India has approved a massive railway expansion in its northeast, sanctioning Rs 30,000 crore ($3.4 billion) for 500 kilometers of new tracks, tunnels and bridges along sensitive border zones. The project, slated for completion within four years, aims to accelerate logistics, cut troop mobilization time, and bolster regional connectivity as relations with China remain fraught with cycles of cooperation and tension.

Strengthening Connectivity Along Strategic Borders

Officials said the new corridors will link hard-to-reach regions bordering China, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar, enhancing mobility for both civilians and armed forces. Over the past decade, India has added nearly 10,000 km of highways and 1,700 km of rail lines in the northeast. The fresh investment marks the most ambitious expansion yet, complementing extensive road-building and newly reactivated Advanced Landing Grounds for military aircraft.

Security Calculations Behind Infrastructure Push

The decision follows a series of tensions since the 2020 Ladakh clashes, with India determined to prepare for worst-case scenarios despite recent attempts at diplomatic thaw. “The project is designed to strengthen connectivity and ensure preparedness should relations with China sour again,” a senior official noted. Analysts view the plan as a long-term contingency strategy, reflecting concerns over China’s rapid dual-use buildout of airports, heliports and transport networks near the Line of Actual Control.

Modi’s Wider Infrastructure Drive

The rail expansion comes as Prime Minister Narendra Modi prepares to launch Rs 71,850 crore worth of infrastructure and energy projects across Mizoram, Manipur, Assam, West Bengal and Bihar. In Aizawl, Modi will inaugurate the Rs 8,070 crore Bairabi–Sairang rail line — Mizoram’s first direct link to the national network — and flag off three new express trains to Delhi, Kolkata and Guwahati. He will also lay the foundation stone for road and bridge projects, including components of the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Framework to boost cross-border trade