Indeed, geography plays an important role in the security and well-being of a country. Over the past three years or so, as the world has witnessed many unexpected geopolitical destruction and dynamic conflicts, war and war situations can emerge anywhere without warning or any reason. India’s famous Siliguri Corridor (also known as “chicken neck”) is a major geographical strategic point for India’s vulnerability.
The Siliguri corridor is part of the surrounding Siliguri, West Bengal, India. It is about 170 kilometers long and has a width of 60 kilometers, and the narrowest part is only 20-22 kilometers. Overall, its area is 12,200 square kilometers. Its strategic significance is that this narrow corridor joins the northeast along with eight states in other parts of India. The states of Nepal and Bangladesh are located on each side of the Siliguri Corridor, the former lying in its west, east and south of Bangladesh, and the Kingdom of Bhutan is located at the northern end of the corridor. Importantly, it is the only land link between our Northeast and the rest of the country.
The importance of the Siliguri Corridor is multifaceted, including military, economic, social, external and internal security challenges. Many strategic analysts believe that New Delhi has overlooked the overall importance of the region since its independence and that after Doklam’s stalemate with China in 2017, more resources have been made to improve its connectivity and develop some of the basic infrastructure in the corridor.
The military significance of the chicken neck area emerges due to its similarity to our international borders with China, Nepal and Bangladesh. Furthermore, its narrowness makes it susceptible to blockages in many directions, which may cut off the direct link between the mainland of India and the northeast states, thus affecting the country economically and militarily. Its key strategic impact has been multiplied by multiple schools, attributed to the government change in Bangladesh last year, where the assumption of control is rising with the removal of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the strike against India-friendly, and the Nobel Nobel wins Nobel Nobel wins Nobel’s Nobel’s caretaker’s caretaker, whose assumptions are rising.
Military, as India’s northern and eastern borders become restless, the strategic significance of the Siliguri Corridor and its vulnerability became crucial. This is a key link to the defense, mobility and logistical support deployed by Indian troops in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, in addition to the strengthening of security forces anywhere in the Northeast. As China attempts to expand the wide map of Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and recently in Bangladesh, the key points of chicken necks are doubled. The region and Bangladesh chief adviser Muhammad Yunus recently said irresponsible that India’s northeastern state was “inland” and described Bangladesh as their “guardian of the ocean”. This provocative statement has aroused large-scale condemnation in India and cannot be ignored.
In addition to the external challenges faced by anti-Indian countries, the internal challenges in the region also enhance the strategic significance of the Siliguri Corridor. With more than 400 tribes in the northeast, some of the rebellious costumes are still supported by Service Intelligence (ISI) in China and Pakistan, and credible internal security challenges in the region remain. With the rise of extremist groups in Bangladesh, Muslims and Rohingya settled along the Indian Nirpo border, security threats to the Silichri Corridor have increased. In the past few years, a large number of mosques and Madrasas have been close to the Siliguri Corridor. It is obvious that ISI will activate its existing “sleeping cells” to cause pranks in or near the corridor.
India’s intelligence agencies will have to pay strict attention to ISI activities in Bangladesh and Nepal. Indian defense planners must also seriously consider China’s role after Dhaka’s demise of Sheikh Hasina. As observed during the 2017 Doklam standoff, China’s threat remains an indelible reminder of its future cunning intentions. China has been expanding its military infrastructure near the Indian-Batana-China Tri junction, which poses a threat to the Siliguri Corridor. But especially after the Doklam deadlock, India has greatly improved its security preparations. According to reliable and well-positioned media reports, India has deployed enough state-of-the-art weapons systems, including S-400 air defense units, tanks, units, units and paramilitary units, making the Siliguri corridor a stable line of defense. General Anil Johan, chief of defense staff of India, recently visited North Bangladesh to review Inda’s operational preparations and be confident in its capabilities to enable it to prevent any mischief from China or the China-Bangladesh United.
This is a long-awaited step and the government is now rapidly developing alternative connection routes to reduce reliance on the Siliguri Corridor. The Bogibeel Bridge in Assam, the Karadando model project connected through the Myanmar and the Agatara-Akhola railway will bring great benefits to India in the region. It is also planned to be through the underground connectivity link in the Siliguri corridor.
On the political and diplomatic level, India must make it clear to Bangladesh and even Nepal that reciprocity is a sign of neighboring diplomacy. We fully respect their sovereignty and do not covet an inch of their territory. But if they insist on falling into the well-known “debt trap” of China, it is their choice, but the country will not tolerate any anti-Indian activities from their side.
The next few months will be a real test of India’s diplomacy and its determination to retain national interests. Let’s start the occasion.
The writer is a retired lieutenant, the first person in charge of the Indian defense intelligence agency, and a strategic analyst
