Figure 12. Plate reconstruction of Arabia and India between 11 Ma and
today, using GPlates (version 2.2.0) with a 3D orthographic projection.
Note that India translates towards the west-southwest, resulting in
convergence and dextral motion at the plate boundary! The amount of
E/W-shortening between both plates ranges between ~60
and ~75 km. Shortening/convergence is ongoing.
The time slots from ~32.5 to 20 Ma and from 11 Ma to the
present indicate a relative ~E/W-directed convergence
and shortening between the Arabian and Indian plates (Figs. 11 and 12).
The E/W-directed shortening between the Arabian (near Sur) and Indian
plates (near Karachi and the western end of the 64 Ma isochrone)
amounted to ~100-135 km from ~32.5 to 20
Ma (Fig. 11) and ~60-75 km from 11 Ma to present-day
(Fig. 12), resulting in convergence rates of ~10-12 mm/a
and 5-7 mm/a, respectively.