Intraplate deformation of Indian Plate: Insights from new cGPS derived Euler Pole

SUMMARY The rigidity and intraplate deformation of the Indian plate has long been a subject of debate. To understand the present-day intraplate deformation, we utilized data from 34 well-distributed continuous Global Positioning System (cGPS) stations across the stable part of Indian subcontinent to derive refined Euler pole parameters (51.834° ± 0.0495° N, 3.9708° ± 0.9351° E, Ω = 0.520 67° ± 0.002 684°/Myr) and establish an updated Indian Reference Frame (IRF). The new cGPS derived intraplate velocity field suggests a westwards motion of the Northern Tectonic Block (NTB) (up to 2.5 mm yr−1) relative to the stable Southern Tectonic Block (STB) (≤1 mm yr−1) along the Narmada-Son Lineament (NSL) in the Central Indian Tectonic Zone (CITZ). The rotation pattern inferred from strain analysis also exhibits a progressive increase in the anticlockwise rotation from the STB (∼2 nrad yr−1) to NTB (∼6 nrad yr−1). Thus, the subtle, yet systematic variation in the intraplate deformation pattern from STB to NTB across the NSL supports the non-rigid behaviour of the Indian subcontinent and its accommodation of far-field plate boundary forces generated by the Indo-Eurasian collision in the Himalayan region. To further substantiate these findings, we propose to conduct advanced investigations using a denser network of cGPS stations over the Indian subcontinent.