Fukche Advanced Landing Ground[2] (ICAO:VI66)[1] is anairfield in theDemchok sector of the union territory ofLadakh, India. It was built shortly before the 1962Sino-Indian War and was revived in 2008. It is located adjacent to Koyul, 34 km northwest of Demchok.
The Fukche Landing Ground is in theKoyul Lungpa river valley, close to the confluence of the river with theIndus River (called "Sengge Zangbo" locally). TheLine of Actual Control (LAC) with China, which runs along the Indus River, is only 2.5 kilometres away.[3] Beyond the LAC is Chinese-controlledDemchok sector up to the Chang La pass (also called Xingong La).
Skakjung pastureland, which runs along the right bank of Indus river from China-administeredDumchele and Tsoskar Lake in south to India-administeredDungti-Loma in north, lies on the right bank of Indus river and north of Koyul.
The landing ground was first prepared in 1961 in advance of the 1962Sino-Indian war. It was the sixth such landing ground to be prepared in Ladakh, starting with Leh in 1948 (which was in the midst of theFirst Kashmir War). According to a retired Army officer, "The Landing Grounds were built on grounds that were hard, barren and sandwiched between almost a range of parallel running mountains. At most places it was a question of removing boulders, filling potholes and generally leveling the ground. The good old infantry equipment of a pick axe, shovel and crow bar came in very handy."[4]
After the 1962Sino-Indian war, the airstrip fell out of use. It was reopened on 4 November 2008 by theIndian Air Force, when anAN-32 transport aircraft was successfully landed there.[5][6]The reactivation of the landing ground, along with another reactivation of theDaulat Beg Oldi airstrip earlier in May of the same year, allows Indian forces to deploy faster and in greater numbers, which China is believed to have taken as a threat.[7] During the2013 Depsang standoff, China demanded the bunkers being constructed at Fukche be stopped. But the Indians pointed out the constant upgrading of the Chinese infrastructure on their side of the LAC. In the end, the Chinese disengaged at Despang without insisting on concessions regarding Fukche.[8]
The military airfield, with no civilian services, has an unpaved gravelly runway of 2 miles length. It accommodates small transport aircraft, meant for inducting or recycling troops at the border.[6]
"Chushul-Dungti-Fukche-Demchok Highway" (CDFD road), along the southern bank ofIndus River which marks the LAC, will be converted to a single-lane 7.45 m wide 135 km long national highway with paved shoulder.Chushul and Fukche Airstrips lie along this highway. It will also provide faster access to theNyoma airbase.[9] Road will be completed and commission by December 2025 (as of May 2025).[10] Beyond Dungti-Chushul the road connects toLeh in the west and viaHanle to the mainland India.
"Hanle-Photi La-Fukche Road" (HPLFR): Photi La (Foti La, not to be confused with Fotu/Photu La on Kargil-Leh Road) is east-southeast of Hanle, this route runs from Hanle and Photi La to Katley-Lekeng Yok-Koyul/Koyl-Fuckhe.
"Likaru-Mig La-Fukche Road" (LMLF Road), 64 km long route through 19,400 ftMig La, commencement of construction was announced by the BRO on 15 August 2023. After the completion in 2025, it overtook the "Chisumle-Demchok Road" (viaUmling La, 19,300 ft) as world's highest motorable road. Road via Umling La already passes at a height higher than the base camp of world's tallest mountain, theMount Everest.[11] Likaru, also spelled as Lekaru, is lightly northwest of Hanle on Hanle-Sangrak (military logistics base)-Kiarlakle-Likaru-Pampakarule-Rhongo/Rongoo-Loma-Mood-Nyoma route. Mig La is east-northeast of Likaru.
China
G219, also called the "Sengge Zangbo Highway", along theSengge Zangbo River (TIbbetan name of Indus River) adjacent to the LAC.
^Shishir Gupta, The Himalayan Face-off (2014), Chapter 1 (Introduction): "Indian reasons were quite evident as the PLA was constantly upgrading its infrastructure across eastern Ladakh with roads coming close to the notional LAC and a huge military observation post coming up at Demchok, north of Chumar.".
