Such is the influence of India in NEpal, Bhutan and BD. Indian officials claim that China is continuing its build-up along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the de facto border between India and China in the Galwan Valley of eastern Ladakh region. The Siliguri Corridor lies in the Chumbi Valley of Chinese-held Tibetan Autonomous Region that is contiguous to the Indian States of Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. The Siliguri corridor, a narrow passage to India’s eight north-eastern (NE) states, is a perennial threat to our security. Communist forces overran Saigon on 30 April 1975, marking the end of the Republic of Vietnam.On 2 July 1976, the Provisional Strategically, the Siliguri corridor is the Achilles heel in the defence of almost 2000 kilometres of borders with China and Myanmar. If Chinese forces can exert influence over the “Chicken’s Neck” from Yadong, then China can cut off India’s access to the North East completely in times of war or disputes,” a source familiar of these developments told Zee News. Compounding matters is their much-touted collusion, manifesting in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). “If China was to increase its influence over the region , it would allow Chinese forces to access the Siliguri Corridor, known as the “Chicken’s Neck”. The corridor is heavily defended, besides Indian army, the corridor is defended and patrolled by the Assam Rifles, the Border Security Force and the West Bengal Police. Sky Map, China’s authority on digital maps, has issued an updated version of its official map in which China includes parts of Arunachal Pradesh within its international boundaries. Not all migrants will be vocal about racism, but what is not recorded by polls might still register in a secret ballot. Strategically, the Siliguri corridor is the Achilles heel in the defence of almost 2000 kilometres of borders with China and Myanmar. The deployment of artillery, missiles or anti-aircraft weaponry could further jeopardise India’s efforts to resupply the region in case of war. Wedged between Bangladesh to the south and the west and China to the north, the Siliguri Corridor also links India to neighbouring Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan. From the very beginning, the relationship between these two new states was marked by hostilities and confrontations. The result was the Doklam Standoff between India and China in 2017. It has complicated demography with just 20 odd km width and is the only terrestrial link to seven states of NE, Sikkim and Bhutan. U are in no position to take sides nor ur ilkes run the show. ... (Punjab border) to the defence of the corridor. Published China poses a huge threat to India as it is building a road in the location which makes it easier for China to reach the Chicken Neck or the Siliguri corridor of India and can make attempts to isolate northeastern parts of India." The city of Siliguri, in the state of West Bengal, is the major settlement in this area and the central node that connects Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sikkim, Darjeeling hills, Northeast India and the rest of India. The fact that Bhutan lies to the east of the northern limits of the Siliguri corridor creates a dicey situation for India. In addition to this, the road being constructed by China in the Doklam plateau will ensure that in a conflict it will block the Siliguri Corridor and cut off the North East. The Kingdom of Sikkim formerly lay on the northern … Lowy Institute, Lachung, in India’s Sikkim state, near the border of Tibet (Getty Images). Even BNP now is playing to India's tunes. India cannot afford to allow any Chinese presence inside the narrow corridor for … It is located on the banks of the Mahananda River at the foothills of the Himalayas. With China continuing road and airstrip construction activities on its side of the border, the threat to the Chicken’s Neck is a constant one, as the infrastructure could allow China to mobilise rapidly in the region. So shut the F up. Arunachal Pradesh was part of British India in 1913–14. [1][2] This gave India a buffer to the north of the Siliguri Corridor and consolidated India's control over the western side of the Chinese Chumbi Valley. expert commentary on the latest international The Chinese presence in Arunachal Pradesh certainly stirs the anxiety of India's defence establishment. Siliguri Corridor. This situation arose during the war between India and China in 1962.[4]. The Siliguri Corridor, with these road and village constructions, has become closer for China through occupied Tibet and now Bhutan. The region, he pointed out, is important as back in 1967, Indian and Chinese forces had exchanged fire on the border in Sikkim — that was merged as an Indian state in 1975 — and heavy casualties had been reported on both the sides at Nathu-la. This would also lead to the cutting off of three primary military formations and their units, drastically reducing the supply of equipment and reinforcements to them. Although the agreement significantly reduced the tensions in the India-Bhutan-China region, China’s attempts to seize de facto control continued. The 60-kilometre long and 22-kilometre wide Siliguri Corridor in the Indian state of West Bengal, also known as the “Chicken’s Neck”, connects India’s north-eastern states with the rest of the country. It’s no less important for Bhutan either, representing a main supply route into the country. The partition of India occurred as a result of hostility between the Indian National Congress and the Muslim League. Read what actually happened in 1971 in Bangladesh Defense Forum pinned site. This thin stretch of land-- also referred to as “Chicken’s Neck”, is extremely It is through the dagger-like formation of the Chumbi Valley that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army can launch an operation to block the Siliguri Corridor and thus delink the whole of the North-east from the rest of India in one massive swipe. Militarily, the Siliguri Corridor through its road and railway networks, also logistically feeds the Indian formations located in the north eastern theatre which includes III and IV Corps (45000 men in each corps) to take care of the Chinese border in the north and Myanmar and Bangladesh borders in the east and south-west respectively. Lowy Institute, © Copyright 2021 It borders four countries and has seen Gorkhaland and Kamatapur separatist movements. The Siliguri Corridor is strategically important and highly sensitive territory, as it remains the only bridge between the eight north-eastern states of India and the rest of the country. The corridor is approximately 33 km wide on the eastern end and 21 km on the western flank1. (Col Vinayak Bhat (Retd) is a consultant for India Today. The Kingdom of Sikkim formerly lay on the northern side of the corridor, until its merging with India in 1975. ... Pipavav Defence Systems, … The Siliguri Corridor is a narrow stretch of land of about 22 km width, located in West Bengal, that connects India’s northeastern states to the rest of India, with the countries of Bangladesh and Nepal lying on either side of the corridor. Beside, the 75-kilometre long track will also help better integrate the rest of the country with the Siliguri corridor, also known as the 'Chicken's Neck.' 1971 was a tragedy only for West Pakistan, the East celebrated it as a victory, thoughtless at that time that the real victor was only India. About 50 million people in north-east India would be separated from the country. The formation of East Bengal created a geographical barrier to the northeastern part of India. The Siliguri Corridor is a gateway to Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh and north east India. What is the width of siliguri corridor or chickens neck. The Doklam area is on the tri-junction of India, China and Bhutan. Lowy Institute. Delhi’s strategic nightmare Like most of the borders in South Asia, the Siliguri Corridor, also known as the Chicken’s Neck, is a cartographic relic of the British decolonization process. China has reportedly increased its military activity with a concentration of soldiers, military vehicles, earth-moving machinery and new structures, including near the same point where Indian and Chinese troops clashed on the night of 15 June and India lost 20 soldiers. [3] Between Sikkim and Bhutan lies the Chumbi Valley, a dagger-like slice of Tibetan territory. Ltd, New Delhi, 1982, p-126, Partha S. Ghosh, "Cooperation and Conflict in South Asia", UPL, Dhaka, 1989, p-43, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Central Organization for Railway Electrification, Revolutionary movement for Indian independence, List of West Bengal districts ranked by literacy rate, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Siliguri_Corridor&oldid=1000701623, All Wikipedia articles written in Indian English, Wikipedia articles in need of updating from December 2019, All Wikipedia articles in need of updating, Articles needing additional references from January 2021, All articles needing additional references, Wikipedia articles in need of updating from August 2017, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2017, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 16 January 2021, at 08:11. The Siliguri Corridor in north-eastern India poses a major defence challenge. New Delhi is now facing China’s ire over its infrastructure projects along the LAC and struggling to resolve issues with Beijing. For its part, the Indian army has also also declared it is fully prepared to respond to any provocation by China along the LAC. Please update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. The Siliguri Corridor is heavily patrolled by the Indian Army, the Assam Rifles (the oldest paramilitary force of India), the Border Security Force (BSF) and the West Bengal Police. The corridor is the only route through which security forces can move to Sikkim and Northeast,” said a retired army officer based in Siliguri. What is the width of siliguri corridor or chickens neck. Distance and Situation: It is a narrow passage with an Achilles Hill which is the point of defense of Siliguri Corridor of the almost 1,000-kilometer border in the North Eastern States with China and Myanmar which is the prime target of the enemy for confrontation. With China continuing road and airstrip construction activities on its side of the border, the threat to the Chicken’s Neck is a constant one, as the infrastructure could allow China to mobilise rapidly in the region. around the world. 15 Jul 2020 11:30, In beef over barley, Chinese economic coercion cuts against the grain, Decolonise Diego Garcia: Why America should not fear Mauritius, India-Australia strategic convergence … with differences, Migration and border policy links: UK Supreme Court ruling, FIFA foul, India visa reform and more, Indian migrants in Australia find political voice. This week's links also include the Australian government's settlement deal with asylum seekers and airlines' role in fighting human trafficking. It is in the Chumbi Valley, therefore, that the defence of the strategically critical corridor lies. The PLA is reportedly patrolling in India’s north-eastern states, including Arunachal Pradesh, posing a threat to India at perhaps its most vulnerable point, even amid escalating tensions on the China-India border in the Himalayas. With China continuing road and airstrip construction activities on its side of the border, the threat to the Chicken’s Neck is a constant one, as the infrastructure could allow China to mobilise rapidly in the region. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman (Photo: PTI) ... Pakyong airport is located nearby the strategic Chumbi Valley in Tibet, the Siliguri Corridor …and Doklam. That's a nice way to console yourself. The China-India border has actually three sections: the western sector between Ladakh and the Chinese-held Aksai Chin, the central sector and the eastern sector dividing Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh states from Tibet. With such a twist, China could change the entire status quo along the LAC and put India under even greater pressure. By an advance of just 130 kilometres, the Chinese military could cut off Bhutan, west Bengal and the north-eastern states of India. This narrow passage makes defence a serious challenge. It was formally included in India in 1938, when the McMahon Line was established as the border between India and Tibet. Siliguri (Bengali: [ˈʃiliguɽi] ()) is a city which spans areas of the Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts in the Indian state of West Bengal.Known as The Gateway of Northeast India, Siliguri is popular for three Ts - tea, timber and tourism. It has been depicted as part of Bhutan in the Bhutanese maps since 1961, but it is also claimed by China. events, published daily by the The ‘Siliguri Corridor’ has today become one of the most porous border regions in the world, and Pakistan’s ISI has used this to operate its agents freely. A quirk of South Asian political geography has made it quite challenging for New Delhi to effectively integrate the North-Eastern states: the Siliguri Corridor. As a sensitive area amidst three countries, the strip is heavily patrolled by the Indian Army, the Assam Rifles, the Border Security Force and the West Bengal Police. Doklam (in Standard Bhutanese), Zhoglam (in Standard Tibetan), or Donglang (pinyin, Chinese: 洞朗), is an area with a plateau and a valley, lying between China's Chumbi Valley to the north, Bhutan's Ha Valley to the east and India's Sikkim state's Nathang Valley to the west. What happened in the Galwan Valley and Ladakh on 15 June has received much attention, but what India needs to worry about is saving its Chicken’s Neck from China. [5], Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}26°35′N 88°15′E / 26.583°N 88.250°E / 26.583; 88.250, For the "Chicken's Neck" between northern India and Pakistan, see. 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. Stay informed with the latest commentary and analysis on Aren't you guys meant to come to the rescue and aid of india in case if war against China or anyone else? Additionally, the old metre gauge line (recently converted to a 1.676 metres (5 ft 6.0 in) broad-gauge line) connects Siliguri Junction with Islampur in 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. The Chumbi Valley is that part of Tibet that lies between Sikkim and Bhutan and is proximate to the Siliguri Corridor. However, the proposal is still in the initial stages of negotiation. The Siliguri Corridor is in a highly disadvantageous position in geo-strategic and security terms due to its peculiar geographical features. Yet it was the Indian military that liberated you. A quirk of South Asian political geography the Siliguri Corridor has made it quite challenging for New Delhi to effectively integrate the Northeastern states. The Siliguri Corridor, also known as the Chicken's Neck, is a narrow stretch of land of about 22 kilometres width, located in the Indian state of West Bengal, that connects India's northeastern states to the rest of India, with the countries of Nepal and Bangladesh lying on either side of the corridor. For India, any Chinese move to encroach further south in the Doklam plateau region would place it perilously close to the narrow and potentially vulnerable Siliguri corridor, the narrow sliver of land which links India’s north-eastern states with the rest of the country. 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"[citation needed]. The Kingdom of Bhutan lies on the northern side of the corridor. The Siliguri Corridor is an especially important and sensitive territory for India, formed by the creation of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) in 1948. Strategically, it is the Achilles heel in the defence of almost 2,000 km of borders in the NE states with China and Myanmar. New satellite imagery supports the claim that not only is the People’s Liberation Army holding ground in Galwan Valley, but has also shored up its positions in the area. RAW has penetrated every govt agency in ur country, like it or not. The narrow Siliguri Corridor, which at one point is less than 27 kilometres (17 mi) wide, remained as the only bridge between the northeastern part of India and the rest of the country. This piece of land is about 60 km in length but a meagre 22 km in width at its narrowest point. But India may have a bigger concern on its hands. National Highway 10 connects Siliguri to Guwahati in Assam, which is the most critical highway in the region, owing to insurgents operating in the vicinity. The Kingdom of Bhutan lies on the northern side of the corridor. So what exactly happened in 1971, you tell me. The predominantly Buddhist Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh shares a 3488-kilometre border with China, which continues to claim the state as a part of Tibet, which China occupied in 1951. Indians liberated or looted Bangladesh is the question, which you still continue to do. The Siliguri Corridor, also known as the Chicken's Neck, is a narrow stretch of land of about 22 kilometres (14 mi) width, located in the Indian state of West Bengal, that connects India's northeastern states to the rest of India, with the countries of Nepal and Bangladesh lying on either side of the corridor. The use of Bhutanese territory for the defence of the corridor will attract Chinese punitive action against Bhutan. The route has a major broad gauge railway line. The North Bengal Frontier BSF is headquartered at Kadamtala, while one of the five Frontier Headquarters of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) is located in Siliguri. India has embarked on a slew of projects, such as construction of India-China Border Roads and Advance Landing Ground (AGLs), Northeastern India connectivity and Look-East transnational connectivity projects to create multiple alternatives to Silliguri corridor, including through Bangladesh and sea, to mitigate the risk of being cut off. 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