Strategic Misdiagnosis and Manufactured Anxiety: Rebuttal to India’s “Chicken’s Neck” Narrative

Recent statements by Indian political leaders, amplified through media channels such as India Today, alleging that Bangladesh poses a threat to India’s vulnerable Siliguri Corridor—popularly dubbed the “Chicken’s Neck”—reflect a dangerous blend of geopolitical paranoia and strategic misdirection. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s provocative remarks, in particular, assert that Bangladesh under Dr. Muhammad Yunus harbours intentions that could compromise India’s Northeast. Such claims are not only baseless but also emblematic of a broader pattern of narrative construction aimed at delegitimising Bangladesh’s pursuit of sovereign autonomy and regional relevance. To begin with, the idea that Bangladesh harbours aggressive intentions toward the Siliguri Corridor is categorically unfounded. Bangladesh maintains a defensive military doctrine, with no strategic, operational, or historical precedence of threatening India’s northeastern territories. The repeated evocation of the “Chicken’s Neck” by Indian officials and media lacks evidentiary support and appears more as a rhetorical device designed to provoke fear