Source: TH
Subject:
Context: The Indian Army has established three new garrisons near the Siliguri Corridor—at Dhubri (Assam), Kishanganj (Bihar) and Chopra (West Bengal)—to strengthen surveillance and operational readiness.
About Siliguri Corridor:
What is the Siliguri Corridor?
- The Siliguri Corridor—popularly called the “Chicken’s Neck”—is a narrow land strip in northern West Bengal that connects mainland India to the eight Northeastern States.
Location:
- Situated near Siliguri city in northern West Bengal.
- Flanked by Nepal (west), Bangladesh (south), Bhutan (north), and close to the Chumbi Valley (China–Bhutan–India tri-junction).
- Narrowest width: 20–22 km, making it one of the world’s most sensitive strategic bottlenecks.
Historical Background:
- Formed after the Partition of India (1947–48), when East Bengal became East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).
- Strategic relevance increased after Sikkim’s merger with India in 1975, giving India greater hold over the northern Himalayan approaches.
- Vulnerability became evident during the 1962 Sino-Indian War and again during the 2017 Doklam standoff.
Key Features:
- Major railway, road, and air links to the Northeast pass through this strip.
- Houses military facilities, supply lines, and critical civilian infrastructure.
- Includes Bagdogra Airport, a key IAF base and civilian aviation hub.
- Forms a transit point connecting Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sikkim, and Northeast India.
- Defended by the Tri-Shakti Corps, BrahMos regiments, and Rafale squadrons at Hasimara.
Strategic Importance:
- A potential target in geopolitical crises—any blockade could isolate the entire region.
- Close to the Doklam Plateau, where China has rapidly built border infrastructure.
- Increasing influence of China in Bangladesh and Nepal has heightened security sensitivities.
- Acts as India’s eastern military buffer, enabling rapid troop movement towards LAC in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
