Editorial: Countering the dragon

Upgrading Nyoma airfield into a full-fledged fighter jet base will help IAF to tackle Chinese misadventures.

Hyderabad: The decision of the Defence Ministry to upgrade the strategic Nyoma airfield in eastern Ladakh into a full-fledged fighter jet base is a welcome move, given China’s aggressive push for infrastructure development and military build-up along the border. The capability of operating fighter aircraft from this area would strengthen the Air Force’s ability to tackle any misadventures by the adversary. The Nyoma airfield, located less than 50 km from the Line of Actual Control (LAC), has been used for the transportation of men and material during the ongoing stand-off with Chinese troops and has seen operations of Chinook heavy-lift choppers and C-130J Special Operations aircraft.

At a time when Beijing is expeditiously building its capability to operate fighters near eastern Ladakh, there is an urgent need for India to expand its capability to operate fighter aircraft from facilities near the border. The Border Roads Organisation has invited bids for upgrading the Nyoma airfield, located close to the Indus and some 180 km southeast of Leh at 13,700 feet, at a cost of Rs 214 crore. The site is spread over 1,235 acres where a 2.7-km runway with allied military infrastructure will come up. The alignment at Nyoma is such that aircraft can land from both directions. The project would help in countering Chinese military moves in the region. China has been constructing or upgrading 37 airports and heliports in Tibet and Xinjiang since 2017. The pace of this activity increased significantly in 2020 when China began constructing seven air facilities and initiated upgrades at seven others.

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Air power expansion is being supplemented with new road, rail and infrastructure — enabling rapid movement of troops. In 2021, China completed the construction of a road and tunnel system connecting Nyingchi, facing Arunachal, allowing the military easy access to the LAC. The prolonged stand-off in Ladakh has witnessed a major build-up of infrastructure along the LAC by China in the form of bridges, roads and airfields; the obvious objective is to enable quick movement of troops and equipment, overcoming the constraints posed by the difficult terrain. This is a huge challenge for India to keep pace with the neighbour, even as the border stalemate has continued despite 17 rounds of Corps Commander-level talks, the most recent of which was held on December 20 last year.

The December 9 incident in the Yangtse area of Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang sector, where Indian troops thwarted a bid by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to unilaterally change the status quo, reaffirmed the need for India to be more vigilant and battle-ready along the LAC. The nod for Rangrik airfield in Himachal Pradesh’s Spiti valley is also in line with the strategy to ensure the smooth conduct of air force activities.