TheIndian union-territory ofLadakh currently has only one airport meant for civilian flights, theKushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport inLeh. The airport atLeh is jointly operated by theAirports Authority of India and theIndian Air Force. There is another airport atKargil, but it is currently used for defence purposes only. Several airstrips have been built by theIndian Air Force inLadakh in the past to improve connectivity and for security purposes. Since the start of2020–2022 China–India skirmishes, theGovernment of India has pushed for improving the existing aviation infrastructure acrossLadakh.[1][2]
The new terminal atKushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport is proposed to be opened in December 2022.[3] There have been proposals to enable theKargil Airport andThoise Airport for handling commercial flights but there has not been significant progress.[4][5][6]
The list includes the airports inLadakh with their respectiveICAO andIATA codes.[7]
| Sl. no. | Location in Ladakh | Airport name | ICAO | IATA | Operator | Category | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic Airports | |||||||
| 1 | Leh | Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport | VILH | IXL | Airports Authority of India | Domestic airport | Commercial/Defence |
| Military Airbases | |||||||
| 1 | Chushul | Chushul ALG | none | none | Indian Air Force | Military airstrip | Defence |
| 2 | Daulat Beg Oldi | Daulat Beg Oldi ALG | none | none | Indian Air Force | Military airstrip | Defence |
| 3 | Fukche | Fukche ALG | VI66 | none | Indian Air Force | Military airstrip | Defence |
| 4 | Kargil | Kargil Airport | VI65 | none | Indian Air Force | Military airstrip | Defence |
| 5 | Nyoma | Nyoma ALG | none | none | Indian Air Force | Military airstrip | Defence |
| 6 | Tangtse | Tangtse ALG | none | none | Indian Air Force | Military airstrip (Proposed) | Defence |
| 7 | Thoise | Thoise ALG | VI57 | none | Indian Air Force | Military airport | Defence |
