The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is reviving two defunct Advanced Landing Grounds (ALGs) located close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China, at Chushul in eastern Ladakh and Anini in far-east Arunachal Pradesh.

These initiatives are part of the Indian Air Force's future roadmap to bolster forward airpower capabilities near the sensitive border areas and to support both the IAF and the Army operations with UAVs and helicopters.

Chushul ALG is situated just 4 km west of the LAC at an elevation of around 14,000 feet on the Ladakh plateau. It has historical significance as it was last operational during the 1962 India-China war, where the IAF's AN-12 aircraft airlifted AMX-13 tanks to Chushul. Past attempts to revive the ALG were not approved due to diplomatic sensitivities with China.

The runway length at Chushul can accommodate Indian Air Force transport aircraft like the Airbus C-295 and the Lockheed Martin C-130J special operations plane.

Anini ALG is located in the Dibang Valley of Arunachal Pradesh, a natural plateau near the LAC. It was used as a staging ground during World War II by Allied forces and had a mud-paved runway prepared post-Independence, which was never operationally utilised.

The Arunachal Pradesh government had requested the revival of this ALG, which features a clear runway length of about 1.5 km. The MoD and IAF teams have inspected the site as part of preparations to upgrade it for current military needs.

Reviving these ALGs means establishing basic infrastructure to enable air operations such as helicopter and UAV flights and potentially accommodate troop and logistics airlift. Over time, facilities will be enhanced to support small stationed units that will manage air traffic control and ground operations. 

These ALGs will enhance rapid deployment and logistics for troops stationed near the border, allowing quicker movement and surveillance capabilities through UAVs.

This move follows a wider push by the MoD over the past two decades to reactivate and upgrade other ALGs in eastern Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh, such as Nyoma and Daulat Beg Oldie in Ladakh and several in Arunachal including Along, Mechuka, and Ziro. Some of these have been developed into full-fledged airbases and operational airfields, significantly strengthening India's military readiness along its eastern and northern frontiers.

The revival of Chushul and Anini ALGs is a strategic infrastructure effort to ensure better forward airpower projection, improved logistics, and aerial surveillance capability in India's sensitive border areas with China, reflecting heightened defence preparedness and rapid response capability enhancement.