Context: Recently, U.S. report says Beijing continues to take incremental and tactical actions to press its claims at LAC which shows in China recent building an alternative axis in the Chumbi valley, which is close to the Siliguri corridor.

Chumbi Valley

• Chumbi Valley lies in Yadong country in Tibetan region.
• It is also known as Dromo, Tromo or Chomo
• It is the trijunction of India, China and Bhutan.
• The inhabitants of the valley are called Promowa and are of Tibetan descent.

Strategic Importance

• Maintaining national security on border frontiers.
• Protecting the Siliguri corridor (also called 'Chicken's neck') which connects India to the north-eastern states.
• India has formally agreed to come to Bhutan's rescue in case of any aggression by foreign power under Indo-Bhutan Friendship Treaty,2007.
• It is close to Nathu-La pass which is important trade point.

Siliguri Corridors (Chicken’s neck)

• It is a narrow stretch of land located in the West Bengal, that connects India’s north-eastern states to the rest of India.
• It borders Nepal, Bangladesh and Kingdom of Bhutan.
• The corridor extends from the Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Terai areas of West Bengal towards the North East.

Strategic importance

• It is the only bridge between the eight north-eastern states of India and the rest of the country.
• The region is important for trade, commerce and tourism for West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh.
• The corridor is the hub of a rail and road network connecting West Bengal and the rest of India to the North East.
• It is also the hub of the railway network that connects to the strategic military formations along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).