India has established three new active military bases near the India-Bangladesh border.

The region, known as the Siliguri Corridor or ‘Chicken’s Neck’, is strategically vital for India. It is believed that this step has been taken to enhance its security.

According to a report by Indian media outlet India Today, the three new bases have been set up in Bamuni near Dhubri on the Assam-Bangladesh border, Kishanganj in Bihar, and Chopda in West Bengal. This initiative is part of a larger plan to strengthen defense along India’s eastern border, aimed at increasing surveillance, addressing tactical gaps, and improving rapid response capabilities.

The 22-kilometer-wide Siliguri Corridor in North Bengal connects India’s mainland with its seven northeastern states. The area is surrounded on all sides by Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and China.

Although many consider the Chicken’s Neck a vulnerable point for India, senior Indian Army officials describe it as the country’s “most fortified defense corridor.”

A senior military source stated: “The Siliguri Corridor is protected by multi-layered security rings. The new bases will further enhance our rapid mobility, logistics, and real-time intelligence integration capabilities.”

Earlier, the Indian Army Chief had remarked: “I do not see the Chicken’s Neck as a weak point. It is our strongest region because all forces stationed in West Bengal, Sikkim, and the Northeast can be converged here.”

It is known that the Trishakti Corps (33 Corps), based in Sukna near Siliguri, oversees the defense of this corridor.

According to India Today, air security over the corridor is ensured by Rafale fighter jets deployed at Hasimara Air Base in West Bengal. Additionally, MiG-series aircraft and a BrahMos missile regiment are also present.

Furthermore, India has established an advanced three-tier air defense system in the region, comprising:
- Russia-supplied S-400 surface-to-air missiles,
- The jointly developed MRSAM system by Israel and DRDO,
- Indigenous Akash missile system.

Together, these provide comprehensive defense coverage against aerial and missile threats from the east and northeast.