The split was so significant that the numbers largely tell the story on their own.

A Border Left Blank in 1947

When British India was partitioned in 1947, the boundary through the Rann of Kutch was never properly defined. The princely state of Kutch joined India, the province of Sind went to Pakistan, and the salt flats between them remained an open question. Beginning in July 1948, the two governments exchanged diplomatic notes over where the border lay, but the discussions went nowhere.

Talks in January 1960 resulted only in an agreement to gather more information and meet again later. No settlement followed, and the issue remained unresolved for nearly two decades.

From a Clash to a Courtroom

The first major test came in early 1965. In January, Pakistani paramilitary Rangers began patrolling south of the Indian claim line and occupied the ruined fort of Kanjarkot on the northwestern edge of the Rann. By April, these patrols had escalated into open fighting.

Pakistan launched Operation Desert Hawk, committing an infantry division and armored regiments equipped with American-supplied Patton tanks. The geography favored Pakistan. Its railhead at Badin was close to the border, while India's nearest forces were more than a hundred miles away.

Britain intervened before the conflict could spread further, and a ceasefire took effect on July 1, 1965. Rather than risk a broader war, both governments agreed to submit the boundary dispute to binding arbitration, with United Nations assistance in forming the tribunal.

The three-member panel was designed to be neutral. India nominated Yugoslav jurist Aleš Bebler, Pakistan nominated Iranian diplomat Nasrollah Entezam, and the chairman, Sweden's Gunnar Lagergren, was selected through the UN Secretary-General after the two sides failed to agree on a candidate.

The proceedings were extensive. The tribunal met for many months, produced verbatim records exceeding ten thousand pages, and examined approximately 350 maps before reaching its decision.

What the Numbers Say

This is where the ratio becomes particularly significant.

Pakistan argued for a boundary running roughly along the 24th parallel, a claim covering about 3,500 square miles, or nearly 9,100 square kilometers, almost half of the disputed Rann.

When the verdict was delivered on February 19, 1968, the tribunal awarded Pakistan only about 780 square kilometers of that claim. India retained the remainder.

Put simply, for every ten parts of land Pakistan brought before the tribunal, it left with only one. Some Pakistani sources cite a slightly higher figure of around 828 square kilometers, reflecting differences in how the awarded territory has been measured and rounded over the years. Regardless of the calculation, Pakistan received only about one-tenth of what it had claimed.

The tribunal then drew a boundary line of approximately 403 kilometers across the salt flats. Joint survey teams demarcated the line on the ground, and by 1969 the process was complete, transforming the tribunal's ruling into a fixed international border.

A Verdict That Endured

What makes the 1968 award notable is not only its arithmetic but also its durability.

Both governments accepted the ruling, completed the demarcation process, and the Rann of Kutch boundary has remained settled ever since. It remains one of the relatively rare instances in which two long-standing rivals resolved a territorial dispute through arbitration and then adhered to the outcome, even though Pakistan clearly preferred a different result.

The settlement was not comprehensive, however. The tribunal ruled only on the specific section of the boundary placed before it. A short stretch near the coast, around Sir Creek, was left unresolved and remains disputed between the two countries to this day.

For India, the outcome can be summarized in a single set of figures: a Pakistani claim of roughly 9,100 square kilometers was reduced, through binding arbitration, to an award of only about 780 to 828 square kilometers. Roughly ninety parts remained with India, while ten parts were conceded to Pakistan.

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About the Author

Ashu Mann is an Associate Fellow at the Centre for Land Warfare Studies. He was awarded the Vice Chief of the Army Staff Commendation card on Army Day 2025. He is pursuing a PhD from Amity University, Noida, in Defence and Strategic Studies. His research focuses include the India-China territorial dispute, great power rivalry, and Chinese foreign policy.

Disclaimer: This article represents the author’s independent analysis and perspective based on publicly available information. It does not constitute official guidance, intelligence assessment, or policy recommendation, and does not reflect the positions of Access Hub or any affiliated entities.