very evening, an hour before sunset at the Wagha border, thousands of people on both sides of the border, in Pakistan and India, gather to witness the highly familiar flag-lowering ceremony. On both sides, crowds cheer their respective border forces as the jawans march in perfect sync, kicking their legs high in a widely-cheered display of pride and rivalry.

A tense but highly-energetic flag-lowering ceremony marks a unique relationship between the two neighbours, drawing large crowds every day.

However, the rivalry has gone beyond the well-rehearsed displays by the respective border security forces on both sides. Now, there is a new competition: the battle of the flags.

The battle of the flags

Over the years, both countries have been locked in a race to install the tallest flagpole at the Wagha border, in an effort to dwarf the other. The latest development in this flag competition came last October, when India hoisted its tallest national flag (to date). While travelling on GT Road to Wagha, the Indian tricolour mounted on a 418-foot pole can be seen from three kilometres away.

This side of the border, Pakistan’s green and white flag has been hoisted on a 400-foot pole.

This rivalry is not new. In March 2017, India had raised a 360-foot flag, only for Pakistan to respond a few months later, in August, with a taller (400-foot) flag of its own. Now, with the Indian flag standing 18 feet higher than Pakistan’s, the competition has escalated once again.

The Punjab government has launched a plan to reclaim the crown in this flag race. It has started work on the world’s third-tallest flagpole at the Wagha border. The construction of the flagpole is part of a broader overhaul to modernise and upgrade the site, which has become a popular tourist destination.

Adding glitz to

the parade

Zargham Eshaq Khan, NESPak’s managing director, says the project—the expansion of the joint check post at Wagha—is not just about a taller flag. It also aims to improve security, tourism infrastructure and spectator facilities at the border, he says.

The Rs 3 billion project is expected to be completed by December 2025. The Punjab government is providing funds for the project to increase capacity for visitors at the site.

Ijaz, an official of the Pakistan Rangers, who mans one of the checkpoints leading to the border, says the construction work has impacted his daily routine. “Due to the ongoing construction, we have had to cut the number of spectators from 10,000 to just 1,200 per day,” he says. “But rain or shine, the parade goes on, and people still love coming here to witness it.”

A Nespak engineer at the site says that the new flagpole will stand at a towering height of 442 feet (135 metres). This makes it one of the tallest in the world. Not only will this surpass India’s current flagpole, but it will also cement Wagha’s status as a significant historical and cultural landmark.

Other renovations for the Wagha complex include the Alamgiri Gate, the main entrance to the site. The new gate will stand 166 feet tall. The compound will have a covered area of 155,000 square feet. Seating arrangements for spectators will be expanded, with four new arenas constructed at various levels to provide better view of the flag-lowering ceremony. The seating capacity will jump from 8,000 to 24,000, providing more opportunities for visitors to witness this event.

Two VIP lounges and waiting areas will also be built, along with 15 new offices for Pakistan Rangers, who manage the border crossing. A barracks facility with accommodation for 100 personnel is also part of the plan. A historical museum, covering 10,600 square feet, will be constructed to showcase the history of the Wagha border and the significant events that have occurred here.

Nespak’s MD says they are proceeding in distinct phases to minimise disruption of routines. “By the time it is complete, the site will be unrecognisable, in the best way possible.”

A boost for local businesses

Shopkeepers and local businesses near the Wagha border are eagerly anticipating the completion of the expansion. Many of them hope that the upgrades will bring more tourists to the area, and as a result their sales will go up.

“This project is going to change everything,” says Azam, a shopkeeper near the Customs clearance facility. “Once it’s done, the government should also focus on clearing the encroachments to make it easier for people to visit.”

“We have been here for years, watching the daily parade and serving tourists. This new development is exciting because it will make Wagha even more attractive, not just for local visitors but also for international tourists,“ says another shopkeeper.

In the words of Ijaz, the Rangers official, “The flag, the parade and everything about this place—this is not just for us but the people. They keep coming day in and day out because it reminds them of who we are.”

Wagha border has remained a powerful symbol of the relationship between Pakistan and India, with its daily parade offering a spectacle for the two neighbours having remained engulfed in decades of rivalry.

Sentiment over governance?

Farhat Asif, editor of Diplomatic Enclave, says the initiative is an effort towards building national unity but has no diplomatic significance.

“This also does not show the finest use of funds,” she says.

“The project involves significant research. I estimate it to be worth at least Rs 3 billion. It’s important to consider how we prepare for it, especially given the current circumstances. When we look at the relationship between Pakistan and India, both sides face challenges related to poverty, underdevelopment and a range of economic and governmental issues. On the diplomatic front, relations between Pakistan and India remain complex, though we have seen efforts to maintain ceasefires along the border.”

“One symbol of the ongoing competition between the two nations is the higher flag war at the Wagha border. Erecting massive flags on both sides is symbolic; it resonates with the public sentiment. While the flags don’t have any major diplomatic implications, they serve as a gesture of national pride and unity.”

“From a diplomatic perspective, the installation of these giant flags doesn’t have a substantial impact. India might respond with its own symbolic action, just as it has done before. These flags are more about sentiment than any political shift.”

“In terms of tourism, these displays do attract visitors... We have to balance expenditure on such symbolic projects with addressing the real issues facing the country. The focus should be on sustainable development and governance to build a better future for our people.”

The writer is a media veteran interested in politics, consumer rights and entrepreneurship