DD Defence Correspondent
New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said border infrastructure, including roads, tunnels, airfields and ports, will remain indispensable even in future technology-driven warfare.
Addressing the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) Strategic Infrastructure Conclave in New Delhi, Singh said modern weapons and precision capabilities may determine the outcome of wars, but basic infrastructure remains crucial for enabling military operations.
“Sometimes, the first front of a war is not at the border itself but on the road that leads soldiers to the frontline. The person who builds that road is as vital to national security as the soldier guarding the border,” he said.
The Defence Minister lauded the BRO for adopting niche technologies and building world-class infrastructure that strengthens national security and contributes to the goal of a developed India by 2047.
Highlighting BRO’s achievements over the past six and a half decades, Singh said the organisation has evolved from a road construction agency into one of the world’s most respected strategic infrastructure organisations. He cited projects such as the Atal Tunnel, Sela Tunnel and Umling La Pass as examples of BRO’s engineering excellence.
Describing connectivity as a key component of civilisational development, Singh said the government is committed to ensuring that no resident of remote areas feels disconnected from the mainstream through improved road, rail, air and digital infrastructure.
“We are transforming border villages, once called the last villages, into the country’s first villages under the Vibrant Villages Programme,” he said.
Calling for a collective effort in infrastructure development, the Defence Minister urged industry, academia, engineers and administrators to work together to create an ecosystem driven by innovation, research and execution excellence.
Speaking on the occasion, Director General Border Roads Lt Gen Harpal Singh said strategic capability is now determined not only by what is built but also by how intelligently projects are planned, executed, monitored and maintained.
He said the BRO is undergoing organisational transformation through technology, innovation and institutional reforms, with greater emphasis on digital planning, artificial intelligence, modern construction techniques and collaboration with industry and academia.
During the event, Rajnath Singh presented awards to various BRO projects for outstanding performance in infrastructure development and launched two digital platforms for project management and recruitment.
He also released three BRO publications—Path Pradarshak, Oonchi Sadken and Path Vikas—and unveiled the BRO Anthem as a tribute to the organisation’s personnel.
The two-day conclave, which began on July 15, brought together senior military leaders, policymakers, infrastructure experts, industry representatives and technology partners to discuss emerging technologies, digital transformation and innovative solutions for developing strategic infrastructure in India’s border regions.
