India has quietly taken a crucial step in its Himalayan defence posture. A newly completed airbase at Mudh–Nyoma in Ladakh—13,000 feet high and just 30 km from the Line of Actual Control with China—was made operational this week. India’s Air Force Chief landed there in a C‑130J Super Hercules, underlining its ability to deploy large military platforms in extreme terrain. This development comes one year after a truce ended a four‑year military standoff with China and arrives alongside a massive tri‑service exercise in the Eastern Himalayas. Together, they signal a change in India’s approach: fewer foot patrols, more high‑tech surveillance, faster strike capability and integrated command across land, air and specialised units.