Defence Minister Inaugurates Record 125 Border Infrastructure Projects from Ladakh, Strengthening India’s Strategic Connectivity.
New Delhi:
In a historic milestone for India’s border development, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday dedicated 125 strategically vital Border Roads Organisation (BRO) infrastructure projects to the nation. Inaugurated simultaneously from Ladakh, this marks the highest number of projects unveiled in one event and the highest-value infrastructure push in BRO’s history.
Spread across two Union Territories—Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir—and seven states including Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, West Bengal and Mizoram, the newly completed works comprise 28 roads, 93 bridges and four miscellaneous projects. Constructed at a cost of approximately ₹5,000 crore, these assets are expected to significantly improve last-mile connectivity to remote villages and forward military areas.
Addressing the gathering at the Shyok Tunnel on the Darbuk–Shyok–Daulat Beg Oldie road, Singh hailed the tunnel—one of the key projects inaugurated—as an engineering feat built in one of the world’s harshest terrains. The 920-metre cut-and-cover structure will ensure reliable, all-weather access to a critical frontier region prone to extreme snowfall and avalanches.
The Defence Minister also virtually inaugurated the Galwan War Memorial, honouring the valour and sacrifice of Indian soldiers.
Singh emphasized that the Narendra Modi government’s commitment to border infrastructure aligns with the vision of Viksit Bharat. He highlighted the crucial role of connectivity in national security, disaster management, tourism and economic growth. Recalling the success of Operation Sindoor, he credited robust border connectivity and seamless coordination among the armed forces, civil administration and residents of frontier villages for its effectiveness, describing this mutualism as “India’s unique identity.”
Commending the BRO’s accelerated pace of construction, technological innovation and humanitarian efforts, Singh noted its adoption of indigenous Class-70 modular bridges under Aatmanirbhar Bharat. He underscored India’s transformation from a defence-import dependent nation to a rising manufacturing and exporting power, with defence production now touching Rs. 1.51 lakh crore and exports nearing Rs. 24,000 crore.
BRO Director General Lt Gen Raghu Srinivasan expressed gratitude to the government for its continued support, noting that BRO has become the agency of choice for major ministries executing projects in high-altitude and strategic zones.
The ceremony was attended by governors, chief ministers, senior military leaders, union ministers and BRO personnel, marking a landmark day for India’s border security and development.
