On November 6, Lieutenant General R.C. Tiwari, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Command (GOC-in-C), laid the foundation stone for the Lachit Borphukan Military Station in Assam's Dhubri district.
Named after the legendary Ahom Commander, Lachit Barphukan, this is the first military station in the western sector of the state. Located barely 40 km from the international border with Bangladesh, under the Tezpur-based 4 Corps, the military station will be able to house 1,200 to 1,500 personnel.
The development comes in the wake of reports that China is planning to activate the historic Lalmonirhat air base located in northern Bangladesh, near the border with Assam and close to the strategically significant Siliguri Corridor, which connects the North East with the rest of India.
According to experts, the base has assumed significance amid apprehensions of increased cross-border crimes, activities by fundamentalist groups, and alleged attempts by the Bangladesh caretaker government to foment trouble in the Siliguri Corridor.
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The military station is expected to enhance border security and help the authorities enhance intelligence, according to experts.
Brigadier (retd) Ranjit Kumar Borthakur told Press Trust of India that the station will help in strengthening the Indian Army's intelligence network, be it human or signal intelligence.
Defence spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mahendra Rawat said the station will enhance operational capabilities and infrastructure of the Indian Army in the region and also provide an additional sense of security to the locals.
Brig. (retd) Borthakur observed that there is a nexus between Pakistan and the caretaker government in Bangladesh, and added that the frequent high-level visits of politicians as well as defence ministry personnel from Pakistan are of great concern.
"The Siliguri corridor is always important to us, and we are fully prepared for any situation. However, we can be more active in this regard," he noted.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had, in June, said the state government was exploring an option to set up a permanent base of the Army to strengthen the security apparatus Dhubri district.
“The Lachit Barphukan Military Station stands as a testament to the synergy between the Armed Forces and the state administration, reflecting the shared vision of national security and regional development,” a statement from the Defence Public Relation Officer said.