RAS question
Nathu La Pass, an important border pass between India and China, is located in which state?
Correct answer: (A) Sikkim.
Nathu La Pass, an important India-China border pass, is located in Sikkim.
Explanation
Nathu La is in Sikkim, on the Indo-China border, so the state asked in the question is Sikkim. The pass lies at 4,310 m and links the Indian state of Sikkim with China's Tibet Autonomous Region. The Press Information Bureau, Government of India, also frames Nathu La as a border point in Sikkim used for trade between India and China, which directly supports the location. Its exam relevance comes from the same border function: after being sealed following the 1962 Sino-Indian War, it was reopened for cross-border trade in 2006, making it a geographic pass with a clear strategic and trade context.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) Uttarakhand is not the state identified with Nathu La; Press Information Bureau, Government of India, places the pass in Sikkim.
- (C) Arunachal Pradesh is also an India-China border state, but Nathu La is specifically located in Sikkim.
- (D) Himachal Pradesh has Himalayan border geography, but Nathu La is not placed there; Press Information Bureau, Government of India, refers to the Nathu La border in Sikkim.
Concept
This tests the Indian Geography theme of Himalayan passes and their state-wise location. RAS repeatedly asks such passes because they combine physical geography with border, trade and strategic relevance.