The Radcliffe line was the line which drew borders between newly created India and Pakistan. The Radcliffe line was roughly based on the proposals of Lord Wavell.

The line was erected by Viscount Cyril Radcliffe. Radcliffe had never visited India and didnt knew anybody in India before his arrival. He was considered on of the best people to do the job because of unbiased views.

There were certain disputes regarding the Radcliffe line, the two major ones being Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) and Gurdaspur District. CHT had a higher Non-Muslim population and was given to Pakistan and Gurdaspur had a Muslim majority but was given to India. The CHT was to given to Pakistan to provide some buffer to Chittagong (in Bangladesh) a major city and port. In the initial proposal of Radcliffe Gurdaspur District was in Pakistan, it was changed later at the request of Lord Mountbatten. The reasons mentioned were that Kashmir would be unaccessible to India if the kingdom wanted to integrate with the Indian Union and to provide buffer to the Sikh Holy city of Amritsar who otherwise would be surrounded by Muslim territory.