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{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox airport
| name = Fukche Advanced Landing Ground
| image = Aerial view of runway of Fukche Advance landing ground.jpg
| image-width = 270px
| IATA =
| ICAO = VI66<ref name="Fukche_Airbase"/>
| type = Military
| operator = [[Indian Air Force]]
| location = [[Ladakh]], [[India]]
| elevation-f = 13700
| coordinates ={{Coord|32|56|15|N|79|12|48|E|type:airport_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| pushpin_map = India Ladakh#India
| pushpin_label = '''Fukche'''
}}
{{OSM Location map
| coord = {{coord|32.944|79.232}} 
| float = right 
| zoom = 12
| width = 275
| height = 275
| caption = {{center| Fukche near the [[Line of Actual Control|LAC]]}}

| label = Fukche
| mark-title = Fukche
| mark-description = Indian Army base with an Fukche Advanced Landing Ground
| mark-coord = {{coord|32|56|15|N|79|12|48|E}}
| mark = Green pog.svg 
| mark-size = 9
| mark-image =
| label-size = 10
| label-color = dark grey
| label-pos = bottom
| shape =
| shape-color =
| shape-outline =
}}

'''Fukche Advanced Landing Ground'''<ref>[https://airportguide.com/airport/info/VI66 Fukche Advanced Landing Ground Airport], airortguide.com, retrieved 10 October 2019.</ref> {{Airport codes||VI66}}<ref name="Fukche_Airbase">{{cite web|url=https://www.world-airport-codes.com/india/fukche-advanced-landing-ground-83856.html|title=Fukche Airbase Code|work=World Airport Codes|access-date=3 February 2020}}</ref> is an [[airfield]] in the [[Demchok sector]] of the union territory of [[Ladakh]], India. It was built shortly before the 1962 [[Sino-Indian War]] and was revived in 2008. It is located adjacent to Koyul, 34 km northwest of Demchok.

==Geography==

The Fukche Landing Ground is in the [[Koyul Lungpa]] river valley, close to the confluence of the river with the [[Indus River]] (called "Sengge Zangbo" locally). The [[Line of Actual Control]] (LAC) with China, which runs along the Indus River, is only 2.5 kilometres away.<ref>{{citation |title=IAF aircraft lands at a forward base on India-China border |newspaper=Thaindian News |date=4 November 2008 |url=http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/iaf-aircraft-lands-at-a-forward-base-on-india-china-border_100115014.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090212084010/http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/iaf-aircraft-lands-at-a-forward-base-on-india-china-border_100115014.html |archive-date=12 February 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Beyond the LAC is Chinese-controlled [[Demchok sector]] up to the Chang La pass (also called Xingong La).

[[Skakjung]] pastureland, which runs along the right bank of Indus river from China-administered [[Dumchele]] and Tsoskar Lake in south to India-administered [[Nyoma#Geography|Dungti]]-Loma in north, lies on the right bank of Indus river and north of Koyul.

==History==
The landing ground was first prepared in 1961 in advance of the 1962 [[Sino-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 the [[First 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."<ref>{{citation |last=Rao |first=Nirupama Menon |author-link=Nirupama Rao |title=The Fractured Himalaya: India Tibet China : 1949 to 1962 |publisher=Penguin Random House |year=2022 |isbn=9780670088294 |at=Chapter 15}}</ref>

After the 1962 [[Sino-Indian war]], the airstrip fell out of use. It was reopened on 4 November 2008 by the [[Indian Air Force]], when an [[AN-32]] transport aircraft was successfully landed there.<ref>
{{citation |title=IAF craft makes successful landing near China border |newspaper=NDTV News |date=2008 |url=http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080071230 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120905091342/http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080071230 |archive-date=5 September 2012 |url-status=dead}}
</ref><ref name=Telegraph>
Sujan Dutta, [https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/iaf-lands-on-ladakh-strip/cid/525104 IAF lands on Ladakh strip], ''The Telegraph'', 4 November 2008.
</ref>
The reactivation of the landing ground, along with another reactivation of the [[Daulat 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.<ref>Sujan Dutta, [https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/delhi-spies-airstrip-design-in-china-tents-beijing-sees-threat-in-advanced-landing-strips-in-forward-areas-seeks-their-closure/cid/297092 Delhi spies airstrip design in China tents], The Telegraph (India), 30 April 2013.</ref> During the [[2013 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.{{sfnp|Shishir Gupta, The Himalayan Face-off|2014|loc=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."}}

==Transport==

===Airfield ===
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.<ref name=Telegraph/>

===Roads===
{{anchor | Highway | Road }}

* India
** "[[Chushul]]-[[Dungti]]-Fukche-[[Demchok, Ladakh|Demchok]] Highway" (CDFD road), along the southern bank of [[Indus 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 the [[Nyoma]] airbase.<ref name=cdfd1>[https://www.news18.com/news/india/exclusive-counter-to-china-bro-starts-process-for-135-km-road-near-lac-from-chushul-to-demchok-6902071.html BRO starts process for 135-km road near LAC from Chushul to Demchok], News18, 24 Jan 2023.</ref> Road will be completed and commission by December 2025 (as of May 2025).<ref name=newupdt1>[https://www.freepressjournal.in/analysis/indias-world-class-border-infrastructure-development-along-the-lac-accelerates-strategic-readiness India’s World-Class Border Infrastructure Development Along The LAC Accelerates Strategic Readiness] Free Press, 9 May 2025.</ref> Beyond Dungti-Chushul the road connects to [[Leh]] in the west and via [[Hanle_(village)#Transport|Hanle]] to the mainland India.

{{anchor|HPLFR}}
** "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.

{{anchor|LMFL}}
** "Likaru-Mig La-Fukche Road" (LMLF Road), 64 km long route through 19,400 ft [[Mig La]], commencement of construction was announced by the BRO on 15 August 2023. After the completion in 2025, it overtook the "[[Chisumle]]-Demchok Road" (via [[Umling 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, the [[Mount Everest]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/bro-begins-construction-of-world-s-highest-motorable-road-in-ladakh-s-demchok-sector-101692124385333.html | title=On Independence Day, BRO begins work on key road in Ladakh sector | newspaper=Hindustan times | date=16 August 2023}}</ref> 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
** [[China National Highway 219|G219]], also called the "Sengge Zangbo Highway", along the [[Sengge Zangbo]] River (TIbbetan name of Indus River) adjacent to the LAC.

** Branch roads from G219 to [[Pangong Tso]], [[Spanggur Tso]], and Dumchele.

==See also==
* [[India-China Border Roads#Border airport and ALG projects|List of Indian ALGs]]
* [[Sino-Indian border dispute#Command|India-China military deployment on LAC]]
* [[India-China Border Roads]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

== Bibliography ==
* {{citation |last=Gupta |first=Shishir |title=The Himalayan Face-Off: Chinese Assertion and the Indian Riposte |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7Ig5AwAAQBAJ&pg=PT36 |year=2014 |publisher=Hachette India |isbn=978-93-5009-606-2 |ref={{sfnref|Shishir Gupta, The Himalayan Face-off|2014}}}}

==Further reading==
* Air Marshal K. K. Nohwar, [http://capsindia.org/files/documents/CAPS_ExpertView_KKN_07.pdf Pace of Infrastructure Development in Border Areas: Adequate?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210518075121/https://capsindia.org/files/documents/CAPS_ExpertView_KKN_07.pdf |date=18 May 2021 }}, Centre for Air Power Studies, 13 March 2018

== External links==
* [https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/iaf-to-have-7-operational-advanced-landing-grounds-in-arunachal-pradesh-in-a-month/articleshow/49809013.cms?from=mdr IAF's ALG]

{{Ladakh}}
{{Indian Air Force}}

[[Category:Indian Air Force bases]]
[[Category:Airports in Ladakh]]
[[Category:Transport in Leh]]
[[Category:Military airbases established in 1961]]

Fukche Advanced Landing Ground - Revision history

RosariaE70 at 16:49, 13 October 2025