Roads to the frontline as vital as soldiers, Rajnath Singh says at BRO conclave

New Delhi, July 16. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on July 16 underlined the critical role of strategic infrastructure in national security, asserting that roads, tunnels, airfields and ports remain as essential to military preparedness as advanced weapons and modern technologies in an era of evolving warfare.

Addressing the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) Strategic Infrastructure Conclave in New Delhi, Singh said the outcome of future conflicts would depend not only on military strength and precision capabilities but also on the quality of infrastructure that enables armed forces to reach and sustain operations at the frontlines.

“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,” he said.

The Defence Minister praised the BRO for transforming itself over the past six-and-a-half decades from a road construction agency into one of the world’s leading strategic infrastructure organisations. He cited landmark projects such as the Atal Tunnel, Umling La Pass road and the Sela Tunnel as examples of the organisation’s engineering capabilities and dedication in some of the world’s most challenging terrains.

He also lauded the BRO for embracing cutting-edge technologies, particularly in tunnelling, modern construction techniques and infrastructure development, saying these advances have significantly enhanced connectivity in remote and border regions while strengthening India’s defence preparedness.

Describing connectivity as a cornerstone of national development, Singh said the government is expanding road, rail, air and digital infrastructure across the country to ensure that even the remotest regions remain connected to the national mainstream. He highlighted the Vibrant Village Programme, under which border villages once considered the country’s last settlements are being developed into its “first villages”.

“The infrastructure we are building today will define our civilisation for the next one or two centuries,” he said, while calling on industry, academia, engineers and administrators to work together in creating an ecosystem that promotes innovation and excellence in infrastructure development.

Speaking at the conclave, Director General Border Roads Lt Gen Harpal Singh said strategic capability is increasingly being measured not merely by the infrastructure built, but by the efficiency of planning, speed of execution, quality of monitoring and long-term sustainability of assets.

He said the BRO is undergoing a major organisational transformation driven by digital planning, artificial intelligence-enabled solutions, mechanisation, modern construction methodologies and stronger collaboration with industry and academic institutions to develop resilient and future-ready strategic infrastructure.

During the event, Rajnath Singh presented awards to BRO projects for excellence in infrastructure development and launched two digital platforms for project management and recruitment as part of the organisation’s ongoing digital transformation.

He also released three BRO publications – Path Pradarshak, Oonchi Sadken and Path Vikas – highlighting the organisation’s achievements, engineering innovations, best practices and future roadmap. The BRO anthem was also unveiled in tribute to the dedication and service of its personnel.

The two-day conclave, which began on July 15, brought together senior military officials, policymakers, infrastructure experts, industry leaders, technology partners and BRO officers to discuss emerging technologies, digital transformation, sustainable construction practices and innovative engineering solutions for accelerating strategic infrastructure development in India’s border areas.

The discussions, held under the theme ‘Enhancing Capability through Technology, Innovation and Execution Excellence’, focused on the complete lifecycle of strategic infrastructure projects – from planning and design to execution, monitoring and the adoption of advanced technologies – with an emphasis on delivering smarter, faster and more resilient infrastructure for national security.