In a significant boost to India's defense infrastructure, the Mudh-Nyoma airbase in Ladakh has been inaugurated. Air Chief Marshal AP Singh marked the occasion on Wednesday by landing a C-130J special operations aircraft at the base. This activation enhances India's capabilities along its northern frontier, close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.

Located at an altitude of 13,700 feet and approximately 23 km from the LAC, the airbase is now the world's highest operational fighter base. The ₹218-crore project, spearheaded by women officers from the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), was described as a "game-changer" by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh during the laying of its foundation stone in September 2023.

The airbase features a 2.7-km runway capable of handling fighter jets, transport planes, and helicopters. Allied infrastructure includes hangars and an air traffic control building. The construction involved advanced high-altitude engineering techniques to withstand temperatures as low as -40°C.

The activation of the Nyoma airbase enhances India's air power projection and rapid deployment capabilities along the LAC. It enables quick movement of troops and equipment to forward locations, reducing response times during contingencies. The airbase will also function as a logistics and surveillance hub, supporting intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions.

The BRO chief, Lieutenant General Raghu Srinivasan, had previously highlighted the Mudh-Nyoma airbase as one of the BRO's most crucial projects in the Ladakh sector. Following the military standoff with China that began in April-May 2020, India has focused on developing infrastructure in border areas to improve military mobility and logistics. This includes roads, bridges, tunnels, airfields, and helipads, as well as better facilities for soldiers and modern weapon systems.

The Indian Army resumed patrolling in Demchok and Depsang in eastern Ladakh in 2024, restoring the ground situation to pre-April 2020 levels. The Nyoma airbase is strategically positioned near sensitive areas that experienced heightened tensions during the 2020 standoff, providing India with a vital logistical and tactical advantage for year-round operations. The base can accommodate heavy transport aircraft like the C-17 Globemaster-III and IL-76, as well as fighter aircraft such as the Su-30MKI, Rafale, and MiG-29UPG.