Ensure northeast alternative routes without coastline
In the intricate geopolitical landscape of southern Asia, few regions have as much strategic vulnerability and national importance as the Siliguri corridor of India. Commonly referred to the “Cuello del del del de del del Espodal”, this narrow strip of earth of 20-22 km wide in northern Bengala is the only land connection between continental India and its eight northwest states. As regional dynamics change, particularly that involves China, Bangladesh and Myanmar, the Siliguri corridor has become a critical concern for Indian security and connectivity strategies.
The strategic importance of the Siliguri corridor
Geographically bets to Nepal to the West, Bután to the North and Bangladesh to the south, the Siliguri corridor is a logistics lifeguard. It provides essential road connectivity, rail and defense to the Northeast, a region that covers approximately 262,230 square kilometers, about 8% of the dough of land of India, and the home of more than 40 million citizens.
This corridor not only supports military mobilization, but also facilitates 95% of the exports of northeast states such as Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Navaland and Arunachal Pradesh. Its interruption: either through the conflict, the blockage or the geopolitical tension, they severely affect access to these states and impact national integrity.
Proximity to China and growing threats
The corridor is uncomfortable near the Chumbi Valley in Tibet, an area where China has quickly expanded its military infrastructure. In case of conflict, this proximity could allow China to cut the corridor, cutting the northeast of the rest of India. The situation reflects the 2017 Doklam confrontation, underlining the need for India to refund its defenses and develop alternative routes.
The challenge is the growing influence of China in neighboring countries. Through infrastructure investments and strategic associations, particularly in Myanmar and Bangladesh, China is slowly remodeling regional balance.
The Renaissance of the Lalmonirhat Air Base: a gray zone threat
One of the most recent and alarming developments is the reactivation proposes of the Lalmonhat Air Base in northern Bangladesh, just 135 km from the Siliguri corridor. Originally built in 1931 and used the duration of World War II, this air base has remained inactive for decades. However, the reports suggest a renewed interest in operationalizing it, with Chinese assistance. The thought framed as an economic initiative, Indian intelligence sees it as a possible monitoring and logistics center for China. If it develops, the Air Base could improve China’s intelligence, surveillance and recognition capabilities near the Indian strategic corridor, which represents a significant threat.
Diplomatic warnings and regional tensions
Assam’s prime minister Biswa Sarma recently issued a marked warning, noting that “India has a chicken neck, but Bangladesh has two.” His comment was a punctual reminder that there are territorial vulnerabilities on both sides, and any attempt to exploit the Indian corridor could cause countermeasures. Concerns are also increasing about Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, which seems to be closer and closer to Chinese strategic interests. Such change could further complicate India’s efforts to ensure its northeast connectivity.
The need for alternative connectivity
Given the growing risks, India must diversify your access to the Landheast. Trusting only in the Siliguri corridor is no longer viable. Several alternative options are already being explored or proposed:
Hili – Mahendraganj Transnational Corridor
This proposed corridor would connect to Hili (West Bengal) with Mahendraganj (Meghalaya) through Bangladesh, avoiding the Siliguri route completely. An eight -lane highway could be developed, offering India a faster and safer bond to the northeast. In return, Bangladesh could edit the annual traffic rates, similar to $ 13.6 million of China pays Myanmar for its transit of oil and gas pipes.
Tarapokhar – Shakati’s elevated corridor
An alternative approach to avoid Siliguri corridor could create a traffic route between Tarapokhar, located on the western border of Indo-Bangladesh in the UTTAR DINAJPUR District of Western Bengala, and Shakati, located on the eastern border. This proposed corridor would reduce the distance of the travel distance from approximately 131 km to only 20 km, reducing the dependence of Siliguri’s stretching. India could be inspired by the Kartarpur corridor with Pakistan, an initiative that shows that cross -border projects equally high sensitivity are possible when strategic forecast and diplomatic cooperation are promoted.
Underground infrastructure in the Siliguri corridor
In addition to external alternatives, India could also develop underground infrastructure within the Siliguri corridor itself. Subsurface tunnels for roads, railways, public services and communications would reduce exposure to aerial threats and improve safety. There are global precedents: Yamato Japan’s tunnel, which extends 18.2 km under Tokyo, and the Zhongnanshan tunnel of 18 km from China under the Qinling mountains demonstrates the viability of such ambitious projects. Similar innovations in Siliguri could safeguard this critical link while guaranteeing continuous access, including hostilities.
Kaladan multimodal traffic corridor
After the comments of the interim leader of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus, who described the northeast of India as a duration “without coastline” a visit to China, New Delhi responded by imposing resort to exports of Bangladesh and Bangglateratingesh. The center of this strategy is the Multi-Modal Traffic Transit project of Kaladán (KMMTTP), designed to link Kolkata with Mizoram through Myanmar. India has intensified efforts to complete the KMMTTP, whose objective is to provide a more direct route from Kolkata to the northeast states. The project is already partially operational, and the Indian government is now accelerating work in the removal components.
The KMMTTP consists of three main segments: a sea leg of approximately 539 km from the Puerto de Kolkata to the Myanmar Sittwe port; An interior river stretch of approximately 158 km along the Kaladan River from Sittwe to Paletwa; and a 110 km path from Paletwa to Zorinpui in India – Border de Myanmar. From Zorinpui, the route connects to Mizoram and integrates with the existing road infrastructure of India in the northeast.
A strategic imperative
The Siliguri corridor is more than a simple passage: it is a strategic lifeguard that supports the regional unity and stability of India. With the growing threats of the expanding presence of China in southern Asia and the possible mood vulnerabilities of neighboring states, India must act decisively.
Building alternative corridors through Bangladesh and Myanmar, reinforce the existing with advanced infrastructure and maintain diplomatic leverage in regional transit routes are no longer optional, they are imperative. Protecting the Siliguri corridor and guaranteeing uninterrupted access to Northeast is not only a matter of regional development, but of national survival and strategic forecast.