Among the following Indian states, which has the longest coastline along the sea when measured by total length?

Introduction / Context:
Knowledge of the relative length of state coastlines is an important part of Indian geography because it links directly with ports, fisheries, coastal climate and trade. While Gujarat has the longest coastline among all Indian states, exam questions often restrict the options to a smaller group of coastal states, and the learner must pick the longest coastline among those specific choices.

Given Data / Assumptions:
• Four coastal states are listed in the options: Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Tamil Nadu. • The question asks which of these has the maximum total length of coastline. • We assume standard Survey of India or similar reference measurements for coastline length.

Concept / Approach:
The key idea is simple recall of approximate coastline lengths. Andhra Pradesh has a long stretch along the eastern coast on the Bay of Bengal, with several ports and fishing centres. Its coastline is longer than that of Maharashtra on the Arabian Sea and also longer than the coastlines of Odisha and Tamil Nadu in most standard data tables used for school and exam purposes.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Andhra Pradesh extends for a long distance along the Bay of Bengal between Odisha in the north and Tamil Nadu in the south. Step 2: Compare this with Maharashtra, which has a relatively shorter stretch of Konkan coast on the Arabian Sea. Step 3: Note that Odisha has a smaller coastal arc than Andhra Pradesh and that Tamil Nadu, although coastal on both the Bay of Bengal and the Palk Strait, still has a shorter coastline than Andhra Pradesh according to standard figures.

Verification / Alternative check:
Reference tables in geography texts show Andhra Pradesh with a coastline of roughly 970 kilometres, which exceeds the lengths given for Maharashtra, Odisha and Tamil Nadu. Because the question restricts you to these four states, Andhra Pradesh clearly comes out as the correct choice.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B (Maharashtra) has an important but shorter Konkan coastline along the Arabian Sea and does not exceed the length of the Andhra coast. Option C (Odisha) has a significant but smaller frontage on the Bay of Bengal, famous for the Mahanadi delta and Chilika Lake, yet it is still shorter than Andhra Pradesh. Option D (Tamil Nadu) has a long coast including the Coromandel coast and the Gulf of Mannar, but standard data still place Andhra Pradesh ahead of it in total length.

Common Pitfalls:
• Many learners quickly think of Tamil Nadu because it touches both the Bay of Bengal and areas near the Arabian Sea, but total length is what matters, not the number of water bodies. • Some students also remember Maharashtra due to Mumbai being a very large port, even though the actual coastline length is less.

Final Answer:
Among the given options, the state with the longest coastline is Andhra Pradesh.