Defence Ministry Seeks 'Green Clearance' For Additional Ammunition Storage Facilities Near LAC In Ladakh

The Defence Ministry has sought environmental clearance to expand ammunition storage facilities in Ladakh in a bid to bolster military readiness and ensure swift supply of ammunitions during operational deployment of Army units along the sensitive border with China.

The plans are largely focused around the regions in Eastern Ladakh, particularly in forward areas near the border where Indian and Chinese troops have clashed, most notably in the Galwan Valley in 2020. 

The expansion plan includes setting up Formation Ammunition Storage Facilities (FASF) at strategic locations near Hanle and Photi La, along with underground caverns at other locations for storing essential strategic equipment.

Beyond ammunition storage, the Defence Ministry has also submitted proposals to reinforce military presence in areas such as Lukung—a village near the critical Pangong Tso lake—and Durbuk, as part of a larger strategy to establish combat readiness in these remote, high-altitude zones.

The current storage infrastructure is situated nearly 250 km from Hanle and around 300 km from Photi La (about 30 kms from Hanle and also the pathway to Demchok) and faces logistical constraints.

Ammunition supply is currently managed in an ad hoc manner, leading to bottlenecks that hamper operational preparedness.

Construction of a proper FASF closer to strategic locations will allow faster deployment and reduce reaction times during critical operations.

Currently, makeshift storage facilities exist in forward zones like Hanle, Punguk, Photi La, and Koyul, but the Defence Ministry stresses the need to regularize and fortify these sites to support increased troop deployments since the 2020 border confrontations.

However, given that the proposed sites fall within the Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary, the ministry requires green approvals to proceed with construction.

The proposals, moved between April and July this year, are awaiting clearances from the environment ministry, Economic Times reported.

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