Rajnath Singh inaugurates 125 BRO projects in Ladakh, marks largest-ever simultaneous rollout

New Delhi, December 7. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on December 7 inaugurated 125 strategic infrastructure projects built by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), in what is the agency’s largest-ever simultaneous unveiling. The projects – 28 roads, 93 bridges and four other works – span two union territories and seven states, and have been completed at a cost of about Rs. 5,000 crore, the highest-value set of inaugurations in the BRO’s history.

Speaking at the ceremony held on the Darbuk–Shyok–Daulat Beg Oldie road near the newly built Shyok Tunnel in Ladakh, Singh said the projects would considerably strengthen last-mile connectivity to remote villages and key forward military posts. He described the extensive rollout as a reaffirmation of the Modi government’s commitment to boosting border infrastructure as part of the vision of a ‘Viksit Bharat’.

The Shyok Tunnel – a 920-metre cut-and-cover structure built in extremely challenging terrain – was among the headline projects launched. Singh said the all-weather tunnel would greatly improve mobility, security and rapid troop deployment in an area routinely hit by heavy snowfall, avalanches and sub-zero temperatures.

The Minister also virtually inaugurated the Galwan War Memorial, built to honour the soldiers who displayed “unmatched bravery and sacrifice” in the region.

Underlining the strategic and economic importance of connectivity in frontier areas, Singh said robust border infrastructure boosts military mobility, strengthens disaster response, and expands tourism and local livelihood opportunities. He said the pace at which India was building roads, tunnels, surveillance systems and integrated command centres showed that connectivity had become the backbone of national security.

Singh praised the BRO for its rapid execution of high-difficulty projects using increasingly indigenous solutions, noting that the organisation had become synonymous with “communication and connectivity” in the country’s most remote regions. He said strengthening ties between border communities and the national mainstream remained a key government priority.

Referring to Operation Sindoor – India’s large-scale military response after the April Pahalgam terror attack – Singh said the operation’s success depended heavily on strong logistics and uninterrupted connectivity along the frontier. He lauded the coordination between the armed forces, civil administration and local residents during the operation, calling it a defining feature of India’s security ethos.

Singh also linked India’s 8.2 percent GDP growth in the second quarter of 2025-26 to improved connectivity and communications, saying the economy had continued to expand despite global conflicts and security challenges.

Highlighting BRO’s humanitarian work, the minister cited troop and civilian rescues during major disasters this year, including the Mana avalanche in Uttarakhand, the North Sikkim landslides and the Chasoti cloudburst in Jammu & Kashmir.

He commended the BRO’s push for technological innovation, including the use of indigenously designed Class-70 modular bridges developed with Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers under the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ (Self-reliant India) initiative. Such advances, he said, demonstrated how homegrown engineering was transforming border infrastructure.

Singh noted that the BRO spent a record Rs. 16,690 crore in 2024-25 and is targeting Rs. 18,700 crore for 2025-26, a reflection of the government’s confidence in its capacity. He said India’s surge in defence manufacturing – from Rs. 46,000 crore in 2014 to Rs. 1.51 lakh crore today – and a leap in defence exports to nearly Rs. 24,000 crore underscored the country’s shift away from import dependence.

BRO Director General Lt Gen Raghu Srinivasan, speaking at the event, thanked the government for its support, saying the organisation had become the agency of choice for key ministries executing critical projects in high-risk terrain. He credited BRO personnel for their professionalism and dedication.

The event was attended by senior political leaders, governors, military commanders and BRO officials from across Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir and multiple states.

It is worth mentioning here that over the past two years, the BRO has completed 356 infrastructure projects across some of India’s most difficult operational environments, including high-altitude, desert, flood-prone and densely forested regions. Recognising its expanded role, the government increased the BRO’s budget from Rs. 6,500 crore to Rs. 7,146 crore in the 2025-26 Union Budget.