Over the past four years, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has been steadily enhancing its air bases in preparation for potential conflict with China. Upgrades include fortified bunkers, shelters for aircraft, enhanced navigation systems, and new radar installations.
Military tensions between India and China, simmering since 2020, have driven the urgency of these infrastructure projects. To boost capabilities, the Defense Ministry signed a ₹1,200 crore contract with Tata Power SED in 2020 for modernizing 37 airfields used by the IAF, Indian Navy, and Coast Guard.
Upgrades haven't been solely driven by China's activity. They were planned for some time, but work has accelerated. Sources confirm there's a sharp increase in these infrastructure projects.
The focus remains on improving operational readiness near the Line of Actual Control (LAC): runways have been repaired, additional taxiways constructed for faster aircraft movement, and there's a greater need for secure storage of munitions and spare parts.
Satellite images of the Chabua air base, home to Su-30 MKI fighter jets, show substantial changes between 2020 and 2024. New aprons, hardened shelters, and other developments are visible. Improved radar installations and anti-aircraft defenses have also been put in place along the LAC.
This infrastructure push extends to the growing role of drones in the IAF and the Army. New facilities are needed to accommodate larger drone fleets.
For the past three years, IAF fighters remain deployed near the LAC in "operational ready format" - loaded with weapons and ready to launch within minutes.
