Kushak Bakula Rimpochee Airport, Leh

At 3,256 metres above sea level, Air Force Station Leh subjects its flexible pavement to the harshest UV and thermal-cycling regime of any airfield in India. Intense high-altitude ultraviolet radiation oxidises bituminous binder at an accelerated rate, stripping volatiles and causing premature embrittlement, cracking and ravelling — years ahead of pavements at sea level. For the Indian Air Force, runway integrity at this forward, strategically vital base is non-negotiable.

Ahead of a scheduled rejuvenation programme, the Garrison Engineer (AF) Leh required a Polymeric Modified Emulsion (PME) rejuvenator capable of surviving this extreme oxidative environment. Samples from multiple manufacturers were trial-applied on site and evaluated head-to-head under actual high-altitude field conditions — the toughest proving ground a rejuvenator could face.

LN Petrochem's Emulcote PME Rejuvenator outperformed every competing sample. Its deep-penetrating polymeric formulation restored binder flexibility and sealed the pavement against further UV-driven oxidation, delivering visibly superior results during the comparative trial. On this evidence, the Garrison Engineer's office incorporated Emulcote across the airfield.

Certified in writing by the Garrison Engineer (AF) Leh on 04 March 2022 (Ref: 6190/CEAFU-01/2021-22/551/E8) and countersigned by the Commander Works Engineer, the product's performance was formally rated “Satisfactory/Good.” Critically, the treated pavement continued performing well beyond the standard rejuvenation cycle — the airfield's next full runway rejuvenation tender was published only in 2026, confirming a genuine service life exceeding five years under the most punishing UV exposure in Indian civil-military aviation.

Leh is the definitive stress test: extreme altitude, intense UV, and rapid thermal cycling. Where inferior rejuvenators fail early, Emulcote held the pavement for over five years — proving that quality rejuvenator chemistry, not price, determines true lifecycle value. It is this evidence, generated at 10,682 feet, that LN Petrochem brings to every airport authority evaluating a rejuvenation partner.