India plans 74 new land ports, three along China and six along Pakistan borders

📌 Summary:

• India proposes to build 74 additional land ports along its international borders in the coming years, according to Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI) chairperson Jayant Singh
• Of these, three will be along the China border and six along the Pakistan border, with the rest spread across other neighbouring frontiers
• The new land ports are intended to strengthen cross-border trade and enable seamless movement of people with neighbouring countries
• The plan signals an expansion of India's border infrastructure for both economic connectivity and regulated/managed border crossings

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS3 (border management and border infrastructure) and GS2 (India's neighbourhood and trade connectivity). Land ports combine the security dimension of regulated entry with the economic dimension of facilitating legitimate trade and people-to-people movement.

📝 Prelims Facts:

• Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI) is a statutory body under the Ministry of Home Affairs, established under the LPAI Act, 2010, to develop and manage Integrated Check Posts (ICPs) at land borders
• ICPs provide customs, immigration, security and quarantine facilities at a single location
• India shares land borders with Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar

🔑 Key Term: Integrated Check Post (ICP) — a single-window facility at a land border housing customs, immigration and security services to streamline trade and movement.