Situated at an altitude of 13,710 feet, the Nyoma airbase is one of the world’s highest operational airfields. It features a 2.7 km runway capable of accommodating fighter jets, transport aircraft, and helicopters. According to officials, the new facility will dramatically enhance India’s rapid troop and weapon deployment capabilities in the region, strengthening operational readiness along the northern frontier.
The foundation stone for the project was laid by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in September 2023. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) completed the construction under challenging weather and terrain conditions. The base is equipped with modern infrastructure, including a fully functional air traffic control tower, aircraft hangars, and parking bays designed to withstand extreme cold and high-altitude conditions.
Named after the nearby Mudh village, the facility becomes the fourth major IAF base in Ladakh, joining those in Leh, Kargil, and Thoise. It complements the Daulat Beg Oldie airstrip —the world’s highest at 16,700 feet — which is also being upgraded as part of the Defence Ministry’s ongoing modernisation efforts.
Originally a mud-runway strip, Nyoma was abandoned after the 1962 India-China war and revived in 2009 when an IAF AN-32 aircraft landed there. Positioned along the Indus River, about 180 km from Leh, the airbase marks a significant boost to India’s defence infrastructure in a region that remains central to its border preparedness.
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