India’s Northeast is no longer viewed merely as a remote frontier region. With rising tensions along the China border, instability in Myanmar and New Delhi’s growing Indo-Pacific ambitions, the strategically sensitive region is increasingly becoming central to India’s national security and economic vision.

India’s second Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and former Eastern Command chief General Anil Chauhan has stressed that national security and regional development are deeply interconnected. According to him, infrastructure, connectivity, local participation and border stability directly influence the country’s long-term security interests.

Bordering China and Myanmar while also sharing proximity with Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal, the Northeast occupies a critical position in India’s geopolitical calculations. Experts now argue that these frontier regions should not be treated simply as military buffer zones, but as areas requiring sustained economic growth, technological integration and social stability.

Northeast Emerging as Key Strategic Gateway

Connected to mainland India through the narrow Siliguri Corridor, often referred to as the “Chicken’s Neck”, the Northeast has historically faced challenges including difficult terrain, insurgency and weak infrastructure.

However, India’s strategic outlook towards the region has shifted significantly in recent years. Under the Centre’s “Act East Policy”, the Northeast is now being positioned as India’s gateway to Southeast Asia.

Major connectivity projects such as the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway and the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project are expected to strengthen trade links while enhancing India’s strategic footprint across the Indo-Pacific........

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