Arunachal Pradesh marked a major milestone with Donyi Polo Airport near Itanagar receiving an all-weather license, making it the first greenfield airport in the state to operate under adverse weather and night conditions. Chief Minister Pema Khandu hailed the development as crucial for regional connectivity and national integration. This upgrade ensures round-the-clock air movement, positioning Arunachal more firmly on India’s aviation and strategic maps.
The airport upgrade is part of India’s broader infrastructure push in Arunachal to counterbalance China’s aggressive expansion near the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Beijing claims large parts of Arunachal as “Zangnan” and has renamed dozens of places in the region—a move India rejects outright. In response, India is building an 11,000 MW hydropower project on the Siang River as a counter to China’s proposed 60,000 MW dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has labelled India’s hydropower and border infrastructure projects both “strategic” and “transformational,” aimed at deterring Chinese threats while accelerating local development. Projects like the INR 40,000 crore Arunachal Frontier Highway, the Sela Tunnel—world’s highest bi-lane tunnel—and 12 new power projects are key components of this strategic blueprint.
Beyond military utility, these developments aim to empower remote communities and strengthen economic resilience. By integrating all-weather airports, mountain tunnels, and hydropower projects, India is creating a dual-purpose infrastructure network—serving both national security and local prosperity. The moves send a strong message: India is ready to defend its territorial integrity while uplifting border regions.
