‘Nyoma airfield in Ladakh will be game changer for Armed Forces’
All political parties united in safeguarding nation
India’s defence manufacturing sector dynamic, progressive
Sanjeev Pargal
SAMBA/JAMMU, Sept 12: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said today that infrastructure development in border areas is not only necessary for national security but it also promotes connectivity with neighbouring countries as he described as “game changer” the construction of airfield at Nyoma in the Union Territory of Ladakh whose foundation stone was laid today by him virtually alongwith 89 other projects.
“All political parties are united when it comes to safeguarding the nation,” Rajnath said addressing a function at Devak river after inauguration of 90 projects physically and virtually in Samba district.
On his arrival in Jammu this morning, Rajnath Singh was received by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
The Defence Minister said infrastructure development in border areas is not only necessary for national security, but also promotes connectivity with neighbouring countries that function with a spirit of cooperation with India.
After laying the foundation stone of Nyoma airfield in Eastern Ladakh virtually from Samba, Rajnath said that one of the world’s highest airfields will boost the air infrastructure and would prove to be a game-changer for the Armed Forces.
The Nyoma Airfield will be built at a cost of around Rs 200 crore and is located just 35 km from the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Eastern Ladakh sector.
He also expressed hope that the BRO will soon set another unique record with the construction of the Shinkun La Tunnel, the world’s highest tunnel at an altitude of 15,855 feet.
The tunnel will connect Lahaul-Spiti in Himachal Pradesh to Zanskar Valley in Ladakh and provide all-weather connectivity, he said.
The event was organised at Devak Bridge on Bishnah-Kaulpur-Phulpur Road, which was inaugurated physically by the Defence Minister.
The state-of-the-art 422.9 meter-long Class 70 RCC Devak bridge is of strategic importance as it will enhance the operational preparedness of the Armed Forces and boost the socio-economic development of the region.
“The Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is committed to development of border areas,” Rajnath said and lauded the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) for completing major infrastructure projects over the past couple of years.
“The BRO is a glaring example of civil-military fusion and its role in the development of infrastructure along the borders will be written in golden words. The civil-military fusion is the need of the hour as safeguarding the country is not the responsibility of our armed forces alone but the civilians as well,” he added.
He pointed out that the BRO has constructed infrastructure projects in several countries such as Myanmar & Bhutan and helped strengthen peace and cooperation with them.
An important infrastructure project inaugurated by the Defence minister was the 500-metre-long Nechiphu Tunnel on Balipara-Charduar-Tawang Road in Arunachal Pradesh.
This tunnel, along with the under-construction Sela Tunnel, will provide all-weather connectivity to the strategic Tawang Region. It will be beneficial to the Armed Forces deployed in the region and the tourists visiting Tawang. Singh had laid the foundation stone of the tunnel in October 2020.
The revamped Bagdogra and Barrackpore Airfields in West Bengal were also dedicated to the nation. These airfields, reconstructed at a cost of over Rs 500 crore, will not only bolster the preparedness of the Indian Air Force (IAF) but also facilitate commercial flight operations in the region.
He inaugurated a total of 90 infrastructure projects, completed by the BRO at a cost of Rs 2,941 crore. The projects include 22 roads, 63 bridges, one tunnel, two airstrips and two helipads spread across 10 border states and Union Territories of northern and the north-eastern region.
Quoting from Hindu religious texts, Rajnath said, “We have to work together to safeguard our borders.”
“It is heartening to say that we are getting full support from all to secure our borders… the projects which were completed are spread across states and UTs where different political parties are holding the power. I want to congratulate everyone for the completion of these vital border projects. The strength of India is that when there is a challenge to our national security or a threat to Bharat Mata (mother India), all political parties set aside their ideological differences and come together to face the adversary,” he added.
He said with today’s inauguration of 90 projects, a record 295 infrastructure projects of the BRO have been dedicated to the nation since 2021. In 2022, 103 projects worth Rs 2,900 crore were inaugurated while in 2021, 102 projects at a cost of over Rs 2,200 crore were dedicated to the nation.
“In the past 900 days, the BRO completed one project every third day which demonstrates its dedication and hardwork as well as the commitment of the Government under the leadership of the Prime Minister,” Rajnath said. He also inaugurated Kalapassi bridge in Ramban virtually.
Describing the BRO as a “bro (brother)” of the armed forces, he said through its infrastructure projects, the agency is not only securing India’s borders, but also playing a key role in the socioeconomic development of far-flung areas.
“Together with BRO, we are ensuring that the nation is secure and border areas are developed. Timely completion of infrastructure projects in far-flung areas has now become the new normal of New India,” he said.
The Defence Minister also referred to the ISRO’s successful Chandrayaan-3 mission to the moon and said hoisting of the Indian flag by lander Vikram on ‘Shiv Shakti Point’ exhibits the power of the nation.
“There was a time when ISRO was not even able to launch a satellite and we had to request other countries for the launch of our satellites,” he said, adding that with ISRO attaining the expertise, the situation has completely changed and “today not only the Moon and the Mars, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is reaching out to the Sun (referring to the country’s solar mission). It has launched 400 satellites from various countries.”
Singh also called upon the BRO to involve local bodies and the people by understanding their needs and taking inputs for the projects in border areas.
“Your job is not only to connect one place with another. It is also to connect the hearts of the people with your actions. The constructions should represent the spirit of ‘for the people, of the people and by the people’,” he said.
The Defence Minister lauded the BRO for being conscious about its responsibilities towards environment while executing their projects.
“Till now, we have worked with the mantra of ‘minimum investment, maximum value’. Now, we need to move forward with the mantra of ‘minimum environment degradation, maximum national security, maximum welfare’,” Rajnath said.
Of the 89 projects inaugurated virtually, 36 are in Arunachal Pradesh, 25 in Ladakh, 11 are in Jammu and Kashmir, five in Mizoram, three in Himachal Pradesh, two each in Sikkim, Uttarakhand and West Bengal and one each in Nagaland, Rajasthan and Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the officials said.
The BRO completed the critically strategic projects in record time and several of them were constructed in a single working season using state-of-the-art technology, the spokesperson said.
He said the surge in road and bridge construction by the BRO in the last three years has led to the completion of several critical and strategic projects which has bolstered the defence preparedness.
The BRO has also connected the farthest and most remote villages of the country like Huri in Arunachal Pradesh to the mainland. This connectivity has triggered reverse migration along the border villages.
In the last two years, the BRO has dedicated a record 205 infrastructure projects to the nation at a cost of Rs 5,100 crore.
Last year, 103 BRO infrastructure projects were completed at a cost of Rs 2,897 crore while in 2021, 102 BRO infrastructure projects were dedicated to the nation at a cost of Rs 2,229 crore.
Meanwhile, addressing the North Tech Symposium, organised jointly by Army’s Northern Command, Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM) and IIT Jammu at IIT complex today, Rajnath Singh called upon domestic defence companies to invest more in research and development for India to keep pace with the evolving world.
Three days long North Tech Symposium was inaugurated yesterday and was attended among others by Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen Anil Chauhan, Lieutenant Governors of J&K and Ladakh Manoj Sinha and Brig (Retd) BD Mishra, Vice Chief of Army Lt Gen Suchindra Kumar and Army Commanders including Northern Command chief Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi.
Singh described the country’s defence manufacturing sector as “imaginative, innovative, dynamic and progressive”.
“Though research and development (R&D) is a risky venture as it requires out-of-the-box thinking and sometimes does not give desired results, it still remains one of the basic elements for the development of any country,” he said. Hence, capital investment in R&D becomes a necessity, he added.
Rajnath cautioned industrial leaders about the pitfalls of ‘dynastic rule’ while referring to the political landscape and said if a company or a political party has dynastic control, it is likely to face downfall in the end.
Referring to complaints of corruption and favouritism in defence procurement since Independence, he said due to such malpractice by individuals, public trust in institutions begins to erode and this is unacceptable in a democratic nation.
“In the case of companies, dynastic ownership can be justified, but managing a company at the dynastic level often proves detrimental for both the company and its employees,” Singh said while addressing the North-Tech symposium, jointly organised by the Army’s Northern Command, the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM), and IIT Jammu.
He observed that over the past few decades, India’s political landscape has witnessed parties operating under dynastic control.
“It is needless to say that if a company or a political party is run under dynastic control, it’s bound to face downfall in the end,” Singh claimed.
He pointed out that since Independence, there have been grievances regarding corruption and favouritism in defence procurement.
“As the saying goes, a rotten fish spoils the entire pond. Due to such corruption and malpractices by individuals, public trust in institutions starts to wane, which is unacceptable in a democratic nation,” he added.
The defence minister suggested that SIDM establish an internal vigilance mechanism to address issues like corruption.
“If an affiliated company is involved in wrongdoing or providing incorrect information, you should bring it to the government’s attention. Such actions will not only enhance trust in institutions but also strengthen India’s democracy,” he advised.
He pointed out that SIDM’s work often necessitates ensuring quality for exports, as buyers prefer high-quality equipment.
“We’ve always addressed any quality-related issues that arise in connection with SIDM. However, it’s crucial to note that while the buyer or government will conduct their quality checks, you can also establish an internal evaluation system within your organization,” he added.
Singh also called for the need to integrate women into R&D with higher effectiveness.
“This requires working on maternity leave policies, creche systems, and ensuring their rights in the workplace,” he said.
He emphasized the importance of fostering a work culture where there’s a concept of collaboration between seniors and juniors rather than a rigid hierarchy.
“Top scientists can’t function effectively within an excessively hierarchical structure. Respecting employees’ weekends and holidays is also essential,” he added.
Singh said that the country is currently in a transitional phase.
“It’s not wrong to adopt technology through imitation or transfer, but we can’t envision becoming a developed nation solely on these foundations,” he added.
The Defence Minister said India is passing through a transitional phase.
“There is nothing wrong in acquiring a technology through imitation or transfer, but we cannot become a developed nation on these grounds alone. We need to file our own patents, for which a lot of investment in R&D is needed,” he said
Rajnath said capital investment in R&D may reduce today’s profits, but it will prove to be beneficial to the industry and the country in the long term.
Highlighting the steps taken by Narendra Modi Government to support the domestic industry, he said the synergy between the government and domestic companies has resulted in record defence production of Rs 1 lakh crore and exports of Rs 16,000 crore in the financial year 2023-24.
Singh expressed confidence that defence exports will soon touch the Rs 20,000-crore mark.
He extended the Ministry of Defence’s continued support to the industry for holistic development of the nation, in line with the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative.
The Defence Minister urged industry partners to focus on creating a culture that encourages R&D, based on skilled human resources, and suggested linking the work of institutions such as IITs, IIMs and IISc with the defence sector to create an R&D ecosystem.
“Efforts should be made to connect with the Indian R&D sector, engineers and scientists who work in top universities, companies, space agencies and scientific research organisations abroad and wish to be a part of India’s growth story,” he said.
Rajnath also recommended hiring of managers, legal experts and financial experts from within the country and abroad to create a culture conducive for R&D.
“We cannot run our workforce in the 21st century on the basis of HR policies of the 19th century. Today, the quality of work is more important than the number of hours worked. Focus should be on intellect and innovation,” he said.
The Defence Minister said that “a work culture needs to be developed where there is a concept of senior and junior, and not superior and inferior”. He also noted that there is a need to involve women in R&D with “more effectiveness”.
“The buyer or the Government will definitely try to check the quality of the products from their end, but there is a need to develop a system for internal evaluation as well. This quality check system will increase your credibility globally with time,” he said.
The North Tech symposium is an event conducted annually and this year, it was organised at IIT-Jammu.
The event witnessed participation of around 200 industry partners and provided an opportunity for knowledge diffusion among various stakeholders to create awareness of contemporary technologies and hardware solutions available with manufacturers under ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.
Singh witnessed a plethora of indigenous weapons and equipment. He lauded the efforts of all stakeholders in their joint efforts to push the domestic defence industry.
On the occasion, Rajnath also gave away SIDM Champion awards 2023 to a number of industry partners, including Bharat Forge Limited, TATA Advanced Systems Limited, Larsen & Toubro Limited and IdeaForge Technology Limited.
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology and Minister of State in Prime Minister’s Office Dr Jitendra Singh, Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi and SIDM President SP Shukla were among those present on the occasion.
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