Border infra indispensable in tech-driven warfare: Rajnath Singh

New Delhi: Border infrastructure remains indispensable in future technology-driven warfare, defence minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday, adding that strategic projects currently being undertaken "will define our civilisation for the next one or two centuries".

Speaking at the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) Strategic Infrastructure Conclave, he commended recent initiatives to improve connectivity, making a special mention of tunnel projects at Umling La and Sela that have made access to border areas easier.

"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 defence minister added 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.

He described as "unprecedented" the speed at which the BRO has been undertaking road projects in some of the most challenging terrains in the world, calling it a reflection of the "combined strength of human resolve and modern technology". "The focus laid on infrastructure post-independence did not match the nation's capabilities and requirements. We have ensured that no citizen residing in a remote area feels cut off from the mainstream," Singh said.

The defence minister added that border villages, which were once referred to as the last villages, are being transformed into the country's first villages under the 'Vibrant Village Programme'. "The infrastructure we are building today will define our civilisation for the next one or two centuries," he said.

The conclave also hosted an industry interaction involving leading infrastructure companies, equipment manufacturers, academia and technology partners.