Border management is a complex task due to difficult terrain and hostile relations with some countries. Elucidate the challenges and strategies for effective border management.

India has one of the longest and most varied of international borders. Historical political reasons have left India with an artificial unnatural border. Due to this, India has had to deal with numerous challenges such as

• Undemarcated boundaries with overlapping claims cause constant friction along borders. 
• Unitilateral actions by some nations to change the status quo in their favour. 
• Misuse of borders(especially porous open borders) for smuggling, illegal migration, etc.
• Little or no support from counterparts of neighbouring nations and in some cases active support by cross border elements to illegal activities . 
• Cultural, ethinic and linguistic affinity across borders and clan loyalties
• Multiple agencies are involved in border management, lack of Inter agency cooperation and coordination
• Support of state and non-state actors to aid infiltration,smuggling, trafficking,etc

Stratergies for effective border management have been contiously evolving. Some of them are,

• 24x7x365 day surveillance along Indo-Pak border with 5 layer smart fence
• Agreement on basic guiding principles and standard operating procedures
• Increasing confidence building measures and communication linkagaes to avoid unnecessary confrontation and escalation 
• Integrated border management by involving and enhancing cooperation with counterparts of neighbouring countries especially along open borders.
• Effective implementation of the recommendations of One Border One Force by the Task Force on Border Management to weed out inter agency fricitons.
• Increase the role of state holders. Community measures and awareness can be deployed along open borders to prevent illegal activities.
• Implementation of Border Area Development Programme and other developmental initiatives so that there is no feeling of being left out.

The combination of open/fenced borders, natural/arbitrary demarcations along with difficult terrain and hostile relations with neighbouring countries has made border management a challenging and continuously evolving task.