After establishing three new Army bases in an arc spanning West Bengal, Bihar and Assam to safeguard the strategically sensitive Siliguri Corridor—popularly known as the “Chicken’s Neck”—Indian defence authorities are now exploring the possibility of setting up a fourth Army station in Mizoram, government sources said.
The move is part of a broader strategy to reinforce India’s defensive posture around the narrow corridor that connects the Northeast with the rest of the country.
As part of this assessment, Eastern Command General Officer Commanding (GOC) Lieutenant General R C Tiwari undertook a day-long visit to Thuampui near Aizawl on Friday. Sources said the visit was aimed at identifying suitable locations in Mizoram for stationing an Army battalion under a brigade of the Dimapur-based 3 Corps.
The proposed deployment is intended to act as a first line of defence against any potential aggressive actions by Bangladeshi state or non-state actors, particularly in the evolving regional security environment.
Senior commanders review border preparedness
Lt Gen Tiwari was accompanied by 3 Corps GOC Lieutenant General Abhijit S Pendharkar and 17 Mountain Strike Corps GOC Lieutenant General Yash Ahlawat. During their visit, the senior commanders were briefed by senior officials of the Assam Rifles and the Border Security Force (BSF), in the presence of other Army officers.
The delegation also inspected two key border outposts—Parva and Silsuri—along the India-Bangladesh border to assess ground-level preparedness and operational challenges.
Silsuri is a large village located in the West Phaileng block of Mamit district, while the BSF’s Parva border outpost is situated in Lawngtlai district in southern Mizoram. Parva holds particular strategic significance as it lies close to the tri-junction of the India-Bangladesh and India-Myanmar borders.
Following the field visit, the Eastern Command GOC held discussions with the two Corps Commanders and participate in a detailed presentation by Army and Assam Rifles officers after returning to Agartala.
BSF plans major infrastructure push
Parallel to the Army’s plans, the BSF has drawn up a long-term strategy to construct multiple in-land defensive structures near sensitive locations close to defence installations in Bangladesh. These include bunkers, ring bundhs (temporary or permanent artificial embankments), blast-proof shelters and underground armouries.
According to Ministry of Home Affairs sources, these “critical infrastructures” have been prioritised based on operational sensitivity, threat perception and vulnerability. The construction is planned over the next five years across three battalion command areas under the Silchar and Mizoram frontier.
Strengthening border outposts
Officials said that 45 such defensive structures are proposed in each of the three battalion areas in the Cachar and Mizoram frontier. Currently, there are 85 BSF border outposts (BOPs) along the India-Bangladesh border in the Mizoram sector.
The objective is to transform these BOPs into composite, future-ready operational hubs. So far, 40 such structures have been completed in Lunglei and Lawngtlai districts. Additionally, construction of 19 more structures has been sanctioned, though timelines for completion are yet to be finalised.
It is proposed that at least 26 BOPs will be equipped with all four critical defensive structures over the next five years, significantly enhancing border security infrastructure in the region.