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 the 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 the 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.
