Is Bangladesh Plotting A Covert Strike Against India Near Siliguri?

New Delhi: Unusual military movements are noticed in Bangladesh. A massive Antonov AN-124 cargo plane from Azerbaijan landed in Dhaka without its cargo being made public. Before arriving, the plane reportedly avoided Iranian airspace, a frequently used route for sensitive transfers. No official statement has clarified what he was carrying or why his route was kept secret.

Around the same time, Bangladesh Navy Commander Admiral Mustaq Ahmed visited Karachi Shipyard during the Pakistan International Maritime Exhibition and Conference (PIMEC) 2025. Their meeting here focused on maritime cooperation and maritime industry partnerships with Pakistan. Although described as routine, this assistance marks a new phase in the defense engagement between Dhaka and Islamabad.

Adding to the intrigue, a US military C-130 Hercules aircraft landed at Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram. Soon more than a hundred American soldiers checked into a luxury hotel in the city. There has been no official statement regarding their existence. What raises eyebrows is Chattogram’s location, less than 100 kilometers from India’s Siliguri Corridor, the narrow “chicken neck” region connecting the mainland to the Northeast.

This corridor is among India’s most critical strategic weak points. Any change in foreign military activity nearby triggers immediate concerns. With Chattogram so close, observers in New Delhi worry that the increased US and Pakistani presence in Bangladesh could alter the security balance around the Siliguri axis.

Security experts see these moves as part of a reorientation. Bangladesh appears to be establishing parallel military links with Pakistan in shipbuilding and defense technology, with the US in training and logistics, and possibly with Azerbaijan in equipment supply.

Timing for India is sensitive. The region is currently home to increasing rivalries between major powers in the Bay of Bengal. New activity in the east end adds another layer of uncertainty.

So far there is no clear sign of hostile intent. But the arrival of the planes, maritime cooperation and the movement of foreign troops near India’s strategic corridor have deepened the unease in New Delhi. The lingering question remains: Is Bangladesh preparing itself for military expansion or is it opening its doors to foreign powers that could one day test India’s security shield in the east?