 "While China hasn’t yet stationed any fighter jets in India’s eastern neighbourhood, even the idea of such a move is raising concerns. Source: Reuters")
The Indian government is reportedly studying China’s plans to build an airfield in Bangladesh’s Lalmonirhat district. The region lies close to India’s Chicken Neck area, raising alarm and suspicion in New Delhi as a Chinese presence here could threaten India’s security interests, Economic Times reported.
According to the report, the plan may have been discussed during the visit of Bangladesh interim regime’s chief adviser Muhammad Yunus to China a few days back. However, there was no mention of such a project in official documents released by the two sides.
Why is India alarmed?
India is sensitive towards security-related developments around West Bengal state’s Chicken Neck area, a narrow strip of land that connects India’s northeast states to the mainland.
Bangladesh’s Lalmonirhat is located closer to Jalpaiguri and Coachbehar districts of West Bengal.
The Indian Army maintains a strong presence around the Chicken Neck area, which also lies close to the borders of Nepal and Bhutan.
Risks of a Chinese presence in the area
While China hasn’t yet stationed any fighter jets in India’s eastern neighbourhood, even the idea of such a move is raising concerns.
Experts who closely follow Bangladesh say if this happens, it could pose serious security risks for India — especially for the entire northeast region, including Sikkim and West Bengal, which would suddenly become much more exposed.
Another security concern for India is that Dhaka is growing closer to New Delhi’s arch-rival Pakistan under Yunus’s watch.
According to reports, Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is expected to visit Bangladesh from April 24. Pakistan foreign secretary Amna Baloch will also travel to the country from April 17, indicating eagerness from both sides to deepen their ties. Notably, this will be first ministerial visit from Pakistan to Dhaka in the last 13 years. Both governments are expected to sign several agreements during the visit.
Impact Shorts
View AllIndia’s plans to counter rising threat from China, Bangladesh
According to a Times of India report, India is scheduled to soon commission a strategically important naval base along the coastline of Andhra Pradesh state, which lies just 50km south of the Eastern Naval Command headquarters in Visakhapatnam.
The naval base, located near the village of Rambilli, will reportedly host India’s growing fleet of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs).
The base will be commissioned next year and then expanded and upgraded in coming years, the TOI quoted a senior defence official as saying.