Geopolitics of the Siliguri Corridor: Strategic Space and Regional Connectivity in the Contemporary Global South

Abstract: The Siliguri Corridor also referred to as the Chicken-s neck is one of the most strategically sensitive geographical features in South Asia. This small strip of land in the North West of West Bengal is the only strip of land connecting India as a whole country to the north east states and at the same time being surrounded by international boundaries with Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and China. The main aims of the paper are to discuss the geopolitical value of the Siliguri Corridor, to determine how it would contribute to the connectivity and Interglobal issues within the area, and to analyze the issue of security, ecology, and city growth in the area. The other aim of the study is to see the impacts of emergent regional initiatives and the development projects of infrastructure in determining the strategic significance of this corridor in South Asian geopolitics. This study takes a qualitative and analytical approach. The secondary data used have been gathered in the form of scholarly literature, government reports, policy documents, and geopolitical studies concerning the borderland regions and development of the region. The results indicate that the Siliguri Corridor is an important strategic gateway linking the northeastern part of India with the mainland and economic and infrastructural access to the countries in the areas. The corridor has however had some challenges which include security vulnerabilities, ecological threats and the mounting pressures of urbanization. The researcher finds that policy planning and regional collaboration is the key to stability, security and sustainable development in this geopolitically sensitive region.