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Economic Times
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Economic Times
A chicken with two necks: India's strategic counter to Bangladesh
The strategic fragility of the Siliguri Corridor Live Events You Might Also Like: India sends a billion-dollar message to Bangladesh India's counter to the threat to the Chicken's Neck (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel India's eastern borders are in ferment with Bangladesh aligning with India's adversaries China and Pakistan. The spotlight has fallen on a key vulnerability, the Siliguri corridor , a thin strip of land called "Chicken's Neck" which connects India to seven northeastern states as well as Sikkim. Anti-India elements within the country and Bangladesh have long dreamed of cutting the chicken's neck to sever the northeastern states from India. With Bangladesh's strengthening ties with China, the risk to the Chicken's Neck has grown.A few weeks ago, ALM Fazlur Rahman, a retired major general and an adviser to Bangladesh's interim government, kicked up a storm with his Facebook post after the Pahalgam terror attack when India was planning to attack terror infrastructure in Pakistan. 'If India attacks Pakistan, Bangladesh should occupy seven states of North East India. In this regard, I think it is necessary to start a discussion on a joint military system with China," he wrote in the Bangladesh government distanced itself from his remarks, they indicated a developing threat for India on its eastern border. Before him, Bangladesh interim government chief Muhammad Yunus made a controversial remark after his visit to Beijing, issuing a veiled threat about India's tenuous land link with its northeastern chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday delivered a stern warning to Bangladesh to keep its eyes off the Siliguri Corridor. "They (Bangladesh) have two 'Chicken Necks', India has one. If they attack ours, we will attack their two chicken necks," Sarma Siliguri Corridor, referred to as the Chicken's Neck, is arguably one of India's most critical geopolitical vulnerabilities. Just about 22 kilometers wide at its narrowest point, this slender strip of land connects mainland India to its eight northeastern states, threading between Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh. Its importance cannot be overstated—it is the lifeline for nearly 45 million people in India's northeast, the transit route for military logistics, and a key axis of national integration. Recent political developments, including Bangladesh's shifting allegiances, increased Chinese activity near India's borders, and rising radical sentiments in the region, have reignited concerns about the corridor's long-term years ago, Sharjeel Imam, a PhD scholar at Jawaharlal Nehru University, had asked people during the stir against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act to indulge in unlawful activities and block the Chicken's Neck to isolate northeastern states from the rest of India, hinting at a larger conspiracy against the integrity of the expanding military infrastructure near the India-Bhutan-China tri-junction has further heightened tensions in the region. The 2017 Doklam standoff underscored the corridor's vulnerability, prompting India to ramp up its defenses. The presence of a single railway line through the corridor as the primary supply route remains a strategic concern, as it could be a target in case of hostilities. China's aggressive posture, including its plans to develop the Lalmonirhat airport in Bangladesh near the Siliguri Corridor, magnifies the threat. This would enable Beijing to potentially exert soft and hard influence over the region, if not directly threaten the corridor strategy of encircling India has long been recognized—whether through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), its deepening ties with Sri Lanka and Nepal, or now, its renewed engagement with Bangladesh. The possible development of Lalmonirhat airport near the Siliguri Corridor raises strategic alarm bells in Delhi. While ostensibly a civil aviation project, its dual-use potential for military operations is a coordinated threat ever emerges—say, China exerting pressure from the north and a hostile Bangladesh creating turbulence from the south—India could face an unprecedented dual-front crisis in the Siliguri region. The geographical constraints of the corridor would make rapid military mobilization difficult, while any insurgent or fifth column activity could paralyze logistics and delay response chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's statement on higher vulnerability of Bangladesh's own chicken's necks has brought forth India's strategic options in the region. Sarma said Bangladesh's own chicken's necks are far more vulnerable. "First is the 80 Km North Bangladesh Corridor - from Dakhin Dinajpur to South West Garo Hills. Any disruption here can completely isolate the entire Rangpur division from the rest of Bangladesh," he wrote on X. "Second is the 28 km Chittagong Corridor , from South Tripura till the Bay of Bengal. This corridor, smaller than India's chicken neck, is the only link between Bangladesh's economic capital and political capital. I am only presenting geographical facts that some may tend to forget."Chittagong Port, which handles most of Bangladesh's imports and exports, is connected to the country with the second chicken's neck Sarma mentioned. Sarma's statement is not just rhetorical. It is a reminder that India, too, has strategic options. A show of strength, without overt aggression, could serve as a India is adopting a layered and multi-pronged approach to secure its eastern flank -- hardening the Siliguri Corridor with infrastructure upgrades, widening highways, building parallel rail lines, holding security exercises and putting trade restrictions -- Sarma's comments highlight the hard leverage India enjoys on Bangladesh.(With inputs from TOI)
Time of India
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
A chicken with two necks: India's strategic counter to Bangladesh
India's eastern borders are in ferment with Bangladesh aligning with India's adversaries China and Pakistan. The spotlight has fallen on a key vulnerability, the Siliguri corridor , a thin strip of land called "Chicken's Neck" which connects India to seven northeastern states as well as Sikkim. Anti-India elements within the country and Bangladesh have long dreamed of cutting the chicken's neck to sever the northeastern states from India. With Bangladesh's strengthening ties with China, the risk to the Chicken's Neck has grown. A few weeks ago, ALM Fazlur Rahman, a retired major general and an adviser to Bangladesh's interim government, kicked up a storm with his Facebook post after the Pahalgam terror attack when India was planning to attack terror infrastructure in Pakistan. 'If India attacks Pakistan, Bangladesh should occupy seven states of North East India. In this regard, I think it is necessary to start a discussion on a joint military system with China," he wrote in Bangla. Though the Bangladesh government distanced itself from his remarks, they indicated a developing threat for India on its eastern border. Before him, Bangladesh interim government chief Muhammad Yunus made a controversial remark after his visit to Beijing, issuing a veiled threat about India's tenuous land link with its northeastern states. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Killer New Toyota 4Runner Is Utter Perfection (Take A Look) MorninJoy Undo Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday delivered a stern warning to Bangladesh to keep its eyes off the Siliguri Corridor. "They (Bangladesh) have two 'Chicken Necks', India has one. If they attack ours, we will attack their two chicken necks," Sarma said. The strategic fragility of the Siliguri Corridor Live Events You Might Also Like: If Bangladesh attacks our Chicken's Neck, we will attack its both Chicken's Necks: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma The Siliguri Corridor, referred to as the Chicken's Neck, is arguably one of India's most critical geopolitical vulnerabilities. Just about 22 kilometers wide at its narrowest point, this slender strip of land connects mainland India to its eight northeastern states, threading between Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh. Its importance cannot be overstated—it is the lifeline for nearly 45 million people in India's northeast, the transit route for military logistics, and a key axis of national integration. Recent political developments, including Bangladesh's shifting allegiances, increased Chinese activity near India's borders, and rising radical sentiments in the region, have reignited concerns about the corridor's long-term security. Many years ago, Sharjeel Imam, a PhD scholar at Jawaharlal Nehru University, had asked people during the stir against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act to indulge in unlawful activities and block the Chicken's Neck to isolate northeastern states from the rest of India, hinting at a larger conspiracy against the integrity of the country. China's expanding military infrastructure near the India-Bhutan-China tri-junction has further heightened tensions in the region. The 2017 Doklam standoff underscored the corridor's vulnerability, prompting India to ramp up its defenses. The presence of a single railway line through the corridor as the primary supply route remains a strategic concern, as it could be a target in case of hostilities. China's aggressive posture, including its plans to develop the Lalmonirhat airport in Bangladesh near the Siliguri Corridor, magnifies the threat. This would enable Beijing to potentially exert soft and hard influence over the region, if not directly threaten the corridor itself. China's strategy of encircling India has long been recognized—whether through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), its deepening ties with Sri Lanka and Nepal, or now, its renewed engagement with Bangladesh. The possible development of Lalmonirhat airport near the Siliguri Corridor raises strategic alarm bells in Delhi. While ostensibly a civil aviation project, its dual-use potential for military operations is significant. You Might Also Like: India sends a billion-dollar message to Bangladesh If a coordinated threat ever emerges—say, China exerting pressure from the north and a hostile Bangladesh creating turbulence from the south—India could face an unprecedented dual-front crisis in the Siliguri region. The geographical constraints of the corridor would make rapid military mobilization difficult, while any insurgent or fifth column activity could paralyze logistics and delay response times. India's counter to the threat to the Chicken's Neck Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's statement on higher vulnerability of Bangladesh's own chicken's necks has brought forth India's strategic options in the region. Sarma said Bangladesh's own chicken's necks are far more vulnerable. "First is the 80 Km North Bangladesh Corridor - from Dakhin Dinajpur to South West Garo Hills. Any disruption here can completely isolate the entire Rangpur division from the rest of Bangladesh," he wrote on X. "Second is the 28 km Chittagong Corridor , from South Tripura till the Bay of Bengal. This corridor, smaller than India's chicken neck, is the only link between Bangladesh's economic capital and political capital. I am only presenting geographical facts that some may tend to forget." Chittagong Port, which handles most of Bangladesh's imports and exports, is connected to the country with the second chicken's neck Sarma mentioned. Sarma's statement is not just rhetorical. It is a reminder that India, too, has strategic options. A show of strength, without overt aggression, could serve as a deterrent. While India is adopting a layered and multi-pronged approach to secure its eastern flank -- hardening the Siliguri Corridor with infrastructure upgrades, widening highways, building parallel rail lines, holding security exercises and putting trade restrictions -- Sarma's comments highlight the hard leverage India enjoys on Bangladesh. You Might Also Like: Dragon's shadow near Siliguri? China aids revival of WW2-era Bangladeshi airbase near India's 'Chicken's Neck'
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
India sends a billion-dollar message to Bangladesh
A few weeks ago, ALM Fazlur Rahman, a retired major general and an adviser to Bangladesh's interim government, kicked up a storm with his Facebook post after the Pahalgam terror attack when India was planning to attack terror infrastructure in Pakistan. 'If India attacks Pakistan , Bangladesh should occupy seven states of North East India. In this regard, I think it is necessary to start a discussion on a joint military system with China," he wrote in Bangla. Though the Bangladesh government distanced itself from his remarks, they indicated a developing threat for India on its eastern border. Hostile and unstable, Bangladesh is emerging as a threat to peace in India's northeast. Ever since toppling of the Sheikh Hasina government last year, Bangladesh has adopted an inimical posture towards India as hardliners took control of the country, attacking Hindu minority and members of Hasina's party which has recently been banned. Threat to India 's northeastern states Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Bangladesh's interim government chief adviser, Muhammad Yunus, while he was on a four-day visit to China in March, invited Beijing to make an "extension" in the region while mentioning that the seven northeastern states of India remain landlocked. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Ranger Sees Strange Creature On Riverbank. He Says, 'Oh My God,' When He Realizes What It Really Is Cleverst Undo Yunus encouraged the Chinese government to establish an economic base in Bangladesh, emphasising that Dhaka is the "sole guardian of the ocean" in the region. "Seven states of India, eastern part of India, called seven sisters ... they are landlocked country, landlocked region of India. They have no way to reach out to the ocean," Yunus said in the video. "We are the only guardian of the ocean for all this region. So this opens up a huge possibility. So this could be an extension of the Chinese economy. Build things, produce things, market things, bring things to China, bring it out to the whole rest of the world," Yunus said. The remark drew concern in India, particularly given China's persistent territorial claims over Arunachal Pradesh, which it refers to as 'South Tibet' in official maps, and its continued practice of unilaterally renaming locations in the state. Live Events The indication by Yunus of Bangladesh welcoming Chinese influence in India's northeast assumed gravity with the news that China may assist Bangladesh in reviving a World War II-era airbase at Lalmonirhat in Rangpur Division, located just 12-15 km from the Indian border. Some Chinese officials recently visited the site, as per a TOI report. The airfield, currently under the control of the Bangladesh Air Force, has remained inactive for decades. Dhaka is reportedly seeking Beijing's support to bring it back into operation. The airbase is located 135 km from the Siliguri Corridor, also known as the 'Chicken's Neck' – India's narrow land link to its northeastern states. While it remains unclear whether the revived airfield would serve civilian or military purposes, any potential Chinese presence so close to the India-Bangladesh border could heighten the strategic vulnerability of the corridor. China's interest in Lalmonirhat is understandable given its proximity to the Siliguri corridor, a critical chokepoint just 22 km wide at its narrowest point that has long been a strategic vulnerability for India. It connects eight NE states – Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura – to the rest of the country. Squeezed between Nepal and Bangladesh, and with Bhutan and China just a few hundred kilometers away, the Siliguri Corridor is a critical lifeline for both civilian transit and military logistics in India. India's answer to Bangladesh threats India decided to place restrictions on Bangladeshi products being exported to North-East India after several comments made by the interim regime including by Yunus that it can choke the prosperity of NE states by denying them access to the Bay of Bengal. The move is expected to disrupt Bangladesh's garment industry, raising costs and limiting market access, while creating new opportunities for Indian manufacturers. Besides this immediate response to Yunus' ill-conceived comments, India has sent a billions-dollar message to Bangladesh on India's northeastern states. Yesterday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised the government's focus on the northeastern states. Speaking at the inaugural session of ' Rising North East Investor Summit ', PM Modi junked the notion that geography could be a deterrent for NorthEast's growth. He positioned the region at the heart of India's Act East Policy, and said that "the NorthEast will become a strong bridge and gateway for Asean trade". Adani Group, Reliance Industries , and Vedanta announced at the Summit that they plan to invest an additional Rs 30,000-Rs 50,000 crore (approximately $4 billion to $6 billion) each in northeast India. Speaking at the event, Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director, said Reliance Industries has committed to investing Rs 45,000 crore more in the Northeast. "Reliance has invested around Rs 30,000 crore in the region in the past 40 years," he said, adding, "In the next five years, we will more than double our investments, with our target at Rs 75,000 crore".RIL's investments will cover telecom, retail, renewable energy, biofuel, healthcare, and sports infrastructure across all eight Northeastern states. Gautam Adani-led Adani Group pledged a Rs 1 lakh crore investment commitment for Assam and the broader Northeast region over the next decade. Adani said the group's investment will focus on green energy, power transmission, roads, digital infrastructure, logistics, and human capital development. The commitment doubles the Rs 50,000 crore investment announced by the Adani Group just three months ago at the Advantage Assam 2.0 summit. Natural resources major Vedanta announced a Rs 80,000 crore investment in the region, including Rs 50,000 crore in Assam that it had announced earlier this year. These investments will be made in oil & gas, critical minerals, refining facilities, power, optical fibre, system integration, renewable energy, transmission sectors and data centres in six northeastern states. The investment is expected to generate 100,000 jobs.
Time of India
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Will Kaladan restore what Dhaka may take away?
Bangladesh's Yunus-led interim govt once again triggered controversy last week when one of its advisers, ALM Fazlur Rahman, suggested on his social media account that if India attacks Pakistan (after the Pahalgam terror), Bangladesh should occupy India's Northeast through a joint military arrangement with China. Read full story on TOI+ Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
India.com
04-05-2025
- Politics
- India.com
BCCI to take decision on Asia Cup 2025 soon amid India-Pakistan border tension after Pahalgam terrorist attack
BCCI to take decision on Asia Cup 2025 soon amid India-Pakistan border tension after Pahalgam terrorist attack New Delhi: The BCCI is deciding whether India will host the 2025 Asia Cup. Following a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, bilateral cricket series with Pakistan have been ruled out by the BCCI. While India and Sri Lanka are slated to host the tournament, the BCCI's final decision is pending. A source close to the situation stated that a decision regarding India's participation in the Asia Cup will be made later, after careful consideration of all relevant factors. While the current circumstances are acknowledged, a definitive announcement requires further time. An official, when questioned about a potential India-Pakistan match in the Asia Cup, responded that the matter requires further discussion and a decision has yet to be made. An official, when questioned about a potential India-Pakistan match in the Asia Cup, responded with uncertainty, stating the need for further discussion before a decision could be made. A retired Bangladeshi military officer made a controversial claim that Bangladesh would ally with China to seize Indian territory in northeast India should India respond to a terrorist attack in Pahalgam by attacking Pakistan. Retired Major General ALM Fazlur Rahman proposed on Facebook that Bangladesh should consider seizing seven northeastern Indian states if India were to attack Pakistan. He further suggested exploring a joint military alliance with China. Bangladesh's foreign ministry issued a statement publicly disavowing Rahman's remarks. The Bangladeshi government issued a statement disavowing any connection between its policies and the comments in question. The government explicitly stated it neither endorses nor supports the views expressed. A source reports that the board has not yet decided on whether to proceed with the tour of Bangladesh. A source stated that they are monitoring the situation surrounding India's tour of Bangladesh.
