Leh: Indian armed forces “could have done much more” during Operation Sindoor but deliberately opted for a “restrained” response and did what was necessary, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Sunday.
Singh, who inaugurated 125 strategically significant infrastructure projects by Border Roads Organisation (BRO) in different parts of the country including the Shyok tunnel in Ladakh, stressed that better connectivity, especially in border areas, made the successful military operation possible.
“Our continuous endeavour has been to strengthen our communication and connectivity with all border areas, including Ladakh. We are fully committed to the overall development of each border area,” the defence minister said here.
He highlighted the growth in India’s defence manufacturing sector, noting that production has risen from Rs 46,000 crore in 2014 to a record Rs 1.51 lakh crore, and the country that was import-dependent has emerged as a producer-exporter.
“Just a few months ago, we witnessed how, in response to the heinous terrorist attack in Pahalgam, our armed forces executed Operation Sindoor, and the world knows what they did to the terrorists.
“Of course, we could have done much more had we wanted, but our forces demonstrated not only valour but also restraint, doing only what was necessary,” Singh said.
Stressing that such a massive operation was feasible due to strong connectivity, Singh said, “Our armed forces were able to deliver logistics right on time. Connectivity with the border areas was also maintained, giving Operation Sindoor its historic success.”
“During Operation Sindoor, the coordination we witnessed among our armed forces, the civil administration, and the citizens of the border areas was incredible. I express my gratitude to every citizen of Ladakh as well as the border areas for extending their support to our armed forces,” the defence minister said.
Operation Sindoor was launched by the Indian armed forces on May 7, targeting “terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK)”, to avenge the April 22 Pahalgam attack in Kashmir that claimed 26 lives, mostly tourists.
The defence minister added that improved connectivity in the border areas is transforming security in multiple ways and enabling troops to operate more effectively in difficult terrains.
“Today, our soldiers stand strong in difficult terrains because they have access to roads, real-time communication systems, satellite support, surveillance networks, and logistics connectivity,” Singh said.
He stressed that improved connectivity is not only strengthening security and infrastructure but also driving economic growth.
Citing the 8.2 percent GDP expansion in the second quarter of 2025-26, Singh said stronger communication and connectivity networks have been a key enabler, supported by the government’s pro-growth policies and nationwide reforms.
He said India once lacked a robust system to manufacture arms and equipment domestically, but has witnessed a paradigm shift due to sustained efforts over the last decade.
“Due to our hard work in the last 10 years, our defence production, which was approximately Rs 46,000 crore in 2014, has now grown to a record Rs 1.51 lakh crore.
“Our defence exports, which were less than Rs 1,000 crore 10 years ago, have now reached nearly Rs 24,000 crore,” Singh said.
He called the 125 newly completed projects of the BRO a “vivid example” of the government’s commitment to bolstering India’s border infrastructure.
These strategically significant projects — built at a cost of Rs 5,000 crore and spread across the Union Territories of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir, and seven states including Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, West Bengal and Mizoram — consisted of 28 roads, 93 bridges and four miscellaneous works.
The event marked the largest single-day and highest-value inauguration in the history of BRO.
Singh praised the BRO for consistently finishing projects ahead of schedule and adopting new technologies aligned with the government’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India).
He emphasised that stronger border connectivity not only fortifies security, but also stabilises local economies, enhances disaster response — as seen during rescue operations after cloudburst in Jammu and Kashmir’s Chasoti — and strengthens people’s faith in governance in remote regions.
He made special mention of BRO’s adoption of Class-70 modular bridges indigenously developed in partnership with Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) vision.
The defence minister also pointed out that in the financial year 2024-25, BRO incurred a record expenditure of Rs 16,690 crore, the highest ever, and a target of Rs 18,700 crore has been set for FY 2025-26, which underlines the government’s confidence in BRO’s capabilities.
In the last two years, 356 BRO infrastructure projects have been dedicated to the nation, marking a benchmark achievement in strategic infrastructure development, an official said.
