The restrictive border between India's Nicobars and Aceh

What is it about?

For many centuries, since the Aceh sultanate became Indonesia's leading India Ocean port in the 16th century, southern India and Aceh were close and vital trading partners. Although the Andaman and Nicobar islands to Aceh's north did not encourage trade, they were nevertheless a stepping stone to Indonesia. They firmed a vital part of the Sumatra - Andaman subduction zone and together suffered from the devastating 2004 tsunami. Yet state policy, first of Netherlands India in its war with Aceh, then of India in its anxiety about its more remote frontiers, have prevented either traders or researchers of crossing the frontier and exploring implortant connections.

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