Realigning security concerns

Major General Harsha Kakar
kakarharsha@gmail.com
The Indian army’s Eastern Command recently established three new military stations in and around the vital Chicken’s neck, which links the country with the North East. The military stations are located at Bamuni (near Dhubri), Kishanganj, and Chapra. The intent is to monitor the Bangladesh border, enable rapid deployment in case of security concerns as also closer coordination with the BSF. The Chicken’s neck is 17 kms wide at its narrowest between Nepal and Bangladesh.
Deploying armed forces in the vicinity of the IB with Bangladesh was unthinkable prior to the overthrow of the Sheikh Hasina regime. Such was the confidence between the two states that Indian army personnel never went close to the IB. Indo-Bangladesh army relations were cordial and the Bangladesh army chief visited New Delhi and Kolkata frequently. The two armies also celebrated Vijay Diwas, which was victory in 1971, together. Officers from both countries attend courses in one another’s training institutes.
India’s security scenario changed rapidly after Mohamad Yunus assumed power as the interim chief advisor in Bangladesh. Elections are scheduled in Bangladesh for Feb next year, where Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League has been barred from contesting. It has opened doors for the Islamist political party Jamaat-e-Islami and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to gain power. Both these parties are pro-Pakistan.
Yunus, during his reign, has been moving closer to nations which are adversarial to India. Recent visits by delegation from the Pak army and ISI as also inputs of the presence of members of banned Pak terrorist groups in the country have added to India’s security concerns. Military delegations from Pakistan have visited regions close to Chicken’s neck. Pakistan’s army chief, the failed marshal, had stated that in future conflicts, they could activate India’s North East.
This implies that they would, in conjunction with China and Bangladesh,commence providing support to NE terrorist groups. In the past, especially during the rule of Khalida Zia’s BNP, many of these groups had camps in Bangladesh where they could train as also receive support and funding from the ISI. There were no reports of involvement of Pak terrorist groups. This time, their presence in Bangladesh is confirmed.
Added are inputs that Bangladesh has begun upgrading the defunct Lalmonirhat airbase in Northern Bangladesh, located about 16 Kms from the Chicken’s Neck. Inputs mention that Bangladesh has constructed large hangars as also is in the process of establishing Turkish manufactured radars and missiles alongside Chinese drones there. An earlier unwritten agreement between India and Bangladesh was that the airfield would not be used for military purposes.
In Tibet,intelligence inputs indicate that China is constructing fortified air defence installations close to the LAC. It is also building missile bases with retractable roofs, adding to their survivability. India is also enhancing its capabilities in the region with deployment of missiles and airpower, as a counter. The induction of Brahmos missiles with 800 Kms range is to counter growing Chinese military buildup.
India has been monitoring the upgradation of the Lalmonirhat airfield. The MOS for External Affairs mentioned in the Lok Sabha, ‘(India) continues to monitor all developments having a bearing on national security and takes all necessary measures to safeguard it.’ Yunus has added to existing distanceby presenting copies of a distorted map displaying some portions of India’s NE as part of greater Bangladesh to visiting dignitaries.
For Bangladesh, the presence of Sheikh Hasina in India is a major concern. Despite being in exile, she possesses the power to influence the scenario within Bangladesh as recent protests in the country against Yunus have displayed. Multiple times Dacca has requested India not to permit her to address the media, which New Delhi ignores.
In case Hasina’s party participates in the forthcoming poll, there are chances of it returning to power. To ensure her absence, Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal has announced its verdict against her on cases involving crimes against humanity. The same was done in absentia.The then police chief turned approver against Sheikh Hasina. Yunus’s government is leaving no stone unturned to ensure she is banned.
Investigations have unearthed that the Ammonium Nitrate discovered in Faridabad and partially used in the Delhi blast was smuggled through Bangladesh and Nepal. Bangladesh may also be a conduit for movement of Kashmiri terrorists to India as despite the presence of the BSF as there are portions of the border which are porous.
Currently the BSF is responsible for securing the Indo-Bangla border. The bases being established by the army are in addition and a defensive measure including for monitoring, however can also be launch pads for future build up and deployment. India has no offensive designs but has the right to be prepared for any action which threatens its security, especially in the Chicken’s neck region.
The Chicken’s neck remains one of India’s most strongly defended regions, considering its importance and vulnerability. There is a corps responsible for its security. The Doklam standoff with China was to prevent them from exploiting the region to gain an advantage.
The current bases being the responsibility of different army formations, the message being conveyed is that India has requisite force levels and would not hesitate to employ them if there is a threat to its security. To add to India’s messaging, the air force recently conducted an exercise in the NE displaying its capabilities. A NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) was also issued.
India’s Eastern Command now has the additional responsibility of monitoring the Bangladesh border. It was already monitoring the Myanmar border and terrorist camps within. In case bases are provided to NE terrorists in Bangladesh these too would need to be engaged in a similar manner, as being done in Myanmar.
India has begun preparing for any threat from Bangladesh in the future, either due to support to terrorist groups directly, or in conjunction with Pakistan and possible even China, especially when any government taking power would not be favourably aligned to India. This is legally India’s right.

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