Occupying a central position in South Asia, India shares land borders with Pakistan to the west; China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the north; and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the southwest, and the Bay of Bengal on the southeast, giving it a vast coastline of over 7,500 kilometers.
India's physical geography is defined by three main regions: the rugged, towering Himalayan mountains in the north; the fertile Indo-Gangetic Plain, which is nourished by major river systems like the Ganges (Ganga), Brahmaputra, and Indus; and the expansive Deccan Plateau in the south. The country also features the arid Thar Desert in the northwest and rich tropical forests in the northeast and along the southern coasts.
This immense geographic diversity endows India with abundant natural resources, including coal, iron ore, manganese, mica, bauxite, rare earth elements, and significant arable land. It also creates a rich habitat for biodiversity, supporting numerous national parks and wildlife sanctuaries that harbor tigers, elephants, leopards, and countless bird species.