IAF Gajraj Achieves World-Record Landing at 13,629ft in Ladakh

An Indian Air Force (IAF) IL-76MD transport aircraft, known as Gajraj, has set a world record by landing at an altitude of 13,629 feet in eastern Ladakh. This achievement at Nyoma airbase, located barely 25km from the Line of Actual Control, underscores India’s expanding military airlift capabilities near the China border.

The IAF announced the successful landing on Saturday, describing it as "the highest-altitude landing ever achieved by the aircraft anywhere in the world." The force highlighted the landing as a "remarkable demonstration of the aircraft’s enduring capability, backed by the exceptional skill, precision, and professionalism of its crew," reinforcing India's strategic airlift capacity in challenging high-altitude conditions where thin air impacts aircraft performance.

The Soviet-origin, four-engine Ilyushin aircraft, nicknamed Gajraj, was inducted into the IAF in 1985. It serves as a crucial component of the IAF’s transport fleet, regularly airlifting troops, T-72 tanks, BMP infantry combat vehicles, and disaster relief supplies across difficult terrains.

Nyoma airbase, previously an advanced landing ground (ALG) for tactical transport aircraft and helicopters, remained unused for decades after the 1962 India-China war before its reactivation by the IAF in September 2009. An AN-32 was the first fixed-wing aircraft to land on its compacted runway on September 18, 2009. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh laid the foundation stone for the airbase’s upgrade in September 2023, with completion last year, enhancing military logistics, forward area connectivity, and troop movement along the China frontier. The IAF had also reactivated other Ladakh airstrips: Daulat Beg Oldi (16,614 feet) in May 2008, and Fukche (13,000 feet) in November 2008.

Editor's note: Comprehensive coverage of the IAF record, the aircraft details, and the historical context of the Nyoma airbase.