Located 35 km from LAC at an altitude of 13,629 feet

An Indian Air Force IL-76MD strategic transport aircraft has scripted history with a successful landing at Nyoma in southern Ladakh, marking the highest-altitude landing ever achieved by this aircraft anywhere in the world.

“A remarkable demonstration of the aircraft’s enduring capability, backed by the exceptional skill, precision, and professionalism of its crew,” the IAF said on Saturday. “A milestone that reinforces India’s strategic airlift capability.”

Nyoma, at an altitude of 13,629 feet, is a newly built airfield, just about 35 km from the Line of Actual Control that was completed last year. Earlier, it was a mud-pack airstrip generally serviced by tactical transporters like the AN-32, and helicopters. It is now a full-fledged base capable of operating fighter aircraft.

Nyoma has a 3-km-long concrete runway built by the Border Roads Organisation’s Project Himank, which is weather-resilient and engineered to withstand extreme sub-zero temperatures dropping down to minus 40 degrees Celsius.

tIts location of about 180 km south-east of Leh and its ability to handle heavy aircraft drastically cuts response and mobilisation times for troops, supplies and air cover along the northern frontier.

Besides Nyoma, other airfields with paved runways in Ladakh are Leh, Thoise and Kargil. In addition, there are two advanced landing grounds, with mud-topped strips at Fukche and Daulat Beg Oldi, which at 16,700 feet is the world’s highest airstrip.

The IL-76 aircraft were inducted into the IAF in the mid-1980s and have formed a crucial element of the heavy lift capability. These can airlift about 45 tonnes of load and have earlier been deployed to ferry tanks, armoured vehicles and heavy equipment to Ladakh as well as the northeast, besides undertaking overseas missions.

IL-76 fly regularly on logistics missions to Leh and Thoise in Ladakh. These airfields, recently upgraded, are located at an altitude of about 10,000 feet. Thoise military airfield in the Skyok Valley is crucial for supporting operations in Siachen.

The IL-76 equipped No. 44 Squadron, earlier based at Nagpur, and one flight of No. 25 Squadron at Chandigarh. A few years ago, the IAF merged all its IL-76 aircraft into a single unit, No. 44 Squadron and relocated it to Chandigarh. No.25 Squadron, which also had AN-32 aircraft, was moved to Gujarat.

Apart from the IL-76, the IAF’s strategic fleet has the US-made Boeing C-17 Globemaster based at Hindon. Inducted in 2013, these have a higher payload capacity than the IL-76. Other transport aircraft used by the IAF are the C-130, AN-32, C-295 and Dornier-228.

Days after IGP Kashmir Sujit Kumar said only one local militant was active in the Valley, the banner named four wanted men and offered a reward for credible information

Days after a top police official said only one local terrorist was active in Kashmir, a banner surfaced on Sunday in Srinagar’s Lal Chowk area, seeking information about four terrorists wanted by security forces

It was not clear who put up the banner on the wall of Pratap Park in Srinagar.

Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, Sujit Kumar, had said earlier this week that only one local terrorist was active in Kashmir.

On Sunday, the banner sought information about the four terrorists, including Mohammad Lateef Bhat, who is said to be active in South Kashmir.

The other three names mentioned on the banner are Bilal Ahmad Mir, Mohammad Umar Mir and Abid Qayoom Lone. They are all from Baramulla district and were earlier said to be based in Pakistan.

“Anyone who can provide credible information regarding the movement/presence of these terrorists, the identity of the informant will be kept strictly confidential and a handsome reward will be given for reliable information,” the banner said.

Jammu and Kashmir Police had on Thursday said one local militant was active in South Kashmir and was being supported by a few foreign militants.

In his first press conference, IGP Kashmir Sujit Kumar had said the local militant was operating in parts of South Kashmir and had allegedly orchestrated attacks in Anantnag and Kulgam.

Regarding the presence of foreign militants, Kumar said their movement had been detected at certain locations, but it was difficult to ascertain their exact number as they frequently shifted from one place to another.

Targeting political opponents, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the threat of Naxalism has not ended even though armed Maoists have been eliminated, alleging that “dimagi Naxals” have infiltrated several organisations, including political parties, and are instigating people against the Constitution and democracy.

“We must identify and defeat such elements and secure the country,” Modi said, addressing security personnel while celebrating Diwali at a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp in Karanpur in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar district.

The Central Armed Police Forces and personnel of the Chhattisgarh Police have been deployed in Bastar. They were deeply involved in the anti-Naxal operations.

On March 31 this year, the government had announced that the country was free from the menace of Naxalism after the elimination of many leaders and cadres and the surrender of hundreds of others.

Modi said the elimination of Maoist terror was a victory of the country’s right policies and strong political will.

“Amid the successes, we must remember one more thing. Naxalites have been eliminated, but the threat is not over yet. Armed Naxalites have disappeared from the forests, but ‘dimagi Naxals’ (a reference to ideological supporters of Naxalites) have taken control of several organisations,” he said.

“Even today, they are instigating people against the country’s Constitution and democracy. They have infiltrated several political parties and different organisations. We must identify and defeat them and secure the country,” he added.

Earlier, in his address on the 80th Independence Day in August, the Prime Minister had also referred to “dimagi Naxals,” saying the country had succeeded in removing armed Naxalism from the forests but warned that its ideological supporters were seeking opportunities to promote violence and anarchy.

During his Bastar visit on Sunday, PM Modi said his government had taken decisions that “dealt a major blow to the funding networks of Naxalites and secessionists”.

“Earlier governments had tied the hands of security forces in the fight on the ground. Maoist attacks took place, but security forces did not have the freedom to retaliate effectively. We gave security forces the freedom to take all necessary decisions,” he said.

The PM said his government has also worked to stop the support that Left-Wing Extremism received from certain people within the government and the system.

The government’s objective is to ensure that no mother loses her child, no family is pushed into devastation, no child takes up arms, and no youth’s future is destroyed, Modi asserted.

“We remained committed to this resolve until the goal was achieved. Without publicity or showmanship, we worked with sensitivity and broke the backbone of Maoist terrorists. We transformed the lives of people in Naxal-affected areas through a spirit of service, which led those suffering from Naxalism to stand firmly with the government and security forces,” he said.

Modi further said government decisions destroyed counterfeit currency networks and disrupted the supply lines of Naxalites and separatists.

The fight against Maoist terror was not easy, he said, recalling that at one point more than 230 districts across nearly 20 states were affected by Naxalism.

“To take the country forward, its enemies must be crushed with unwavering determination and a well-planned strategy,” he said.

“The lack of political will that the country had faced was addressed in 2014, when you gave this Pradhan Sevak the opportunity to serve Mother India,” Modi said.

For the first time in 47 years, not a single CRPF personnel was killed in the line of duty over the past year, he pointed out.

Bastar, which was long considered the epicentre of Left-Wing Extremism in Chhattisgarh, has witnessed a significant transformation following intensified anti-Naxal operations, large-scale surrenders and the expansion of development initiatives.

Earlier, in the morning, PM Modi said he would celebrate Diwali along with security personnel in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar, which was freed from the clutches of Naxals after several decades.

“Heading to Bastar to celebrate Diwali with our brave security forces,” Modi said in a post on X.

The Prime Minister said Bastar is an area where Naxalism once held sway, but now, development is flourishing.

“I am going to salute our brave security personnel for their sacrifices, selfless service and unwavering devotion to the nation,” he added in the post.

10th MILITARY LITERATURE FESTIVAL: LAKE CLUB CHANDIGARH :13-15 NOV 2026

The Tribune Analysis: Centre’s course correction ‘concedes’ flaws in Agnipath

Govt tweaks Agnipath scheme; Agniveers exiting in December get two-year service extension

After extension, Agniveers may get nod to marry during service

Centre takes back 39.5 acres of Air Force Sports Complex near PM Modi’s residence

Kullu’s son is Army’s new training chief

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The Union Cabinet on Wednesday made a ‘course correction’ on the Agnipath scheme. The decision corrects some of the inherent operational and social flaws created by the scheme.

Though the announcement stops well short of an ‘admission of failure’, it does address the core concerns. Upcoming assembly elections in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand seem to have forced the decision at hand. There have been protests in Uttarakhand.

The Agnipath scheme, which uses the nomenclature Agniveers for soldiers, envisages a four-year contract for recruits. It was launched in June 2022. The announcement to tweak the scheme was made by Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) NS Raja Subramani in New Delhi and impacts almost 3 lakh soldiers who have been recruited under the scheme in the past four years. The four-year tenure of about 20,000 recruits who were in the first batch under the scheme was to end in December.

What is the change

As per the original policy, Agniveers were to serve for four years. Post that, 25 per cent were to be retained and the remaining 75 per cent were to exit and look for jobs in the civilian world, state police and para military forces, among others.

The Union Cabinet has now approved that the 75 per cent recruits, who were supposed to exit, will serve for an additional two years. After the two years, all soldiers will be retained. However, the main criterion behind it is the ‘willingness’ of the recruit to be retained as a full-time soldier.

In the announcement, the CDS made it clear that “all those exiting will be absorbed for two more years and will be retained as regular soldiers after the two-year period, subject to their willingness.”

Former Navy Chief Admiral Arun Prakash called the extension a good step. “It is good step but I had hoped the scheme would be abolished,” he said. The Agnipath scheme is devoid of logic and is damaging the combat readiness of the forces, he added.

Former Director General Military Operations (DGMO) Lt Gen Vinod Bhatia (retired), once an ardent critic of the scheme, says he is elated with the decision. “I see it as excellent modification as it meets the needs of organisation and has congruence with the needs of the soldiers,” he said.

The changes mean the soldiers will be on an extended ‘probation period’ of two years before being absorbed into the force altogether. During this two year period, emoluments will be increased, insurance benefits will be better and their seniority will be protected as per the original batch.

“This will mitigate the needs of the forces that now carry out multi-domain operations. An individual has the option to leave after six years while the organisation has a choice to retain the recruits,” Gen Bhatia added.

Issues in original plan

The scheme’s core idea was that a quarter of recruits of each batch would be retained as regular soldiers while the rest would leave with a corpus and a skills certificate. With thousands of trained young men and women about to be released, it became an immediate administrative and political problem.

An Army, Navy or Air Force had spent four years training someone, only to discard three in four of them. It was a wasted investment.

Admiral Arun Prakash said, “The two-year extension creates a separate class of soldiers. Perhaps it’s a face-saving measure for the government.” The 25 per cent retention rate was always contentious in military and political circles.

The Agniveers were also facing issues socially. They were not allowed to marry for the four-year term of service, meaning that by the time they got a chance to be a regular soldier, eligible girls in rural India would already be married off.

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and General NS Raja Subramani, Chief of Defence Staff, addresses a press conference, in New Delhi on Wednesday. Tribune photo: Manas Ranjan

In a major tweak to the Agnipath scheme for recruitment to the Indian Armed Forces, the government on Wednesday announced a two-year extension of service for all Agniveers whose four-year contractual term is ending in December.

Chief of Defence Staff Gen NS Raja Subramani announced the decision following a meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Taking a significant decision today, the Union Cabinet chaired by PM Shri @narendramodi has approved a two-year ‘Second Tour of Duty’ for Agniveers under #Agnipath. I sincerely thank PM Modi for taking the decision of additional 2-year ‘Second Tour of Duty’ for Agniveers under the Agnipath scheme. This would also provide enrollment of all willing Agniveers as regular soldiers after the tenure of 4/6 years, who meet the selection criteria. This decision is continuation of long-term structural reforms of our defence forces, aimed at creating a younger, fitter, technologically equipped and future-ready military. It is not merely a recruitment policy; it is a way forward to prepare India’s military for the changing character of warfare.— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) November 4, 2026

A young recruit joins as an Agniveer between the ages of 17 and 21. If the service period extends to six years, finding suitable marriage prospects could become difficult, particularly in rural areas where marriages are often arranged at a younger age

Another tweak to the Agnipath scheme is on the cards, with Agniveers likely to be allowed to marry during their term of engagement with the armed forces. However, there is no change on the pending demand of granting a pension to families of soldiers who die in the line of duty.

Sources confirmed to The Tribune the three armed forces had discussed the issue of marriage of Agniveers. At present, the policy bars an Agniveer from marrying during the mandated four-year term in the Army, Navy or Indian Air Force. The development comes a day after the government announced that Agniveers, who were to exit on completion of their four-year term, would be retained for an additional two years before being absorbed as regular soldiers.

With Agniveers set to remain in service for a longer period, the existing no-marriage clause would need to be revisited.

“A relaxation is expected as the service rules are framed by the armed forces and can be amended to permit marriage during service,” an official said.

The clause barring an Agniveer from marrying has created social issues, the official said. Most soldiers come from rural areas. A young recruit joins as an Agniveer between the ages of 17 and 21. If the service period extends to six years, finding suitable marriage prospects could become difficult, particularly in rural areas where marriages are often arranged at a younger age.

Chief of Defence Staff Gen NS Raja Subramani on Wednesday announced a two-year extension in service for the first batch of Agniveers and said all of them would subsequently be absorbed into the regular cadre.

However, no change in pension rules is expected. The present rules do not have the provision of pension for the family of Agniveers dying in the line of duty. In case a regular soldier gets killed in action, his family — wife or parents — gets pension for life.

In the past, the armed forces had proposed a lifelong “subsistence allowance” for the dependants of an Agniveer who dies in the line of duty, including parents and dependent siblings.

In December 2023, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence chaired by BJP MP Jual Oram recommended that families of Agniveers, who die in the line of duty be provided the same benefits as given to the families of regular soldiers.

The other pending issue is lifelong medical treatment in case of disability. At present, an Agniveer receives a lump-sum compensation package but is not entitled to a lifelong disability pension.

Air Force Sports Complex is co-located to Air Force Station and is neither part of it nor falls under land of station

The Centre has taken possession of another prime government land parcel near the Prime Minister’s official residence, with the Indian Air Force (IAF) formally handing over 39.5 acres housing its Sports Complex at Race Course Air Force Station in New Delhi to the Land and Development Office (L&DO).

The distinction is to be noted that Air Force Sports Complex is co-located to Air Force Station and is neither part of it nor falls under land of station. The complex land parcel is owned by government.

The transfer, completed on an “as is where is” basis, marks the latest development in the Centre’s exercise to reclaim prominent government properties around 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, where several defence-linked sporting and recreational facilities have come under scrutiny.

The next step will be a joint survey involving the Defence Estate Office, the IAF and the L&DO to establish the exact extent of the land and verify its measurements. The exercise is significant as it will help the three agencies establish the precise area being handed over and identify any variations in the recorded dimensions. The transfer itself has already been completed, with the survey now expected to settle the land measurement details.

The development follows the closure of the sports complex last Wednesday, days before the formal handover.

The Tribune had first reported on October 28 that the facility had been shut, staff had been barred from entering and the L&DO was moving to reclaim the property. Its report had also highlighted that the purpose for which the government intended to use the land remained unclear.

The complex, which had a golf course, swimming pool, badminton courts and other sporting facilities, was closed after the L&DO, under the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry, issued eviction notices to its management, directing it to vacate the premises.

The takeover is part of a wider government exercise to review and reclaim high-value land parcels in the vicinity of Lok Kalyan Marg, including properties being used for defence golf courses and sporting facilities.

Earlier, the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry had directed the concerned entities to return the land occupied by the Air Force Golf Course.

In August, the L&DO took possession of the Delhi Race Club’s 53-acre premises on Lok Kalyan Marg, citing the requirement of the land for an unspecified public purpose. The Centre has also reclaimed the Jaipur Polo Ground from the India Polo Association, citing broader public purposes, governance requirements and defence infrastructure projects.

The handover of the IAF Sports Complex adds another substantial property to this list, while the joint survey will now establish the exact land area and provide clarity on its measurements.

For the people of Katrain village in Kullu district, Lt Gen Sushil Chander Mahant’s latest appointment is a moment of immense pride. The boy who once studied at Government High School, Katrain, and Sainik School, Sujanpur Tira, has risen to a key leadership position in the Indian Army, becoming the Director-General of Integrated Training at the Integrated Headquarters in New Delhi. He is also the first Lieutenant General from Sainik School, Sujanpur Tira.

Mahant’s military journey began with the National Defence Academy in January 1988, followed by the Indian Military Academy, where he was commissioned in December 1991. Over more than 35 years of service, he has distinguished himself through professional excellence, securing first position in three Army courses and qualifying in high-altitude warfare at Gulmarg.

His career spans several important assignments, including Commanding Officer of 11 Field Ordnance Depot, Brigadier Ordnance of a Strike Corps and Major General Ordnance Services of a strategically significant Command along the northern frontier with China.

An adventure enthusiast since his school days, with interests in kayaking, canoeing, skiing and water sports, Mahant now brings his extensive experience in logistics and resource management to the Army’s training ecosystem.

For Katrain and his alma mater, his achievement is more than a promotion; it is a historic milestone and an inspiring story of local roots reaching national heights.