The Indian Army is accelerating efforts to strengthen border logistics by integrating its operational requirements with the government’s PM GatiShakti National Master Plan, aiming to enhance mobility and rapid deployment capabilities along India’s northern and western frontiers. The initiative focuses on developing road, rail, aviation and multi-modal infrastructure that can serve both civilian and military purposes, particularly in strategically sensitive regions.

Military planners are working closely with various infrastructure ministries to ensure that national connectivity projects incorporate defence-related requirements from the design stage itself. Officials said the approach is intended to avoid duplication of infrastructure while ensuring that strategic needs are embedded within ongoing development programmes. A dedicated GatiShakti cell at Army Headquarters, led by Lt Gen Sanjay Mitra, is coordinating these efforts, with nodal officers stationed across commands to liaise with central agencies.

A major emphasis of the initiative is improving road connectivity in border states such as Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. Upgradation of highways, including four-laning and six-laning of key stretches, is aimed at increasing what the Army describes as “surge capacity,” enabling faster movement of troops, armoured units and logistics supplies during emergencies. Enhanced road networks are expected to significantly reduce response times in forward areas.

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Rail infrastructure is also being expanded in coordination with the Ministry of Railways, with plans for additional lines, track doubling, bridge construction and terminal upgrades along critical sectors. Defence officials noted that improved rail connectivity, particularly along the western borders, would play a crucial role in speeding up mobilisation of personnel and heavy equipment, addressing long-standing logistical constraints faced during large-scale deployments.

The aviation component of the plan includes upgrades to existing airports, construction of heliports and development of greenfield airstrips with dual-use capability. These facilities are particularly important in remote and high-altitude regions where air transport remains the most effective mode for rapid deployment and supply delivery. Strengthening air infrastructure is expected to enhance operational flexibility in difficult terrain.

Additionally, the Army is exploring the use of Multi-Modal Logistics Parks being developed under national infrastructure initiatives. These facilities, which combine warehousing, fuel storage and transport linkages, are expected to supplement military logistics during contingencies. Officials said the integrated approach will significantly improve sustainment capabilities and ensure smoother coordination between civilian infrastructure development and defence preparedness.

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