The Indian Army’s efforts in border infrastructure development help in the enhancement of military preparedness and also contribute to the socio-economic development of local populations by improving connectivity and providing economic opportunities. These initiatives help build stronger civil-military relations and support national security objectives.
Last year, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh unveiled 75 infrastructure projects of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) estimated to be worth Rs 2,236 crore. Under the Ministry of Defence (MoD), the Border Roads Organisation constructed roads and bridges spread across 11 states and Union Territories (UT).
Of these, the largest share of the projects—19—went to Jammu & Kashmir. Further, 18 of these projects were constructed in Arunachal Pradesh, 11 in Ladakh, nine in Uttarakhand, and six in Sikkim.
While five of these projects were in Himachal Pradesh, two each were in West Bengal & Rajasthan. The BRO also took up projects in Nagaland, Mizoram, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
In recognition of the strategic importance of each of these border states, the Indian Army and BRO are focused on developing infrastructure and strengthening civil-military relations to address the significant lack of facilities and improve movement for the civilian populations in remote areas.
Last year, the Prime Minister also inaugurated two important tunnels—the Sela Tunnel and Shinkhun La Tunnel.
While the Sela tunnel has been constructed at an altitude of 13,000 feet on the road connecting Tezpur, Assam to Tawang in the West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh, the Shinkhun La, a 4.1 km long Twin-Tube tunnel will be in the process of getting constructed at around 15,800 feet on the Nimu-Padum-Darcha Road to provide all-weather connectivity to Leh. Post its completion, Shinkhun La will be the highest tunnel in the world.
These projects are aimed at contributing to strategic infrastructure development—which helps in the movement of troops deployed in the regions and helps in the social and economic progress of the local communities.
While the BRO plays its part in the construction of these projects, the Indian Army takes them ahead to boost the confidence of the local population in the region. It may be pertinent to note that a sizable number of BRO personnel come from the Indian Army’s Corps of Engineers on deputation.
Infrastructure projects create employment opportunities for residents, contributing to economic growth and stability in border regions. Further, seamless connectivity through roads and bridges facilitates access to markets, healthcare, and education, improving the quality of life.
The Indian Army periodically carries out initiatives such as medical camps and educational initiatives.
In addition to constructing roads and highways, the Indian Army is playing a crucial role in facilitating infrastructural development in rural and remote areas of J&K and Ladakh. This is achieved through synergy with civil administration, focusing on electrification, solar power, and water supply schemes.
The Indian Army, through its border development outreach last year, benefitted close to one lakh lives.
The Northern Army Command, headquartered in Udhampur, is primarily responsible for the security of India’s northern borders. It oversees the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan and the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China in Ladakh, with all sensitive corps—the 14 Corps, 15 Corps and 16 Corps of the Indian Army coming under this command. Given the tense regions, the Army takes care of several
Last year, the Army carried out 35 Clean Water Projects, benefitting 4710 people. Electric Projects amounted to 25, benefitting 4687 individuals. A total of 32 Solar Light Projects helped 4532 individuals. Solar lights were facilitated by the Army along the Leh-Karu highway for sustainable illumination.
Bridges, which are vital in bringing local communities closer, are also an important aspect of border development in remote areas. Last year, the Army constructed at least 15 such bridges, aiding a population of 14,250 individuals nationwide. A new bridge was constructed in the Ramban area among key border areas last year.
Bhimber Gali, a strategic forward area along the India-Pakistan border, remains a key region for India’s counter-infiltration strategy. Last year, the Army constructed waiting sheds at Bhimber Gali and Rajouri, among other places, improving facilities for civilians in sensitive areas.
In addition, it also carried out projects such as sanitation projects and waiting sheds—amounting to 51 and 42 projects, respectively. While the sanitation project helped an estimated 6677 people, waiting sheds helped around 15,500 people.
The Indian Army, to keep the border population better informed, carried out 466 awareness drives aimed at 26,240 individuals.
Through these initiatives, the Indian Army touched at least 90,146 lives and counting.
To maintain vital access in high-altitude areas prone to heavy snowfall, the Indian Army and BRO conducted snow clearance operations across 5,074 kilometres.
In other development work, the Indian Army has built community centres for social gatherings, education, health, and training, collaborating with local authorities for long-term regional development.