Army Chief Gen Dhiraj Seth reviews Trishakti Corps readiness in Sikkim

Chief of the Army Staff General Dhiraj Seth has visited forward areas held by the Indian Army's Trishakti Corps, reviewing its operational preparedness and the steps it is taking to strengthen its combat capability, the Army said on its official X handle on Tuesday.

The Trishakti Corps, or XXXIII Corps, is headquartered at Sukna near Siliguri in north Bengal and is responsible for the Sikkim sector along the border with China, as well as parts of north Bengal.

What the Army chief reviewed

According to the Army's post, reported by IANS and ABP News, General Seth was briefed on measures the formation has taken to improve operational effectiveness and combat readiness. The briefing focused on innovation and the absorption of new technology, in line with the Army's 'JAI se VIJAY' vision.

He commended all ranks for their professionalism and dedication, and urged troops to stay vigilant, agile and focused on the mission while keeping up the highest standards of operational preparedness.

The Army did not say which posts or locations in Sikkim the chief visited.

Second visit to the corps in a week

The visit comes days after General Seth reviewed the Kripan Division of the Trishakti Corps on November 7. There, he looked at the security situation, operational readiness and efforts to improve combat effectiveness.

During that visit, he stressed the need for proactive humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) planning, joint exercises and close military-civil coordination so that the Army can respond quickly to disasters. Sikkim and the north Bengal hills are prone to landslides and flash floods; the October 2023 glacial lake outburst on the Teesta caused heavy loss of life and damage to an Army camp.

Why the sector matters

Sikkim's northern and eastern frontiers face China, and the Siliguri Corridor, a narrow strip of land that links the Northeast with the rest of India, lies within the corps' area. The Doklam plateau, where Indian and Chinese troops faced off for 73 days in 2017, is close to the Sikkim-Bhutan-China tri-junction.