Raksha Mantri dedicates to the nation 125 border infrastructure projects - the most in one go - from Ladakh

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh, on December 07, 2025, dedicated to the nation 125 strategically significant infrastructure projects of Border Roads Organisation (BRO) - the most to have ever been inaugurated simultaneously - from Ladakh. Spread across 02 Union Territories - Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir - and 07 States - Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, West Bengal & Mizoram, these projects - 28 Roads, 93 Bridges and 04 Miscellaneous - have been completed at a cost of approx. Rs 5,000 crore, the highest-value inaugurations in the BRO's history.

These upgraded infrastructure projects will significantly improve last-mile connectivity to remote villages and forward military locations, bringing these areas closer to the national mainstream. Raksha Mantri, in his address, described the projects as a testament to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi-led Government's unwavering commitment to keep strengthening the border infrastructure in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat.

The event was organised on the Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldie Road at the Shyok Tunnel, which is among the key projects inaugurated by Shri Rajnath Singh. This engineering marvel, built in one of the world's toughest and most challenging terrain, will ensure all-weather, reliable connectivity to this strategic area, he said, adding that this 920-metre Cut and Cover tunnel will significantly enhance security, mobility, and rapid deployment capabilities, especially during harsh winters, as the region is prone to heavy snowfall, avalanches, and extreme temperatures.

Raksha Mantri also virtually inaugurated the Galwan War Memorial in Arunachal Pradesh to honour the unmatched bravery, commitment, and sacrifice of the Armed Forces personnel.

Raksha Mantri voiced the Government's resolve of developing the border areas, stating that these connectivity tools are lifelines for security, economy, and disaster management. "There are numerous benefits of robust infrastructure in border areas. It ensures military mobility, smooth transportation of logistics, increase in tourism & employment opportunities and, most importantly, stronger faith in development, democracy & the government," he said.

Shri Rajnath Singh emphasised that the speed with which India is strengthening its borders with roads, tunnels, smart fencing, integrated command centers & surveillance systems is proof that connectivity is a backbone of security, and not a separate entity. He commended the BRO for significantly accelerating national development by completing complex projects with speed & efficiency, and through indigenous solutions. The BRO has emerged as a synonym of 'Communication' and 'Connectivity', he said, underlining the Government's endeavor to bolster these two important facets of development in border areas. "Our Government, Armed Forces, and organisations like the BRO are working diligently for the holistic development of our border areas. We must continue strengthening the bond between the border regions and national mainstream so that the relationship is not influenced by any external factors," he said.

On Operation Sindoor, Raksha Mantri said: "Our Armed Forces launched the operation in response to the horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam. Everybody knows what befell on those terrorists. We could have done much more, but our forces, demonstrating both courage and patience, only did only what was necessary. Such a massive operation was possible due to our strong connectivity. Logistics were delivered to the Armed Forces in a timely manner. Our connectivity with the border areas was maintained, making the operation a historic success."

Shri Rajnath Singh dubbed the coordination between the Armed Forces and the civil administration, along with the people of border areas, during the operation as incredible. "This coordination; this mutualism is our identity. This is what makes us unique in the world," he said, expressing gratitude to the residents of border areas for their support to our Armed Forces.

Referring to India's GDP growth which has reached 8.2% in the second quarter of 2025-26, Raksha Mantri stated that connectivity and communication play a significant role in not just security, but economic prosperity as well. "This growth is the result of the Government's pro-growth policies and reforms, as well as the hard work of every Indian. We're witnessing many wars and conflicts today. Post Operation Sindoor, we also witnessed a major conflict. But despite these challenges, our economy continues to grow, we continue to move forward," he said.

Shri Rajnath Singh acknowledged the BRO for its humanitarian assistance efforts this year including the Mana avalanche in Uttarakhand, where 46 workers were rescued; the evacuation of over 1,600 stranded tourists in North Sikkim, which witnessed landslides triggered by heavy rain, and the cloudburst in Chasoti, J&K, where nearly 5,000 pilgrims were evacuated in record time.

Lauding the BRO for making great progress in the field of technological innovation, Raksha Mantri asserted that advanced engineering methods are accelerating the completion and delivery of infrastructure. He made special mention of the BRO's adoption of indigenously developed Class-70 modular bridges in partnership with Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision. "The successful construction of these modular bridges at several forward locations is a powerful example of how indigenous technology is transforming infrastructure in border areas. These bridges, completely designed and manufactured in India, mark a significant milestone in India's engineering self-reliance," he said.

Shri Rajnath Singh also pointed out that, in the Financial Year (FY) 2024-25, BRO incurred a record expenditure of Rs 16,690 crore, the highest ever, and a target of Rs 18,700 crore has been set for FY 2025-26 which, he said, underlines the Government's confidence in BRO's capabilities. He reiterated the commitment to make the nation Aatmanirbhar in defence manufacturing, stressing on the fact that India, which was once dependent on imports, is today witnessing a paradigm shift. "There was a time when we lacked a solid system to manufacture arms and equipment in India. We were an import-dependent country in the defence sector. But due to our hard work in the last 10 years, our defence production, which was approximately Rs 46,000 crore in 2014, has now grown to a record Rs 1.51 lakh crore. Our defence exports, which were less than Rs 1,000 crore ten years ago, have now reached nearly Rs 24,000 crore," he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Director General Border Roads (DGBR) Lt Gen Raghu Srinivasan expressed gratitude to Raksha Mantri for his visionary leadership and to the Government for its progressive policies and enhanced support, which have enabled BRO to expand its operational capabilities. He highlighted that the BRO has emerged as the agency of choice for key central ministries, including the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways for executing critical infrastructure projects in the country's most challenging and strategically significant terrains.

The DGBR acknowledged the invaluable contribution of all the BRO personnel whose dedication, professionalism and tireless efforts have been the backbone of the organisation's growing strength & achievements.

Rajasthan Governor Shri Haribhau Kisanrao Bagde, Mizoram Governor General (Dr) Vijay Kumar Singh, Ladakh Lt Gov Shri Kavinder Gupta, J&K Lt Gov Shri Manoj Sinha, J&K Chief Minister Shri Omar Abdullah, Mizoram Chief Minister Shri Lalduhoma, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS Prime Minister's Office, PP/ DoPT, Atomic Energy, Space Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of Parliamentary and Minority Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju, Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command Lt Gen Pratik Sharma, General Officer Commanding, 14 Corps Lt Gen Hitesh Bhalla, other senior officials and BRO personnel attended the event.

Background

In the last two years, a total of 356 BRO infrastructure projects have been dedicated to the nation, marking a benchmark achievement in the field of strategic infrastructure development. The execution of these projects in such diverse and challenging regions highlights BRO's unmatched capability to operate in high-altitude, snowbound, desert, flood-prone and dense forest terrains. The Government has enhanced the BRO budget from Rs 6,500 crore to Rs 7,146 crore in Union Budget 2025-26 in recognition of its critical role in national security and development.

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VK/Savvy