Leh, Jul 20: India is enhancing its military infrastructure along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China by operationalizing a new Fighter Airbase at Nyoma by October 2025 and constructing an alternate road to Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO), the world’s highest Military Airstrip, by 2026.
Led by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and the Indian Air Force (IAF), these projects aim to improve troop mobility, air operations, and logistics in eastern Ladakh’s Sub-Sector North.
The Nyoma Airbase, located 50 km from the LAC at 13,700 ft, will support fighter jets like Rafale and Sukhoi-30 MKI with a 2.7-km runway, bombproof hangars, and advanced facilities, costing ₹218 crore.
Its proximity to the LAC 23 km enables rapid response and reliable operations compared to distant Leh and Thoise Airbases. The IAF has already used Nyoma’s Advanced Landing Ground for C-130J, AN-32, and Apache helicopters during the 2020 Galwan clash.
The project, led by Colonel Ponung Doming, will make Nyoma a key command-and-control hub, potentially supporting drones and attack helicopters. The new Sasoma-Sasser La-Sasser Brangsa-Gapshan-DBO road will provide a faster, secure alternative to the vulnerable Darbuk-Shyok-DBO road, cutting transit time from Siachen to DBO from two days to hours.
Starting at Sasoma and crossing the 17,500-ft Sasser La pass, it will enhance India’s strategic posture near the Karakoram Pass, countering China’s infrastructure buildup amid ongoing tensions.
According to defense sources, the 2.7-km runway at Nyoma, spearheaded by BRO under Project Himank, is on track for completion by October 2025. It will significantly enhance India’s air power projection in eastern Ladakh, a region marked by ongoing tensions with China since the 2020 Galwan clash.
Nyoma’s strategic location offers several advantages. Its flatter valley and more stable weather compared to Leh enhance operational reliability, making it ideal for both fighter and transport aircraft.
Once operational, Nyoma will serve as a major command-and-control hub, potentially supporting unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) and attack helicopters, bolstering India’s defensive posture against China’s growing infrastructure across the LAC.
Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO), located at 16,700 ft near the Karakoram Pass and just 8 km from the LAC, is India’s northernmost military outpost and a critical node in Sub-Sector North. The existing 255-km Darbuk-Shyok-DBO (DSDBO) road, completed in 2019, runs parallel to the LAC and has been a focal point of India-China tensions, as it enhances India’s ability to deploy troops and supplies rapidly. However, its proximity to Chinese positions, particularly in the Depsang Plains and Galwan Valley, makes it vulnerable to interdiction. To address this, the BRO is constructing an alternate road-the Sasoma-Sasser La-Sasser Brangsa-Gapshan-DBO axis expected to be completed by 2026.
Unlike the DSDBO road, which requires troops to travel from Siachen to Leh and then north—a journey taking nearly two days-the alternate axis will enable transit in just a few hours. This road, described as the “world’s first glaciated road,” showcases BRO’s engineering prowess in navigating glaciers, rough terrain, and the snow-fed Shyok River.
By reducing dependence on the vulnerable DSDBO road, the alternate axis will ensure uninterrupted access to DBO, even during potential Chinese blockades in areas like the Galwan Valley or Bottleneck point in Depsang.
DBO’s strategic importance lies in its proximity to the Karakoram Pass and Aksai Chin, where China has developed five airfields and extensive infrastructure in Tibet. The IAF reactivated DBO’s ALG in 2008 with an AN-32 landing, followed by a historic C-130J Super Hercules landing in 2013, demonstrating its capability to support heavy-lift operations.
The alternate road will further enhance DBO’s role as a logistical hub, supporting routine AN-32 sorties and potential fighter operations.
These infrastructure upgrades are a direct response to China’s aggressive military build-up along the LAC, including upgraded roads, airfields like Hotan with dual runways, and strengthened positions near the Moldo garrison opposite Pangong Tso.
Since the 2020 standoff, China has constructed tracks and roads just 4 km from Indian posts in Depsang, raising concerns about potential blockades of DBO. India’s infrastructure push, including Nyoma’s airbase and the alternate DBO road, aims to counter these vulnerabilities, ensuring rapid deployment of troops, tanks, and aircraft to forward areas.
The deployment of over 100 tanks, three reinforced brigades, and reserve “loop battalions” in eastern Ladakh since 2013 reflects India’s growing military footprint to deter Chinese incursions.
