Rumors are circulating in the Indian press that China is working with Bangladesh to refurbish a military base close to the Siliguri Corridor, the narrow and strategically fraught region between Bangladesh and Nepal connecting to the country’s northeast states.
The Lalmonirhat base dates to the 1930s and was used in Allied missions in Myanmar and other parts of Southeast Asia during the Second World War. It lies about 15 kilometers from Bangladesh’s border with India. Times of India reported that a Chinese delegation recently visited the site, and that activities in the area are increasing.
An aviation and aerospace university was established at the site in 2019 under the control of the Bangladesh Air Force. The post-revolutionary government of Mohammed Yunus is currently reviving several airfields dating from the British Empire. There are rumors that cooperation was discussed during his recent visit to China, although that wasn’t mentioned in official readouts.
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? Concern about China has risen in Indian military circles due to the strong performance of Chinese weapons in the recent conflict with Pakistan. Whether true or not, the base rumors reflect that military concerns could complicate the recent diplomatic thaw between India and China.
