NEW DELHI: In a significant enhancement of military capabilities in eastern Ladakh, India operationalized its new Nyoma airbase near the border with China. This development coincides with a large Army exercise named ‘Poorvi Prachand Prahar’ currently taking place in Arunachal Pradesh on the eastern front. The activities at both ends of the 3,488-km LAC highlight the high level of military preparedness being upheld along the China frontier. “There is an ongoing reset in bilateral diplomatic relations. Military confidence-building measures are also being progressively reinforced, but the trust deficit on the ground remains substantial,” a senior officer informed TOI. “With no de-escalation along the LAC, troops will remain forward deployed for the sixth consecutive winter since the multiple Chinese incursions into eastern Ladakh in April-May 2020,” he stated. The Nyoma airbase has undergone an upgrade costing Rs 230 crore. IAF chief Air Chief Marshal A P Singh personally piloted a C-130J ‘Super Hercules’ aircraft from Hindon, located on the outskirts of Delhi, to the Mudh airfield at Nyoma, which is among the highest in the world at an elevation of 13,710 feet, to officially inaugurate the strategically important airbase. He was accompanied by Western Air Command chief Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra. Situated approximately 35 km from the LAC, Nyoma has received an upgrade valued at Rs 230 crore, which included the extension of the original airstrip into a 2.7-km ‘rigid pavement’ runway, a new ATC complex, hangars, a crash bay, and accommodation, as previously reported. The Mudh airfield is now fully equipped to manage and support operations involving heavy-lift transport aircraft and fighter jets from both directions. Its primary function will be to swiftly deploy troops, weapons, and supplies to regions such as Pangong Tso, Demchok, and Depsang in eastern Ladakh. The airfield is expected to be operational for fighter missions by early 2026, although the high altitude may pose a challenge. Over the past five years, China has diligently enhanced all its airbases along the border with India to mitigate the challenges posed by the high-altitude terrain and thin air, which restrict the payload capacity of aircraft. Currently, China has increased its fleet of fighters, including the advanced J-20 stealth fighters, as well as bombers, reconnaissance planes, and drones stationed at its airfields in Hotan, Kashgar, Gargunsa, Shigatse, Bangda, Nyingchi, and Hoping. Additionally, numerous new heliports have been constructed along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). In the remote areas of the Eastern Himalayas, thousands of soldiers from the 3 Spear Corps of the Indian Army, along with personnel from the Indian Air Force (IAF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and other units, are currently participating in the ‘Poorvi Prachand Prahar’ exercise in the high-altitude regions of Mechuka and other parts of Arunachal Pradesh. This exercise encompasses airlift operations, force projection, mountain warfare tactics, and multi-domain integrated operations, aiming to validate rapid mobilization, operational logistics, and precision-strike capabilities. An officer remarked, “The right force must reach the right place at the right time during conflicts.” While Nyoma will serve as an additional operational base for the IAF in Ladakh, following Leh, Kargil, and Thoise airfields, as well as the Daulat Beg Oldie Advanced Landing Ground (ALG), India has also been progressively enhancing the infrastructure at ALGs such as Pasighat, Mechuka, Walong, Tuting, Along, and Ziro in Arunachal Pradesh. Likewise, civil ALGs in the central sector (Uttarakhand, Himachal) of the LAC are increasingly being utilized for military operations.
The airbase in Ladakh, located near the border with China, has been activated
