China on mind, IAF in talks with Uttarakhand to take over 3 airstrips

In a bid to match China in airfield infrastructure along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the Ministry of Defence and the Indian Air Force are planning to take over three existing airstrips in Uttarakhand and come up with a new one in the Spiti area of Himachal Pradesh.

Sources said talks were at an advanced stage for the three airstrips in Uttarakhand — at Pithoragarh, Gauchar and Dharasu — while a team of the MoD had carried out a feasibility study for a new airstrip at Rangrik in Spiti.

Air Chief Marshal AP Singh had last week stated that infrastructure on the other side (China) was coming up rapidly. “We are matching up; we are beefing up capacities of airfields and also plan to utilise civil infrastructure and landing grounds in the central sector,” he had stated, adding that the IAF was in touch with state governments to either take over these airfields or to get an assurance that these would be made available to the IAF for use.

In military terms, the central sector “defines the LAC with China in Himachal and Uttarakhand”. Pithoragarh in Kumaon — the eastern flank of Uttarakhand — already has an operational civilian runway. Gauchar in the central part of Uttarakhand is close to Kedarnath while Dharasu is on the route to the Gangotri glacier in the north-western part of the state.

Special operations planes such as the C-130J have landed at these locations in the past. These landing strips have been made on land owned by the state government.

The sources said there was also the option of using fully paved operational civilian runways in Himachal — Jubbarhatti in Shimla, Kangra and Bhuntar in Kullu — in case of an exigency. All three are capable of C-130J operations.

Several airbases in the plains such as at Adampur and Ambala cater to security on two fronts — western and China. Chandigarh ensures supplies to eastern Ladakh. In Uttar Pradesh, the airbases at Bareilly and Sarsawa near Saharanpur look after the China front.

The proposed airfield at Rangrik is an important project. Across the LAC is Chepzi in Tibet. Chinese troops come for patrolling close to Chumar and Demchok in India. If the airfield comes up, it can also connect civilian flights as the Spiti valley gets blocked due to snow in winters.