Border Infrastructure: Shrinking the Gap

Introduction

Kazan heralded a fresh start for the two Asian giants as they agreed to initiate the disengagement process post the Galwan stand-off. Following years of heightened tensions and intermittent confrontations, this agreement is a significant diplomatic achievement, signalling the commitment of both countries to maintaining peace and stability in the region. Having learnt from the experience, India continues its long-awaited revamp of the border infrastructure along all its borders, with special emphasis to those areas which have suffered neglect for several decades. The Kazan Agreement is certainly an outcome of numerous efforts at multiple fronts for past four years, with India’s accelerated pace of border infrastructure development being one of the silently prominent factors. Various frontline projects have been completed and many more are still underway.

Accelerated Border Infrastructure

The accelerated development of border infrastructure by India following the Galwan clash played a strategic role in the normalisation of relations with China. This infrastructure built up not only enhanced India’s defensive readiness along the LAC but also provided a strategic deterrent, encouraging China to take India’s security concerns seriously and work toward de-escalation. Post Galwan nearly 450 projects have been completed and dedicated to the nation till date by Border Roads Organisation (BRO). Here’s how India’s infrastructure development influenced normalisation.

Enhanced Strategic Positioning and Deterrence

India’s infrastructure push sent a strong message to China, signalling its readiness to secure the LAC against any incursions. Projects like new roads, bridges, tunnels, and airfields improved the mobility and logistical support of Indian forces, making it clear that India was strengthening its border defence capabilities. The infrastructure development underscored India’s determination to maintain its territorial integrity, pushing China to consider normalisation as the only feasible path to avoid further military standoffs.

Key Infrastructure Projects in Ladakh and Adjoining Areas

Several critical infrastructure projects have been developed along the LAC, establishing faster troop mobilisation and supply delivery in remote areas. Some key projects include:

DS-DBO Road. Extending to India’s northernmost military post near the Karakoram Pass, the DS-DBO (Darbuk-Shyok–Daulat Beg Oldie) Road has been a game-changer, providing all-weather access to high-altitude regions. This road facilitates faster deployment to the Depsang plains, a critical area of contention with China.
Chisumle-Umlingla-Demchok Road. This road is the highest motorable road in the world which passes through Umlingla (19024 ft ASL). It connects Hanle to Demchok and provides desired tactical connectivity in Chumar Sector.
CDFD Road. CDFD (Chushul-Dungti-Fukche-Demchok) Road is an important strategic road which runs near parallel to the LAC, just 10-15 kms inside which can facilitate switching of forces at crucial stages of battle in Eastern Ladakh.
SSS-Gapshan Road. SSS-Gapshan (Sasoma-Saserla-Saser Brangsa-Gapshan) road provides access to DBO from the western slope of Ladakh Range, which avoids direct surveillance of troop movement to DBO and will also act as alternate to DS-DBO when needed.
LMF Road. Likaru-Migla-Fukche (LMF) Road is going to be world’s highest road at 19400 ft, breaking record of Umlingla. This road would be a very important axial connecting CDFD road at Fukche thereby facilitating swift deployment of our troops located in depth areas straight onto LAC.
NPD Road. Nimu-Padum-Darcha (NPD) Road is nearly complete and would act as third axis to Leh. This being the shortest and central axis would be the safest route joining Ladakh region to Lahaul Spiti. World’s highest tunnel Shinkunla (15855 ft) linking Zanskar to Lahaul Spiti is being constructed on this axis.

Key Infrastructure Projects in the Central Sector

Several delayed infrastructure projects have been restarted with greater earnest to cater for faster troop mobilisation and logistics in remote areas. These projects include:

MBM Road. Munshiyari-Bughdiyar-Milam (MBM) Road is one of the toughest alignments, providing strategic access to the base of Milam glacier in Central Sector. The connectivity could be established by opening five attack points through air dropping heavy machines using Chinook helicopters.
Gunji-Kutti-Jollingkong Road. This road is an important operational road in Central Sector that connects Gunji to Jollingking. This also has boosted local tourism to Adi Kailash and enhanced economic activities in this so far neglected region.
Dharchula-Gunji-Lipulekh Road. The road connectivity has been provided beyond Lipulekh pass right upto LAC. The Government has also permitted civilians in small batches to go upto Lipulekh Pass to have darshan of Kailash Parvat from the pass area. The first batch went to Lipulekh on 03 Oct 24.

Roads to Forward Posts in Arunachal

A number of operationally important roads were constructed in Arunachal during last four years, of which few are mentioned below:

LGG-Damteng-Yangtse Road. LDY Road was just connected before the clash happened at Yangtse on 09 Dec 2022. The road assisted in swift mobilisation of Indian troops to Yangtse to push back Chinese troops and save the situation.
Balipara-Charduar-Tawang (BCT) Road. BCT Road is an important axial leading from Balipara to Tawang (320 kms) thus facilitating movement of troops, if required, from lower reaches straight to Tawang Sector.
Hapoli-Sarli-Huri Road. This 278 kms long road has connected Huri to the main stream administrative setup in Arunachal Pradesh, thereby triggering “reverse migration” in village Huri. This road is one of the examples of integrating remote villages in overall state fabric and facilitating fruits of economic development reaching to the last man in the state.
TCC-Taksing. TCC-Taksing Road has enabled military units to move to Taksing first time during periodic change over. Such roads in forward areas have strengthened our security network and also upgraded socio economic conditions of these regions. Taksing is a village and headquarters of an eponymous Circle in the Upper Subansiri District, in Arunachal Pradesh. The region of Taksing is populated by Tagin people. The village is on the bank of the Subansiri River.
Road TCC – Galemo – Maja. Road TCC (Tame Chung Chung) – Galemo – Maza in remote Upper Subansiri district will change the security equation in this region. After Longju incident in 1959, a new border post was set up later at Maja, 3 miles South of Longju, which remained an air-maintained post till it was connected by a road on 30 December 2022. The TCC – Maja is the area where Havildar Shere Thapa of 2 JAK Rifles had killed 155 Chinese soldiers on 18 October 1962.

Bridge, Tunnel and Airfield Construction

The BRO has broken all records in Bridge and Tunnel construction. Several strategic Bridges and Tunnels have been recently constructed and inaugurated. Certain Airfields that support defence preparedness have also been upgraded/constructed. Some examples are: –

Shyok Bridge. Shyok Bridge located at an altitude of 12000 ft, is 120 m long, Class 70 steel bridge which is strategically most important bridge on DS-DBO road. This bridge was made during winters at temperatures of (-) 35 degrees Celsius to avoid high levels of water in Shyok river during summers.
Saser Brangsa Bridge. Saser Brangsa bridge is 345 m long, class 70 bridge which is supported on seven piers. The bridge was made in 174 days, which in itself is a record to do any such construction at an altitude of 14900 ft. Each pier is supported by 49 micro piles. The bridge has been certified as world’s highest multi-span bridge by World Book of Records.
Siyom Bridge. The Siyom bridge is 100 m, class 70, first signature steel arch bridge located on Along-Yinkiong Road. This bridge will speed up troop deployment to forward areas in the Upper Siang district, Tuting and Yinkiong regions along the LAC.
Flag Hill-Dokala Bridge. BRO made India’s first Double Lane class 70 modular bridge at Flag Hill on road leading to Dokala. BRO made a policy in 2021, that all its bridges will be class 70 which will support all kinds of tanks, artillery guns and multi axle trucks. A MoU has been signed with GRSE to manufacture 60 of such bridges in March 2022, 30 out of these have already been launched on specific locations along LAC.
Devak Bridge. Devak bridge is 422 m long, class 70 RCC bridge on Devak River near Samba, just 5 kms from LC. This bridge is strategically very important and very crucial for switching of troops in Samba sector. The bridge was inaugurated by Hon’ble RM on 12 Sep 2023.
Atal Tunnel. Atal Tunnel is 9.02 km long and is world’s longest tunnel above 10,000 ft. It joins Manali region to Lahaul Spiti and has reduced the travelling time by 4-5 hours.
Sela Tunnel. Sela Tunnel was inaugurated by Hon’ble PM on 09 Mar 2024. This tunnel is the highest transportation tunnel in India located at an altitude of 13,000 ft and is the longest bi-lane tunnel in the world above 13,000 ft. This will provide all weather connectivity to Tawang Sector and would also boost religious tourism to Tawang region.
Nichephu Tunnel. Nichephu Tunnel has been constructed in the West Kameng district on the BCT Road. This tunnel will avoid interference caused by thick fog in this region to military and regular civilian traffic movement and shorten the travelling time as well as prevent many road accidents which used to happen in this stretch.
DBO Tunnel. This cut and cover tunnel on DS-DBO Road is being made by LITHELYARCH technology and is going to be the second of its kind in the country being constructed using such technique.
Shinkunla Tunnel. Shinkunla Tunnel is being constructed on NPD Road and will be located at an altitude of 15855 ft. This tunnel when completed will be the highest tunnel in the world and will break the record of Mila Tunnel in China which is located at a height of 15584 ft. This would be a twin tube tunnel with length of 4.10 kms. This will connect 36 villages of Zanskar region to 137 villages of Lahaul Spiti.
Bagdogra & Barrackpore Airfields. These two airfields in the Eastern Sector have been upgraded to provide extended reach to Indian Air Force across LAC, if the situation so demands. Barrackpore is one of the oldest airfields and was used in WW II to gather intelligence on Japanese Forces in occupied Burma.
Nyoma Airfield. Nyoma airfield is located at an altitude of 13,700 ft and just 35 kms from LAC. The work on the airfield started in Sep 2023 and the 3 km long airstrip is almost complete leaving few ancillary buildings. The construction continued during winters also at temperatures plummeting to as low as (-) 35 degrees Celsius. This airfield is also one of the highest fighter Air Base and would provide strategic operating reach to Air Force and operational extension to land troops against China across LAC.

Strategic Implications

The infrastructural improvement across the country has major Strategic Implications with specific reference to our defence preparedness and response timings. It adds to the confidence levels of our troops who now know that they will get continuous support. Some of the important implications are: –

Facilitating Quick Deployment. Roads like the DS-DBO Road and the upgraded Nyoma Air Base have significantly reduced the time required, for deploying troops, equipment and supplies to border outposts. This operational readiness ensures that India can respond rapidly to border threats, minimising vulnerabilities along the LAC.
Dependence on Seasonal Access. With infrastructure projects like the Sela and under construction Shinkunla Tunnels and reducing closure period of all mountain passes considerably, specially Zojila, India has reduced its dependence on summer routes, which were often cut off in winter due to heavy snowfall.
These year-around access to high-altitude regions has enhanced India’s strategic consistency, ensured continuous defence presence, and eliminated any seasonal advantages that the adversary may have previously exploited.
Socio-Economic Upgradation and Civilian Presence. Enhanced infrastructure along the LAC has strengthened the local economy by facilitating movement and improving access to basic services for remote communities. This civilian presence along the border serves as a “human deterrent,” as border villages make it harder for China to claim territory without facing local opposition. Furthermore, a stronger civilian presence along the LAC solidifies India’s territorial claims, supporting its long-term position in border negotiations. Roads taken to places like DBO, Gapshan, Hot Spring, Demchok, Nelong, Milam, Jollinglong, Lipulekh, Doklam, Yangtse, Huri, Taksing, Maza, Lamang, Gelling and many other forwardmost posts during last four years has not only shrunk the road-head differential but also triggered “reverse migration” in remote villages closer to LAC.
International Credibility through Self-Sufficiency. India’s accelerated infrastructure development was widely covered internationally, boosting India’s credibility as a Nation capable of defending its borders independently. This infrastructure push projected India’s resolve to the global community, signalling that it was willing to invest significantly in its defence posture. The strength demonstrated by this infrastructural self-sufficiency likely played a part in China’s decision to seek diplomatic resolutions rather than risk escalation. Today India is spearheading construction of roads, bridges, tunnels, and airfields in super high-altitude areas across the country.

Conclusion

Both India and China continue to expand their military infrastructure along the LAC, constructing roads, bases, and logistical networks that enable quick troop deployments to contested areas. India has constructed nearly 450 projects post Galwan to reinforce its security matrix in the area. Out of 14 highest roads in the world 11 are there in India alone, including the highest motorable road at Umlingla (19,024 ft) constructed in Sep 2021. World’s highest multi span bridge has been constructed at Saser Brangsa (14,900 ft) over Shyok river on alternate route to DS-DBO in Oct 2023. World’s highest tunnel is under construction at Shinkunla (15,855 ft) on a strategically important road, connecting Leh to Lahaul Spiti. And one of the World’s highest Air Bases closest to the border, is nearly complete at Nyoma (14,700 ft).

Through all these border projects, India has ensured better last mile connectivity along LAC facilitating rapid troop mobilisation and enhanced border security. By balancing diplomacy with strategic readiness, India has reinforced its commitment to maintaining peace and stability along the LAC while securing its national interest.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lt Gen Rajeev Chaudhry, VSM, during his last assignment of DG Border Roads, doubled the pace of work to meet stringent targets post Galwan clash and worked to get an incremental budget allocation of 160% for GS roads during his tenure. He infused at least 18 new technologies and procured the latest machines and equipment to enhance speed and quality of projects. He brought transparency in expenditure through increased use of GeM and ensured timely payments to the firms for which BRO was awarded Gold Certificate for two consecutive years. He also ensured desired dignity, social security, and visibility to the unsung BRO Karmyogis.