PM unveils plaque to mark commencement of work on the Zojila Tunnel in leh

Published By : Admin | May 19, 2018 | 12:21 IST
PM attends closing ceremony of the Birth Centenary Celebration of the 19th Kushok Bakula Rinpoche in Leh
PM unveils plaque to mark the commencement of work on the Zojila Tunnel

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, arrived in Leh on the first leg of a day-long visit to Jammu and Kashmir today.
 
He attended the Closing Ceremony of the Birth Centenary Celebration of the 19th Kushok Bakula Rinpoche in Leh. At the same event, he unveiled a plaque to mark the commencement of work on the Zojila Tunnel.
The 14 km long Zojila tunnel will be India’s longest road tunnel and Asia’s longest bi-directional tunnel. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister, had approved the  construction, operation and maintenance of this tunnel between Baltal and Minamarg, on the Srinagar-Leh section of  NH-1A, at a total cost of Rs 6800 crore earlier this year. The construction of this tunnel will provide all-weather connectivity between Srinagar, Kargil and Leh. It will cut down the time taken to cross the Zojila pass from the present three and a half hours, to just fifteen minutes. It will lead to all-round economic and socio-cultural integration of these regions. It also has immense strategic importance.
Addressing a large gathering on the occasion, the Prime Minister recalled the rich contribution of the 19th Kushok Bakula Rinpoche. His was a life dedicated to serving others, the Prime Minister said. 
 
He added that the 19th Kushok Bakula Rinpoche distinguished himself as an outstanding diplomat. He mentioned that during his visit to Mongolia, he had witnessed first-hand, the goodwill he has in that country. 
 
Shri Narendra Modi expressed happiness that he is visiting the three regions of Jammu and Kashmir today. 
He said the State of Jammu and Kashmir is going to get development projects worth Rs. 25,000 crore. These projects will have a positive impact on the people of the state, he added.

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Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi interacted with CEOs of the global energy sector as part of the ongoing India Energy Week (IEW) 2026, at his residence at Lok Kalyan Marg earlier today.

During the interaction, the CEOs expressed strong confidence in India’s growth trajectory. They conveyed their keen interest in expanding and deepening their business presence in India, citing policy stability, reform momentum, and long-term demand visibility.

Welcoming the CEOs, Prime Minister said that these roundtables have emerged as a key platform for industry-government alignment. He emphasized that direct feedback from global industry leaders helps refine policy frameworks, address sectoral challenges more effectively, and strengthen India’s position as an attractive investment destination.

Highlighting India’s robust economic momentum, Prime Minister stated that India is advancing rapidly towards becoming the world’s third-largest economy and will play a decisive role in the global energy demand-supply balance.

Prime Minister drew attention to significant investment opportunities in India’s energy sector. He highlighted an investment potential of around USD 100 billion in exploration and production, citing investor-friendly policy reforms introduced by the government. He also underscored the USD 30 billion opportunity in Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG). In addition, he outlined large-scale opportunities across the broader energy value chain, including gas-based economy, refinery–petrochemical integration, and maritime and shipbuilding.

Prime Minister observed that while the global energy landscape is marked by uncertainty, it also presents immense opportunity. He called for innovation, collaboration, and deeper partnerships, reiterating that India stands ready as a reliable and trusted partner across the entire energy value chain.

The high-level roundtable saw participation from 27 CEOs and senior corporate dignitaries representing leading global and Indian energy companies and institutions, including TotalEnergies, BP, Vitol, HD Hyundai, HD KSOE, Aker, LanzaTech, Vedanta, International Energy Forum (IEF), Excelerate, Wood Mackenzie, Trafigura, Staatsolie, Praj, ReNew, and MOL, among others. The interaction was also attended by Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Shri Hardeep Singh Puri and the Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Shri Suresh Gopi and senior officials of the Ministry.