Army chief visits crucial Siliguri Corridor - why Chicken's Neck area is critical for India - The Times of India
Indian Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth recently visited key military formations under the Eastern Command, including the Bengdubi Military Station. This station holds immense strategic value as it stands at the northern entrance of the crucial Siliguri Corridor.This vital strip of land separates Nepal from Bangladesh and is less than 20 kilometers wide at its narrowest section.
As the only road and rail link connecting the rest of India to the North East, the corridor is of critical importance to national security.Strengthening infrastructureTo secure this vital land bridge connecting the mainland to Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura, the government is actively ramping up infrastructure.The Railways recently announced plans for a 35-km underground line designed to safeguard military and civilian supplies during conflict or sabotage.The West Bengal government has handed over seven key national highway stretches to central agencies like the NHAI (National Highways Authority of India) and NHIDCL (National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation) for accelerated expansion.Over 120 acres of land have been transferred to the BSF (Border Security Force) and other central agencies to enhance surveillance and facilitate smoother troop movements.Bagdogra Airport and Hasimara Air Force Station heavily bolster the region's logistics and defense.
Notably, Hasimara houses the IAF's 101 Squadron—one of the country's two operational Rafale squadrons.During the visit, the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) was briefed on the prevailing security dynamics, operational deployments, and surveillance architecture within the Eastern Command's area of operations.
General Seth also reviewed ongoing initiatives centered around technology absorption, capability enhancement, and force modernization.As part of the same tour, the COAS visited the Nagaland-based 3 Corps (Spear Corps), where he was briefed on the evolving operational environment, inter-agency coordination, and ongoing measures to enhance combat readiness.During this interaction, General Seth outlined his vision with the clarion call 'VIJAY' — an acronym representing: Vigilance, Innovation, Jointness, Atmanirbharta (Self-reliance), and Yodha First (Warrior First).He emphasised that anchoring the force to these principles will ensure the Indian Army remains agile, adaptive, and future-ready.This marks the second field visit for the Army Chief.
He previously toured forward locations in the Poonch-Rajouri-Sundarbani sector of Jammu & Kashmir, which falls under the jurisdiction of the 16 Corps (White Knight Corps).