Chinese airfield near Chicken’s Neck worries India

India is studying reports of a Chinese plan to build an airfield in Bangladesh's Lalmonirhat district which will emerge as a challenge for New Delhi's security interests along the eastern border, including the Chicken's Neck area.The proposed airfield might have figured during Bangladesh interim regime's chief adviser Md Yunus visit to China, though there is no reference to the project in official documents, ET has learnt.Lalmonirhat is strategically located in northwestern Bangladesh, closer to Jalpaiguri and Coachbehar districts of West Bengal. The Chicken's Neck is geographically closer to the area. It is a narrow stretch of land in West Bengal that connects the northeastern states to the rest of India and is bordered by Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan and China. The Indian military has a strong presence in the area.While no Chinese air force fighter jet has been stationed in India's eastern neighbourhood so far, any such proposal has serious security implications for India as the entire northeast, Sikkim and West Bengal will be vulnerable, according to Bangladesh watchers.Meanwhile, Pakistani foreign minister Ishaq Dar will visit Bangladesh from April 24 and foreign secretary Amna Baloch is scheduled to visit the country from April 17. This will be the first ministerial visit from Pakistan to Dhaka since 2012 and several MoUs may be signed during the visits.

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