The Indian army conducted an exercise on the outskirts of Siliguri last week to demonstrate operational preparedness and joint force integration.

Titled “Teesta Prahar”, the three-day exercise was carried out at the Teesta field firing range near the strategic Siliguri corridor, often referred to as “Chicken’s Neck” for being the slimmest part of the Indian sub-continent with Nepal and Bangladesh in the north and south respectively, and the China and Bhutan borders within 200km.

Army sources said the exercise was held on riverine terrain, with active participation from key combat and support elements, including the infantry, artillery, armoured corps, mechanised infantry, para-special forces, army aviation, engineers and signals.

“The large-scale integrated field exercise validated the combat effectiveness and coordination of various arms and services under realistic battlefield conditions,” said a source.

“The highlight of the drill was the deployment and validation of newly inducted next-generation weapons systems, military platforms and advanced battlefield technologies, which reflect the Indian army’s continued focus on modernisation,” the source added.

Tactical drills, battle rehearsals and adaptive manoeuvres were conducted on dynamic combat scenarios as a part of Teesta Prahar. “The exercise focused on jointness, synergy and seamless coordination, reinforcing the army’s ability to execute operations swiftly and effectively on diverse terrains and in challenging weather,” said a source.

Over the past few months, the army and other defence forces have conducted a number of exercises in and around the Siliguri corridor to assess operational preparedness. The move followed the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in Bangladesh in August last year and the pro-China and pro-Pakistan overtures of the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government of the neighbouring country.

“In recent times, some political leaders, and even Yunus, have referred to the seven sisters or the Northeast and the Chicken’s Neck many times. That is why the defence forces and the BSF are on high alert, particularly after the recent escalation of conflict between India and Pakistan,” said a retired army officer based in Siliguri.

In January, the defence forces conducted an exercise, Devil’s Strike, that involved the army and the Indian Air Force. In February, a month-long field exercise involving T-20 tanks was held in the region. In March, a week-long anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) field firing exercise was conducted by the eastern command of the army at the same Teesta field firing range. In April, the Trishakti Corps of the army, headquartered in Sukna on the outskirts of Siliguri, conducted “SarvShakti,” an exercise to ensure collaboration between manned platforms and unmanned systems at the tactical level.