In a significant shift with regional implications, India has reportedly put a temporary freeze on nearly Rs 5,000 crore worth of funding and construction work on critical railway projects in Bangladesh. The reason? Mounting political instability and growing concerns over the safety of Indian labour and infrastructure on foreign soil.
According to a report by The Hindu BusinessLine, the Indian government has hit pause on three major railway connectivity initiatives that were envisioned to bolster economic and logistical integration between mainland India and its strategically vital northeastern states. These include the Akhaura–Agartala Cross-Border Rail Link, the Khulna–Mongla Port Rail Line, and the Dhaka–Tongi–Joydebpur rail expansion.
Additionally, Indian officials have also suspended survey work on five other proposed cross-border rail routes. These projects were previously lauded as stepping stones for faster, more efficient access to India’s Northeast through Bangladesh, bypassing the geographically constrained Siliguri Corridor — often called the “Chicken’s Neck.”
Political Instability Derails Plans
The sudden halt, insiders say, is rooted in a blend of security concerns and uncertainty in the Bangladeshi political landscape. The safety of Indian personnel engaged in these projects has come under scrutiny following episodes of unrest and growing anti-government sentiment in the neighboring country.
“There’s no point investing billions if we can’t guarantee the safety of our people and the success of our infrastructure,” said a senior Indian railway official on the condition of anonymity, as quoted by The Hindu BusinessLine.
Turning Inward and Exploring New Routes
With Bangladesh’s unpredictability throwing a wrench in the existing plan, Indian authorities are now re-evaluating how to secure long-term connectivity to the Northeast. The renewed focus is twofold: strengthening domestic rail infrastructure and exploring alternate international corridors.
Within India, priority is being given to doubling and quadrupling rail lines in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, both critical feeders into the Siliguri Corridor. This narrow strip of land, only 22 km wide at its slimmest, connects the northeastern states to the rest of the country and is strategically sensitive, both geographically and militarily.
Survey work to expand existing rail lines through this corridor is already underway, according to officials.
Nepal and Bhutan on the Radar
India is also actively assessing the potential of creating alternate transit corridors through Nepal and Bhutan. With the India–Nepal rail pact already operational in some segments, and Bhutan’s geographic closeness to Northeast India, both countries are being seen as viable options for bypassing Bangladesh.
While these alternatives pose logistical and diplomatic challenges — including terrain constraints and new infrastructure requirements — they promise a more secure and politically stable passage.
Broader Implications for Regional Strategy
This development underscores how geopolitical realities can directly impact infrastructural ambitions. India’s pivot away from Bangladesh — even if temporary — could reshape regional cooperation and influence future investments.
It also sends a message to neighboring countries: economic partnerships with India must come with a baseline of political stability and security guarantees.
As New Delhi recalibrates its connectivity blueprint, stakeholders in the Northeast will be watching closely. For a region long plagued by isolation and inadequate infrastructure, the hope remains that these changes — whether through Bangladesh or elsewhere — will ultimately lead to faster, safer, and more resilient access to the rest of India.
