Why in news
- Union Home Minister reviewed Siliguri Corridor security infrastructure and directed the implementation of a quadrangular approach to border security.
What is the Siliguri Corridor?
- Narrow stretch of land in West Bengal, measuring roughly 20-22 km at its narrowest point, connecting North-Eastern States with mainland India.
- Bordered by Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh, making it a critical geopolitical and defense choke point.
Key security directives issued
- Implementation of a quadrangular approach to border security integrating military, paramilitary, intelligence, and civil administration.
- Establishment of the Standing Focus Group on Siliguri Corridor (SFG-SC) under the Multi Agency Centre (MAC).
- Mandatory anti-encroachment drives and strict measures against demographic changes and illegal immigration.
Why it matters
- Ensures uninterrupted territorial sovereignty and critical supply logistics for North-East India.
- Mitigates vulnerabilities arising from cross-border illegal migration and external asymmetric threats.
Key terms
Chicken's Neck
Geopolitical nickname for the strategic Siliguri Corridor connecting the North-Eastern region to mainland India.
Multi Agency Centre (MAC)
An intelligence-sharing platform under the Intelligence Bureau to co-ordinate real-time security inputs.
Prelims facts
- Siliguri Corridor borders Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan.
- Multi Agency Centre operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Mains discussion
- Strategic security imperatives and infrastructure challenges in safeguarding the Siliguri Corridor.
Source: PIB English