Lt Gen Chauhan explains that the Bhairav Battalion was created to bridge the time gap between deploying special forces and mobilising main forces, giving commanders an immediate reaction capability for short, swift offensive actions distinct from special forces’ strategic roles and not intended for holding ground. Watch the full interview here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4aPMzih8aw

Lt Gen Chauhan clarifies that the Bhairav battalion is not a “home and hearth” or scout unit: unlike region-specific formations such as the Gorkha, Sikkim, Garhwal, Naga, or Kumaon Scouts who operate permanently in familiar terrain, the Bhairav battalion is region-agnostic, non-ethnic, mobile, and designed for rapid deployment rather than localised terrain-based defence. Watch the full interview here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4aPMzih8aw

The Bhairav battalion is envisioned as a rapid-response bridge between regular infantry and special forces, designed to be the first force committed in a crisis while larger formations mobilise; one such battalion is planned for each corps (including XVII Corps), embedded at the highest tactical headquarters, regiment-agnostic, and distinct from scouts or caste-based units. Watch the full interview here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4aPMzih8aw

Lt Gen Chauhan contends that even in a worst-case scenario where the Siliguri Corridor is disrupted, India retains strategic alternatives, particularly through Nepal, to maintain connectivity with the Northeast, and rejects the notion that Bangladesh is India’s sole lifeline, emphasising the deep, enduring military, societal, and strategic closeness between India and Bangladesh. Watch the full interview here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4aPMzih8aw

Lt Gen Shokin Chauhan argues that the Siliguri Corridor is neither geographically nor historically vulnerable: it has strong cultural and historical continuity with undivided Bengal, close ties with Bangladesh, and no record of strategic instability apart from Naxalbari’s past as the birthplace of the Naxalite movement, which itself does not make the region a security problem. Watch the full interview here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4aPMzih8aw

Watch the full conversation - https://youtu.be/nKj5jG1M56g #GilgitBaltistan #Autonomy #PoliticalStruggle #EconomicFairness #PakistanPolitics

Watch the full conversation - https://youtu.be/nKj5jG1M56g #GilgitBaltistan #StrategicInterest #IndiaGlobal #Geopolitics #MiddleEastConnect #CentralAsia #Afghanistan #NationalSecurity #ForeignPolicy #RegionalStability #StrategicWall #SouthAsiaPolitics #GlobalAmbitions

In this in-depth conversation, Lt General Shokin Chauhan offers a strategic assessment of one of India’s most debated theatres, the Siliguri Corridor, challenging the popular perception of it as a point of fragility. Drawing from Lt General Chauhan’s Substack article on the Siliguri Corridor, the discussion examines why geography and terrain act as powerful deterrents, how operational integration across land, air, and water enables rapid responses to threats, and whether elements of India’s posture already function as a de facto unified command in practice. The interview also explores the rationale behind raising a new specialised battalion, why it was long-awaited, and how it adds to the cutting edge of the Indian Army’s ground operations in complex and contested terrain. A must-watch for those interested in Indian military strategy, jointness, terrain-based warfare, and regional security dynamics. Read the article here - https://generalswarroom.substack.com/p/walking-the-siliguri-corridor Chapters - 0:00-1:04 Opening 1:55- 9:56 Understanding the Siliguri Corridor 10:29-14:38 Why terrain matters in the Siliguri Corridor’s defence 16:03-19:42 The Bharat Battalion: a tactical evolution 20:05-21:16 Land, air, water: a ‘mini unified command’ in action? 21:34-23:07 Why was this Battalion so critical? 23:08-24:05 Closing #IndianArmy #SiliguriCorridor #MilitaryStrategy #NationalSecurity #IndiaDefence #Geopolitics #JointOperations #BorderSecurity #StrategicAffairs #TerrainWarfare