Contemporary-India

1. Lakshadweep
2. Russia, Canada, China, USA, Brazil and Australia.
3. Andaman and Nicobar group of islands.
4. Maldives, Sri Lanka.

From the longitudinal extent of India it is observed that the longitudinal expanse is about 30O from west to east. This means that there would be a time-lag of two hours approximately from Gujarat to Arunachal Pradesh. To avoid such differences in local time, Indian standard time has been fixed to give the whole country a uniform time. The local time of the Standard Meridian of 82O30’E is observed as the Standard Time by the whole country. Because of this reason we find that the sun rises two hours earlier in Arunachal Pradesh as compared to Gujarat in the west but the watches show the same time.

The central location of India at the head of the Indian Ocean is considered of great significance because -

1. It has given India a strategic advantage due to the Trans Indian ocean routes which connect the countries of Europe in the West and the countries of East Asia.
2. This helps India to establish close contact with West Asia, Africa and Europe from the Western coast and with the Southeast and East Asia from the Eastern coast.
3. The vast coastline and the natural harbours have benefitted India in carrying out trade and commerce with its neighbouring and distant countries since ancient times.
4. It has given India a distinct climate than the rest of the Asian Continent.
5. No other country has such a long coastline on the Indian Ocean as India. It is India’s eminent position in the Indian Ocean which has given the name of an Ocean after it.

1. Lakshadweep
2. Countries which make the Indian subcontinent are Pakistan in the north-west, India at the core, Nepal in the north, Bhutan in the north-east and Bangladesh in the east.
3. Tropic of Cancer passes through the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Tripura and Mizoram.
4. Kanyakumari
5. The Palk Strait