The Author is Former Director General of Information Systems and A Special Forces Veteran, Indian Army

On December 7, 2025, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated 125 major Border Roads Organisation (BRO) projects, the largest simultaneous rollout in India's history. The projects worth ₹5,000 crore, provide a tremendous boost to India's capability to move troops, secure borders, and connect remote frontier villages across the Himalayas. Launched from the high-altitude Darbuk–Shyok–Daulat Beg Oldi (DS-DBO) road in Ladakh, the massive infrastructure push spans Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, and seven other border states, including Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Rajasthan, and West Bengal.

The projects worth ₹5,000 crore, inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, provide a tremendous boost to India's capability to move troops, secure borders, and connect remote frontier villages across the Himalayas

These projects included 28 new roads, 93 bridges, and four critical facilities, all built to bolster India's preparedness in some of the world's most hostile terrain, significantly improve last-mile connectivity to remote villages and forward military locations, particularly focusing on securing its frontiers with China in the north. Prominent among the major projects inaugurated was the Shyok Tunnel designed to transform mobility to the DBO Sector, India's northernmost military outpost. Situated on the DS-DBO Road in eastern Ladakh, it is a 920-metre cut-and-cover tunnel built by the BRO, providing all-weather connectivity in a region prone to heavy snowfall, avalanches, and extreme temperatures. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh hailed it as a "game-changing, all-weather lifeline" that ensures troop movement and logistics even through crippling Ladakh winters.

Amongst the above projects, Project 'Pushpak', located at Aizawl, contributed three projects viz Construction of Zawlingling-Mawhre-Sapi (Z-M-S) road between km 30.00 to km 38.150, Tuichanglui Bridge (70 metre Span Steel Superstructure Bridge) located at km 126.300 on Lawngtlai-Diltlang-Parva (L-D-P) road and Gausan Bridge (40 metre Span Steel Superstructure Bridge) located at km 130.900 on Lawngtlai-Diltlang-Parva (L-D-P) road. The upgraded road stretch and new bridges will provide year-round connectivity to remote areas. BRO officials affirmed that the timely completion of these projects reflects the organisation's continued commitment to strengthening national border infrastructure despite challenging terrain and weather conditions in the North-East. These three projects, constructed by Project Pushpak, connect the State of Mizoram to remote areas along the Indo-Myanmar Border. These projects will significantly enhance the socio-economic development in this region and improve the connectivity for the local population of many villages.

Prominent among the major projects inaugurated was the Shyok Tunnel designed to transform mobility to the DBO Sector, India's northernmost military outpost

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh called the new assets "lifelines" for national security, economic upliftment, and disaster response, stressing that border infrastructure is now central to India's defence posture; with new tunnels, smart fencing, roads, surveillance systems, and integrated command centres, India is modernising its frontier at unprecedented speed. He emphasised that connectivity is the "backbone of security" and not a separate developmental exercise, praising the BRO for mastering terrains once considered impossible. Strong roads and reliable supply lines, he said, directly enhance tourism, jobs, local confidence, and military readiness.

Rajnath Singh virtually inaugurated the Galwan War Memorial in eastern Ladakh, honouring the extraordinary heroism of Indian soldiers who safeguarded the nation's sovereignty in the high-altitude clashes in 2020. He underscored how upgraded border infrastructure proved decisive in Operation Sindoor, launched after the Pahalgam terror attack; thanks to seamless logistics and improved last-mile linkages, the armed forces executed a swift, controlled, and effective operation. Rajnath praised the exceptional joint coordination between troops, civil authorities, and border residents, calling it India's unique strength. Pointing to India's impressive 8.2 per cent GDP growth in Q2 of FY 2025–26, Singh said that connectivity not only fortifies borders but also drives prosperity. Even amid global wars, domestic conflict spillovers, and geopolitical shocks, India's economic engine remains resilient due to robust reforms, he said.

Rajnath Singh virtually inaugurated the Galwan War Memorial in eastern Ladakh, honouring the extraordinary heroism of Indian soldiers who safeguarded the nation's sovereignty in the high-altitude clashes in 2020

The defence minister also highlighted the BRO's humanitarian role. In the past year, BRO personnel rescued 46 workers during the Mana avalanche, evacuated 1,600 stranded tourists in North Sikkim, and saved nearly 5,000 pilgrims in J&K's Chasoti cloudburst. He praised the adoption of indigenous Class-70 modular bridges, developed in partnership with state-run Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), calling them a major leap in India's engineering self-reliance. With Director General Border Roads (DGBR) Lt General Raghu Srinivasan present at the inauguration ceremony, the event was also attended by Rajasthan Governor Haribhau Kisanrao Bagde, Mizoram Governor General V.K. Singh, Ladakh Lt Governor Kavinder Gupta, J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Mizoram Chief Minister Pu Lalduhoma, Union Minister Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of Parliamentary and Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, GOC-in-C Northern Command Lt General Pratik Sharma and GOC 14 Corps Lt General Hitesh Bhalla. Lok Sabha MP Richard Vanlalhmangaiha, Rajya Sabha MP K. Vanlalvena, and Chief Engineer, Project Pushpak (GREF) Rajeev Dua witnessed the event through video link.

Over 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 ₹6,500 crore to ₹7,146 crore in the Union Budget 2025-26 in recognition of its critical role in national security and development.