Indian defence authorities are contemplating the establishment of a fourth Army base near the India-Bangladesh border in Mizoram, following the creation of three new bases in West Bengal, Bihar, and Assam.

These existing installations form a protective arc around the vulnerable Siliguri Corridor, commonly known as the 'Chicken’s Neck'. This strategic chokepoint connects India's north-eastern states to the mainland, making its defence a top priority amid rising regional tensions.

The Eastern Command's General Officer Commanding (GOC), Lieutenant General R C Tiwari, is scheduled to undertake a day-long visit to Thuampui near Aizawl in Mizoram on 19 December. Accompanying him will be Lt Gen Abhijit S Pendharkar, GOC of the Dimapur-based 3rd Corps, and Lt Gen Yash Ahlawat, GOC of the 17th Mountain Strike Corps. The visit aims to explore suitable locations for stationing an Army battalion as a first line of defence against potential threats from Bangladeshi state or non-state actors.

Senior officers from the Assam Rifles and Border Security Force (BSF) will brief the visiting generals in the presence of other high-ranking Army personnel. Following this, Lt Gen Tiwari will inspect two key border outposts: Parva and Silsuri. These sites lie along the sensitive India-Bangladesh frontier in Mizoram.

Silsuri is a sizable village in the West Phaileng block of Mamit district. Meanwhile, the BSF's Parva border outpost (BOP) is situated in Lawngtlai district in southern Mizoram, strategically positioned near both the India-Myanmar and India-Bangladesh borders. This location underscores its importance in multi-border threat mitigation.

Upon returning to Agartala, Lt Gen Tiwari will hold discussions with the accompanying GOCs and review a detailed presentation from Army and Assam Rifles officers. These deliberations will refine plans to integrate the new battalion, likely drawn from the 3rd Corps, into Mizoram's defensive framework.

The initiative reflects broader Army efforts to safeguard areas proximate to Bangladesh's defence installations. Concurrently, the BSF is advancing long-term projects to erect inland defensive structures across three battalion command areas in the Silchar and Mizoram frontiers. These include bunkers, ring bundhs—temporary or permanent artificial embankments—blast-proof shelters, and underground armouries.

Ministry of Home Affairs sources indicate that these "critical infrastructures" are prioritised according to operational sensitivity, threat assessments, and vulnerability analyses. Construction will span the next five years, with 45 such structures planned for each of the three battalion areas in the Cachar and Mizoram sectors.

Mizoram's India-Bangladesh border features 85 BOPs, which the BSF intends to transform into "composite" future-ready operational hubs. This upgrade will enhance resilience and operational efficiency along the porous frontier.

Notably, 40 such defensive structures have already been completed in Mizoram’s Lunglei and Lawngtlai districts. An additional 19 projects have received sanction, though completion timelines remain unspecified. Plans call for equipping as many as 26 BOPs with these four critical infrastructure types within the next five years.

This multifaceted fortification drive signals India's heightened vigilance along its eastern borders. It responds to evolving security dynamics involving Bangladesh, Myanmar, and internal non-state threats, while bolstering the protection of the Siliguri Corridor. The synergy between Army deployments and BSF infrastructure will likely yield a robust, layered defence posture in Mizoram.

Agencies