Construction of India's highest airfield at Mudh in eastern Ladakh is nearing completion, with 90% of the work already finished. Located at a daunting altitude of 13,700 feet, the airfield's runway is already prepared for emergency landings and is expected to be fully operational by August 2025, according to defence officials.
A senior defence official confirmed that the airfield is strategically positioned just 35 kilometers from the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China and 200 kilometers from Leh.
"The current progress stands at 90%, with the runway work completed. Execution of certain allied works is still in progress, and we expect the project to be completed by August 2025," the official stated.
The project, sanctioned in March 2023 at a cost of Rs 219.39 crore, involves the construction of the runway, allied operational works, and the establishment of necessary maintenance and administrative infrastructure at Nyoma, under the jurisdiction of Air Force Station (AFS) Leh.
Once operational, the Mudh airfield will significantly enhance logistics and military operations in the border areas, bolstering India's defence preparedness in the strategically critical region of Eastern Ladakh.
It will facilitate quicker deployment of troops, equipment, and supplies, improving response times and operational efficiency in the challenging high-altitude environment.
This development comes in addition to the construction of another strategically important airfield, AFS Deesa, for which Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone in October 2022.
Mudh, located in Nyoma in the Union Territory of Ladakh, experiences extreme cold with winter temperatures plummeting as low as -35 degrees Celsius, making it the coldest airfield in India. Until now, the KBR Airport in Leh was the only airfield serving both military and civilian aviation needs in the region.
The completion of the Mudh airfield will streamline military operations and significantly bolster defence capabilities in this strategically sensitive area.
