CHENAB BRIDGE IS INDIA’S TACTICAL ADVANTAGES AGAINST PAKISTAN AND CHINA – The Dispatch

On June 6, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Chenab Bridge in Jammu and Kashmir, the world’s highest railway arch bridge. Rising 359 meters above the Chenab River35 meters taller than the Eiffel Towerthe bridge stretches 1,315 meters and is engineered to withstand earthquakes up to magnitude 8 and winds reaching 266 km/h. As a key part of the ₹43,780 crore Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project, which features 36 tunnels and 943 bridges over 272 km, the Chenab Bridge ensures all-weather rail connectivity to the Kashmir Valley. It significantly cuts travel time between Jammu and Srinagar by 2-3 hours and is set to boost tourism, trade, and regional development. This remarkable engineering feat not only conquers the challenging Himalayan terrain but also enhances strategic access to the Line of Control (LoC) and the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Geographically, Pakistan has a strategic advantage with easier access to the Kashmir region through the Jhelum Valley route via Muzaffarabad and Mirpur in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). This route has gentler slopes and more accessible valleys, making rail and road connectivity to the Line of Control (LoC) simpler. However, due to political realities and the establishment of the LoC after the 1947-48 war, this route is closed to India, forcing it to develop alternative, more difficult internal routes like as USBRL to maintain access to Kashmir.

On the other hand, China is rapidly building infrastructure near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to support troop convenience and military readiness. Under its 14th Five Year Plan (2021-2025), China plans to spend about $30 billion on Tibet infrastructure, aiming for over 1,300 km of expressways and 120,000 km of highways by 2025. Key projects include upgrading national highways G219 and G318, constructing new railways like the Sichuan-Tibet line, and expanding rail links connecting Tibet to Xinjiang and mainland China. China is also building military camps, helipads, and fortified outposts near the LAC, especially in strategic areas like eastern Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh.

To counter Pakistan’s strategic position and China’s expanding infrastructure along the border, India must respond effectively, the Chenab Bridge significantly enhances India’s military readiness against China and Pakistan by providing fast, reliable, all-weather rail connectivity to Jammu and Kashmir, near the Line of Control (LoC). As part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL), this 359-meter-high bridge enables rapid movement of troops, heavy artillery, and supplies, reducing travel time and improving logistics in a strategically sensitive region. Built to withstand earthquakes up to magnitude 8 and high winds, and equipped with blast-resistant steel and 24/7 surveillance, it strengthens India’s ability to deploy forces swiftly during conflicts or emergencies. The bridge improves operational flexibility and border monitoring, enhancing counter-infiltration efforts against threats from Pakistan and China. Strategically, it symbolizes India’s resolve to integrate Kashmir with the rest of the country and maintain control over contested areas, thereby boosting national security and regional stability. Overall, the Chenab Bridge is a critical infrastructure asset that bolsters India’s defense posture along the LoC and supports rapid military mobilization in the Himalayan border region.

Pakistan views it as a security threat and violation of UN resolutions. The bridge impacts India-Pakistan relations, Kashmiri autonomy, and regional stability, prompting Pakistan to enhance defense, infrastructure, and international diplomacy.Pakistan and China have reacted negatively to the inauguration and completion of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) and the Chenab Bridge. Pakistan views the project as a strategic threat, intensifying its defense budget and cancelling several development projects due to economic constraints, partly blaming India’s growing infrastructure in Kashmir for increased tensions. Pakistani media and officials have expressed alarm over the bridge’s military and logistical advantages, seeing it as India tightening its grip on Kashmir and strengthening its position near the Line of Control (LoC). China, while not publicly commenting in detail, continues to rapidly build its own infrastructure near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to maintain strategic parity and counter India’s advancements. Overall, both countries perceive the USBRL as a move that enhances India’s military readiness and territorial control, which complicates regional security dynamics and heightens geopolitical tensions along the disputed borders.

Sindhiya Gupta is a Media Analyst based in Jammu & Kashmir and she can be reached at [email protected]

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