The Indian Army is advancing a major force-preservation initiative aimed at protecting personnel, ammunition and critical military assets near the borders with China and Pakistan.
The move reflects the growing threat posed by precision-guided weapons, which have increased the vulnerability of traditional surface installations.
As part of the effort, the Army's Northern Command has launched 19 separate projects to create underground protective infrastructure across its operational theatre. These facilities are being tailored to different operational needs and terrain conditions, with the objective of improving survivability during missile strikes, mortar attacks and other forms of aerial assault.
Military planners have incorporated lessons from recent conflicts in West Asia as well as Operation Sindoor. The planned infrastructure is intended to function as a hardened underground network capable of preserving operational readiness even during sustained enemy attacks.
The initiative has also drawn attention to the effectiveness of Iran's extensive subterranean military facilities, often described as missile cities and tunnel networks.
Their ability to protect military capabilities during prolonged air campaigns demonstrated the strategic value of deeply protected underground assets.
Northern Command issued tenders for the 19 projects in August, with responses from vendors invited until 7 November. The proposed facilities will support the storage of military assets, ammunition and training-related requirements.
Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Northern Command, highlighted the planned infrastructure during his address at the SIDM Annual Session on 9 October. He stressed that procurement would follow a transparent process, provide a level playing field and encourage participation from eligible firms, including MSMEs.
Similar efforts are under way in the eastern sector, where the Army is seeking to strengthen the strategically important Siliguri Corridor, commonly known as the Chicken's Neck. Planned underground facilities there could accommodate command, control and logistics functions in addition to protected storage.
The Army has developed engineering concepts that include prefabricated structures, subterranean facilities and ultra-deep caverns designed to withstand heavy aerial bombardment, artillery fire and deep-penetration bunker-busting weapons. These concepts emerged following consultations with various stakeholders and assessments of modern battlefield requirements.
The Border Roads Organisation is already constructing underground bunkers at selected forward locations to protect combat drones and other high-value assets. While details remain restricted for security reasons, the work forms part of a broader effort to enhance resilience along sensitive frontier areas.
The increasing emphasis on underground infrastructure reflects a wider shift in modern warfare towards survivability, protection and operational continuity.
Properly designed facilities can reduce exposure to threats, safeguard combat capability and ensure sustained military operations across diverse terrains and geological conditions.
Agencies
