What are the implications of India having a long coastline?
India has a coastline of 6,100 km along the mainland and a total of 7,517 km including the island groups of Andaman and Nicobar in the Bay of Bengal and Lakshadweep in the Arabian Sea.
The maritime location of Peninsular India, bordering the Indian Ocean and its two arms—the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea—has provided the country with links to its neighbouring regions through sea and air routes.
This long coastline, along with the physically diverse land, has led to the occurrence of varied resources in the country.
Explanation
The textbook highlights three key implications of India's long coastline: (1) the extensive length of 6,100 km (mainland) and 7,517 km (total) provides vast coastal access; (2) the maritime location bordering the Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal, and Arabian Sea facilitates connectivity with neighbouring regions; and (3) this contributes to physical diversity and varied resources. Students should focus on these points from the context.