Indian plate

The Indian plate is a minor tectonic plate near the equator in the Indian Ocean. Long ago, it was part of an ancient land called Gondwana. About 100 million years ago, the Indian plate moved north, carrying a piece of land named Insular India with it.

Once, the Indian plate was joined with the Australian plate, known as the Indo-Australian plate. Scientists now believe India and Australia may have been separate for at least 3 million years. Today, the Indian plate covers most of South Asia, including the Indian subcontinent, and parts of the Indian Ocean floor. It also extends to places like parts of Tibet and Sumatra, but does not include areas such as Ladakh, Kohistan, or most of Balochistan in Pakistan.

Plate movements

Until about 140 million years ago, the Indian plate was part of a huge landmass called Gondwana. This landmass also included modern Africa, Australia, Antarctica, and South America. Over time, these lands moved apart, and the Indian plate moved north.

About 100 million years ago, the Indian plate split from Madagascar and started moving north quickly. It bumped into Asia around 55 million years ago. This created the tall Himalaya Mountains and the Tibetan Plateau. Today, the Indian plate is still moving northeast, pushing against the Eurasian plate and changing the shape of the land.

Geography

The Indian plate is in the Indian Ocean. On its west side, it meets the Arabian plate at a place called the Owen fracture zone. On its north side, it meets the Eurasian plate, forming tall mountains like the Himalaya and Hindu Kush.