Army’s ‘Teesta Prahar’ takes place in North Bengal’s ‘Chicken’s Neck’

Darjeeling: In a powerful show of force and readiness, the Indian Army recently conducted a large-scale integrated field exercise, ‘Teesta Prahar’, at the Teesta Field Firing Range in North Bengal’s strategically sensitive Chicken’s Neck region.

Coming on the heels of ‘Operation Sindoor’, the exercise aimed to validate the Army’s combat preparedness under near-real battlefield conditions on the Eastern Front. With the North Bengal region bordered by four nations—China, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh, special focus is being placed on the Siliguri Corridor, the thin strip of land connecting India’s northeastern states with the Indian mainland.

The drill showcased seamless coordination among various combat and support arms including the Infantry, Artillery, Armoured Corps, Mechanised Infantry, Engineers, Signals, Army Aviation, and Para Special Forces, highlighting the Army’s joint warfighting capabilities in a complex terrain.

A key feature of ‘Teesta Prahar’ was the deployment of next-generation weapons systems and advanced battlefield technologies. These included upgraded armoured vehicles, precision-strike platforms, surveillance systems, and real-time command and control setups—demonstrating the Army’s push toward modernisation and tech-enabled warfare.

Troops carried out tactical drills, live-fire exercises, and simulated offensive and defensive operations, including aerial insertions and

quick reaction missions, aimed at preparing for both conventional and hybrid threats. The exercise underscored the Army’s focus on speed, adaptability, and synergy across diverse terrains—from riverine plains to high-altitude zones.

A new front has opened up in Bangladesh following the end of the Sheikh Hasina regime. The present interim government of Bangladesh with Muhammad Yunus at the helm backed by the military, is not too keen in displaying friendship towards India. On the contrary, time and again Yunus and his aides have issued veiled threats to rope in China to cut off northeast states from the Indian mainland. “This further requires India to be battle ready on the Bangladesh front too. Though they might not be able to inflict a major blow, they could be an irritant trying to keep India engaged in this front too, in case of any eventuality under the present situation,” opined a defence analyst.

The Chicken’s Neck, a 22-35 km wide strip of land connecting mainland India to northeast states, is bordered by Bangladesh to the south; Nepal in the west; Bhutan to the north and China to the North and northeast. It is a strategic hotspot being the only land route between mainland India and the northeast states. It is a crucial logistic and military choke point. In case of any eventuality, the enemy could try to cut off northeast from the rest of the country.