What is happening, though, is a significant military buildup in the region. India has deployed advanced systems like the S-400 air defense network, capable of tracking and neutralizing aerial threats over hundreds of kilometers, and BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, known for their precision and speed. Rafale fighter jets have also been stationed nearby, bolstering air superiority. This isn’t about offense—it’s about deterrence. The trigger? Bangladesh’s deepening ties with China, including Beijing’s reported interest in building an airfield in Lalmonirhat, just 50 kilometers from the corridor. Add to that Dhaka’s occasional rhetoric on India’s northeast, and New Delhi’s getting twitchy.
Still, fortifying a chokepoint isn’t the same as planning to carve up a neighbor. India’s likely just securing its lifeline to the northeast against potential threats, not redrawing maps.
