New Delhi: Even as advanced weapons and platforms are being inducted into the armed forces to tackle the evolving nature of warfare, critical infrastructure such as ports, roads and tunnels will continue to play an indispensable role in the future, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday.
In his address at Strategic Infrastructure Conclave hosted by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) here, he also emphasised that while the outcome of war is largely determined by military prowess, precision capabilities and modern technologies, basic infrastructure is central to enabling military operations.
“Sometimes, the first front of a war is not at the border itself, but on the road that leads our soldiers to the frontline. Therefore, the person who builds that road is as vital a guardian of national security as the soldier who stands at the border,” Singh said.
He commended the BRO for adopting niche technologies to establish robust infrastructure and carry forward the government’s resolve of building world-class infrastructure, continuously strengthening national security, and transforming India into a Viksit Bharat by 2047 as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The defence minister asserted that border infrastructure will remain indispensable in technology-driven warfare in future.
Connectivity is an essential component of civilisational development, and the government has “ensured that no resident of a remote area feels cut off from mainstream”, he said.
He further emphasised that innovation, research, and execution excellence are key to “future-ready strategic infrastructure”.
“Even as state-of-the-art weapons and platforms are being inducted into the defence forces to address the challenges posed by the evolving nature of warfare, ports, airfields, roads and tunnels will continue to play an indispensable role in the future,” Singh said.
The two-day conclave, which commenced on Wednesday, served as a platform for deliberations on emerging technologies, innovative engineering solutions, digital transformation in planning, project monitoring and execution to improve productivity, sustainable construction methodologies and best practices aimed at accelerating the development of strategic infrastructure in India’s border regions.
The event brought together senior military leadership, policymakers, infrastructure experts, BRO officers, industry leaders and technology partners to collectively deliberate upon the future of strategic infrastructure development, the defence ministry said.
Singh highlighted that over the past six-and-a-half decades, the BRO has transformed itself from a mere road construction agency to one of the world’s most respected strategic infrastructure organisations.
He underlined achievements such as Atal Tunnel, Umling La Pass, and Sela Tunnel stand as “living testaments” to the BRO’s capability and hard work, adding that its dedicated personnel have repeatedly proven that with a spirit of service to the nation, any challenge can be overcome even in the harshest of conditions.
Terming the BRO as a frontline organisation in adopting latest technologies, Singh made special mention of the tunnelling technology, which he said has brought about the revolution, from metro construction in cities to highway development in mountainous regions.
The speed with which the BRO constructs roads and highways across some of the world’s most challenging terrains is “unprecedented”, he said, and described it a reflection of the combined strength of human resolve and modern technology.
Speaking on the occasion, BRO Director General Lt Gen Harpal Singh stressed that the measure of strategic capability is “no longer defined solely by what we build; it is increasingly determined by how intelligently we plan, how rapidly we execute, how effectively we monitor, and how sustainably we maintain infrastructure assets”.
He emphasised that the BRO has embarked upon a journey of organisational transformation driven by technology, innovation and institutional reforms, adding that emphasis is being laid on digital planning, AI-enabled solutions, modern construction methodologies, mechanisation and stronger collaboration with industry and academia to build resilient and future-ready strategic infrastructure.
The defence minister also presented awards for various BRO projects, recognising outstanding performance and excellence in infrastructure development.
He also launched two digital platforms for project management and recruitment, marking another significant step in the BRO’s digital transformation and organisational modernisation, the ministry said.
Singh also released three flagship publications of the BRO — ‘Path Pradarshak’, ‘OonchiSadken’ and ‘Path Vikas’ — which document the organisation’s achievements, engineering innovations, best practices and future vision.
“As a tribute to the indomitable spirit, unwavering commitment and selfless service of the BRO Karamyogis, the BRO Anthem was also unveiled,” the ministry said.
