China’s growing footprint in Bangladesh has triggered fresh concerns in New Delhi after Beijing’s envoy to Dhaka announced plans to visit the Teesta River project site located close to India’s strategically vital Siliguri Corridor, also known as the Chicken’s Neck. The development comes months after large-scale protests in northern Bangladesh demanding a “fair share” of Teesta waters and amid stalled India-Bangladesh negotiations on river sharing.
Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen met Bangladesh’s National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman on Sunday, where discussions focused on the China-backed Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project. Following the meeting, Yao informed Dhaka that he would visit the project area and reiterated China’s commitment to completing technical assessments swiftly.
The announcement has raised eyebrows in India because of the project’s proximity to the Siliguri Corridor — a narrow stretch of land connecting mainland India with its northeastern states. Indian strategists have long warned that any expanded Chinese presence in northern Bangladesh, even under the guise of development cooperation, carries serious security implications.
Since assuming power in August 2024, the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus has steadily hardened Bangladesh’s stance towards India. The release of convicted extremists, tolerance of anti-India protests, sharp rhetoric on India’s Northeast, and a visible pivot towards China and Pakistan have reinforced perceptions of a deliberate policy shift in Dhaka.
The Teesta River, which originates in Sikkim, flows through West Bengal before entering Bangladesh, is crucial for agriculture and livelihoods on both sides of the border. While India and Bangladesh have negotiated a water-sharing agreement for decades, talks remain deadlocked, largely due to political sensitivities in West Bengal. This impasse has allowed China to step in, offering financial and technical support to Bangladesh for large-scale river management.
Under the China-backed Teesta Master Plan, Bangladesh aims to undertake dredging, build embankments and reservoirs, reclaim land for agriculture, and ensure year-round water availability. Critics argue that this would effectively transform the river into a Chinese-engineered economic corridor, deepening Beijing’s influence in a region close to India’s border.
Indian analysts have also flagged reports of Bangladesh reviving the Lalmonirhat airbase near the Teesta, with concerns that Chinese involvement could enhance Beijing’s surveillance capabilities near the Chicken’s Neck. While Dhaka has denied any Chinese military role, strategic experts say the convergence of river projects and infrastructure revival cannot be viewed in isolation.
Against this backdrop, the Chinese envoy’s proposed visit to the Teesta project site is being closely watched in New Delhi, seen not merely as a diplomatic courtesy but as part of a broader realignment that could reshape regional geopolitics around one of India’s most sensitive chokepoints.
