China tightening grip on Chicken's Neck using Trishul Niti with Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh; North-East India will..., Beijing will...
The Chicken's Neck Corridor connects India to North-East India and this corridor is only 22 kilometers wide. China is continuously tightening its grip on it. New reports have claimed that China's activities from Eastern Nepal, Southern Bhutan and North-West Bangladesh are tightening its grip on the Chicken Neck Corridor from three sides. That is, an attempt is being made to endanger the integrity of India. What is China doing at Chicken's Neck Corridor?
In a report by Swarajya, Major General (Retired) Avinash Prakash, an expert on defence and strategic affairs, said, 'When India put up strong resistance to the Chinese troops in the Doklam plateau and forced them to retreat, China started looking for other ways to establish its strong presence near the Chicken's Neck Corridor. Bangladesh and Nepal have now given China such opportunities and China is trying to make strategic investments in Bhutan and taking advantage of it, it is planning to establish its strong strategic presence on the Chicken's Neck Corridor.' What is China's deal with Nepal?
China is planning to build a 'China-Nepal Friendship Industrial Park' at a cost of one million US dollars in Damak in Nepal's easternmost Jhapa district. Damak is less than 55 kilometers from the India-Nepal border, which forms the western alignment of the Chicken Neck Corridor. This park is the favourite project of Nepal's Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli i.e. KP Oli, who is considered to be the representative of China. Jhapa is Oli's home district and he has included this industrial park project in the list of BRI (Belt and Road Initiative) projects in Nepal. This park is spread over 1,422 hectares. Experts believe that this park can not only be used as a surveillance and logistics hub, but can also become a new safe route for Pakistan-backed terrorists. What is Bhutan's Gelephu Mindfulness City?
Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) is a futuristic project, the brainchild of its current king Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. Spread over 1,000 square kilometres, the GMC is coming up right next to the India-Bhutan border with Assam. Though India is also a partner in Bhutan's project, China is also planning to invest in the GMC, which will be run as a Special Administrative Region (SAR). 'Bhutan is a very close friend of ours and we are partners in this project. But we have to keep a close watch on what China does in the GMC. The Chinese are planning huge investments, and like all Chinese projects, we suspect that the investment in the GMC will also be opaque. So we have to be constantly vigilant,' said a senior IB official. Why is Bangladesh's Lalmonirhat Air Base crucial?
The interim government of Bangladesh is taking help from China to revive the Lalmonirhat airbase which has become a matter of serious strategic concern for India. This airbase is located just 20 kilometers from the India-Bangladesh border and is very close to the Chicken's Neck Corridor, which is considered a lifeline for India. India has strongly opposed the possible participation of China and Pakistan. It is reported that the Bangladesh Army has also objected to this decision of the government and said that no outside country will be included in this project. But the Chief Advisor of the Interim Government, Mohammad Yunus, wants to include China in this project at all costs. Experts say that if Lalmonirhat is activated and China has a role in it, then the way will be clear for China to monitor Indian military activities, due to which India's connectivity with the northeastern states may be in trouble. This has become a big challenge for India. What is India's position?
Even though India has made Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh aware of its concerns about the Chinese project through its diplomatic channels, the changing political equations in these countries and China's economic penetration are not able to reduce India's concerns. China's clear objective is to put the North East in danger in any way and to make full preparations to surround India. Experts believe that India has counter strategies and resources, but the pressure from these three sides will mean that India will now have to increase its surveillance, military preparations and strategic investments by three times. This 'Trishul Niti' tightening the noose around the Chicken Neck may force India to rethink its geo-political priorities in the coming years.
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