Siliguri Corridor

The Siliguri Corridor, often dubbed the "Chicken's Neck", is a stretch of land around the city of Siliguri in West Bengal, India. at the narrowest section, this geopolitical and geoeconomical corridor connects the seven states of northeast India to the rest of India. The countries of Nepal and Bangladesh lie on each side of the corridor and the Kingdom of Bhutan lies at the northern end of the corridor. The Kingdom of Sikkim formerly lay on the northern side of the corridor, until its merger with India in 1975.

The city of Siliguri is the major city in the area and the central transfer point connecting Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sikkim, Darjeeling, Northeast India and mainland India. According to the Indian Army, the Siliguri Corridor is the Army's strongest defensive line.

History

The partition of India led to the formation of the Siliguri Corridor through the creation of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) after the partition of Bengal (into East Bengal and West Bengal) in 1947–1948.

The Kingdom of Sikkim formerly lay on the northern side of the corridor, until its union with India in 1975 via a publicly held referendum. From Sikkim, India consolidated its control of the Chumbi Valley, along with Bhutan.

Location and dimensions

The dimensions of the corridor are a matter of interpretation. Descriptions give it an area of with the narrowest section being . Kamal Jit Singh places the length at with a width of , giving it an area of approximately .
Another description places its dimensions as approximately in length and wide, also giving it an area of approximately .

The corridor is located between Bangladesh to the southwest, Nepal on the northwest, and Bhutan to the north. Between Sikkim and Bhutan lies the Chumbi Valley Tibetan territory.Partha S. Ghosh, "Cooperation and Conflict in South Asia", UPL, Dhaka, 1989, p-43 The southern end of the Dolam plateau or Doklam tri boundary area slopes into the corridor. At the narrowest stretch, the corridor is generally formed by the Mechi River in the east; Nepal's Bhadrapur lies on the banks of the river. Further north the Mechi Bridge connects Mechinagar.

Developments and strategic significance

Connectivity and Logistics

India has embarked on a slew of projects. These include the construction of India-China Border Roads, where, as of 2024, multiple phases of border roads have been constructed, and Advance Landing Grounds (ALGs), such as the Nyoma Advanced Landing Ground, which is nearing completion as of 2024. Other projects include Northeastern India connectivity and Look-East transnational connectivity projects including BIMSTEC and BBIN to create multiple alternatives to Silliguri corridor, including through Bangladesh and the sea.

All land transportation between the rest of India and its far northeastern states uses this corridor. The route has a major broad gauge railway line. Electrification of this double-track corridor is in progress with assistance from the Central Organization for Railway Electrification (CORE). Additionally, the old metre gauge line (recently converted to a broad-gauge line) connects Siliguri Junction with Islampur in the North Dinajpur district of West Bengal, via Bagdogra (the only airport of national interest in the corridor) and the bordering towns of Adhikari, Galgalia, Thakurganj, Naxalbari and Taiabpur with Nepal. As of 2024, to reduce dependence on the Siliguri Corridor, India is planning to build railway lines through Jogbani in Bihar, which would enter Biratnagar in Nepal and then connect with New Mal Junction in West Bengal. India is also developing railway lines through Bangladesh, which includes constructing new railway tracks and the gauge conversion of existing railway tracks, in order to reduce dependance on the Siliguri Corridor, as of 2024.

As of 2024, there is no free-trade agreement between Bangladesh and India. The Tetulia Corridor, an alternative to the Siliguri Corridor, is proposed under Article VIII of the India–Bangladesh Trade Agreement 1980, which states that "The two governments agree to make mutually beneficial arrangements for the use of their waterways, railways and roadways for commerce between the two countries and for passage of goods between two places in one country through the territory of the other". However, the opening of the Tetulia Corridor is still being discussed politically as of 2019.

Security

India has several forces stationed on the borders, the Indian Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police man the border with China; Sashastra Seema Bal is deployed along the border with Nepal and Bhutan and the Border Security Force for Bangladesh. The strip is also patrolled by the Indian Army, the Assam Rifles, and state police forces including the West Bengal Police. The security threat posed by the corridor decreased following the creation of Bangladesh in 1971. Internal threats to the corridor are numerous. Militant groups known to have used the corridor include the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN).

The threat of a Chinese advance is still considered by Indian planners. A Chinese military advance of less than would cut off Bhutan, part of West Bengal and all of North-East India, an area containing almost 50 million people. This situation arose during the war between India and China in 1962. The security threat to this corridor was heightened during the 2017 Doklam incident. The probability of China cutting off seven states in northeast India has been questioned. The Indian Army has said that the Siliguri Corridor is the Army's strongest defensive line. The Army's Trishakti Corps ( XXXIII Corps) has a strategic role in the region's security. The Siliguri Corridor's security also includes air defense systems, a BrahMos and a squadron of the Indian Air Force's Rafale fighter aircraft based at Hasimara Air Force Station.

In popular culture

Humphrey Hawksley, in his 2000 novel '' Dragon Fire,'' briefly authors a situation where China cuts off India's land route to its northeastern territories. ''Assassin's Mace'' (2011) by Brigadier Bob Butalia also involves such a situation involving Doklam and Jaldhaka River.

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Geography of West Bengal
Darjeeling district
Siliguri
Geopolitical corridors
Bangladesh–India border
Bhutan–India border
India–Nepal border