India Ends 'Ambiguous' Era! Deploys 3 New Garrisons Along Bangladesh Border to Secure Siliguri Corridor

New Delhi: In a shift from decades of measured diplomacy, India has warned Bangladesh against actions perceived as "betrayals of goodwill"—a reference to its pivotal role in the 1971 liberation war—vowing "clear, confident, and forceful" countermeasures to safeguard national security.

Signalling this assertive stance, the Indian Army has rapidly established three operationally ready military garrisons along the Indo-Bangladesh frontier at Bamuni (near Dhubri, Assam), Kishanganj (Bihar) and Chopra (West Bengal's West Dinajpur). These forward bases aim to fortify the Siliguri Corridor—the 22-km-wide "Chicken's Neck" linking mainland India to its seven northeastern states—enhancing surveillance, troop mobility, and rapid response under the Trishakti Corps (33 Corps) headquartered in Sukna.

Reportedly, officials stated the move addresses "so-called vulnerabilities" while providing "multiple options for the Armed Forces," amid intelligence reports of Pakistani officials showing "undue interest" in the corridor. The trigger: On October 25, 2025, Bangladesh's interim Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus gifted Pakistan's Joint Chiefs Chairman General Sahir Shamshad Mirza a book titled Art of Triumph, whose cover featured a provocative map portraying parts of India's Northeast—including Assam and Arunachal Pradesh—as a "Greater Bangladesh."

This incident, echoing earlier controversies like Yunus aide Nahidul Islam's 2024 social media post with a similar map, has fueled outrage in New Delhi, seen as a thaw in Dhaka-Islamabad ties that risks regional stability. Analysts link it to Bangladesh's pivot toward China and Pakistan post-Sheikh Hasina's ouster, including ISI visits to Rangpur near the corridor and Chinese interest in reviving the Lalmonirhat airbase—20 km from the border—as a potential surveillance hub.

India's strategy blends assertive diplomacy—reaffirming engagement with neighbours—with infrastructure bolstering, including BrahMos missiles, S-400 systems, and AI surveillance at the new sites. "Patience should not be mistaken for weakness," the source added, underscoring a "self-confident" New Delhi unwilling to tolerate sovereignty threats. The garrisons, operationalised swiftly, mark a proactive pivot, ensuring the corridor—vital for 2,400 MT of daily goods and ₹142 crore in revenue—remains impregnable.