New Air Link To Nubra Valley: Thoise Airfield Near LAC In Ladakh Moves Closer To Civilian Flights

Published 12 August 2026 · india

News india New Air Link To Nubra Valley: Thoise Airfield Near LAC In Ladakh Moves Closer To Civilian Flights New Air Link To Nubra Valley

News india New Air Link To Nubra Valley: Thoise Airfield Near LAC In Ladakh Moves Closer To Civilian Flights New Air Link To Nubra Valley: Thoise Airfield Near LAC In Ladakh Moves Closer To Civilian Flights Reported By, Edited By Last Updated: August 12, 2026, 13:18 IST Thoise, a strategically important area in the north of Ladakh, is close to some of India’s most sensitive military positions Rapid Read A high-level meeting in Ladakh has reviewed preparations for the proposed launch of civil flight operations from Thoise. (News18) The remote Thoise airfield in Ladakh, long used by the Indian Air Force for military operations and logistics in one of India’s most sensitive border regions, is moving closer to a new role—carrying civilian passengers. A high-level meeting in Ladakh has reviewed preparations for the proposed launch of civil flight operations from Thoise, with authorities now working on estimates, land-related issues and the infrastructure required to turn part of the military facility into a functioning civil aviation operation. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is preparing estimates for the work, with the tendering process expected to begin shortly, subject to the necessary approvals and clearances. The move could significantly alter the way people travel to and from Nubra, a high-altitude valley that remains heavily dependent on roads and whose access becomes particularly difficult during winter.

Thoise is also an unusual airport in the Indian aviation landscape. Unlike conventional civilian airports, it is an Indian Air Force facility, and its proposed opening to commercial aviation would bring civilian operations into an airfield with an important military role, which sits very close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China. The latest review suggests the proposal has now moved beyond the question of whether civilian flights can operate there to the more practical question of what infrastructure and administrative arrangements are needed to make that possible. At the meeting chaired by Ladakh Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra to review the progress, Secretary Civil Aviation Nidhi Malik presented the status of land-related issues and coordination with the Ministry of Defence and other agencies. AAI officials briefed the meeting on the existing runway, interim operational arrangements, the tentative layout and proposed modifications. They also outlined the issues that still need to be resolved before civilian operations can begin. “The Chief Secretary has directed departments to consolidate these issues into a responsibility matrix, assigning individual tasks to the relevant departments and officers. He also called for the estimates and tendering of civil works to be expedited wherever possible," officials said. The emphasis on land is not new. In November 2022, the Ladakh administration said 28 kanals had been allotted at Thoise for civilian aviation under the Regional Connectivity Scheme, following a joint survey by the Air Force, civil administration, Defence Estate Office and AAI.