Airtel reaches two isolated border villages in Ladakh

Bharti Airtel, India’s second-largest telecom operator, has extended mobile connectivity to Man and Merak, two of the most remote villages situated along Ladakh’s eastern border near Pangong Lake. These settlements have long faced communication challenges due to their terrain, sparse population and extreme weather conditions. For years, the region included a nearly 50-kilometre stretch with no mobile coverage at all, affecting residents, local administration and the growing number of tourists visiting the area. The arrival of a functional network is expected to ease day-to-day communication, support essential services and improve overall accessibility.

The new deployment brings continuous connectivity to the entire route between Chushul and Pangong Tso, an area known for difficult geography and limited infrastructure. Commenting on the development, Dibyendu Aich, COO for Jammu and Kashmir at Bharti Airtel, noted that connecting Man and Merak represents a meaningful step in extending digital access to remote regions. He said the availability of mobile services would help enable digital payments, emergency communication and the use of basic online tools, contributing to both community welfare and visitor convenience.

The expansion highlights the broader challenge of providing telecom services in high-altitude and border areas, where installation, maintenance and power supply can be difficult. It also reflects ongoing efforts within the industry to address coverage gaps and support communication networks that are increasingly essential for administrative coordination, tourism and local livelihoods. As more regions in Ladakh seek reliable connectivity, projects such as this illustrate the gradual but steady progress in bringing remote communities into the wider digital landscape.