Building defense infrastructure in high-conflict, remote regions

Srinagar, Apr 19: In a major boost to India’s defense infrastructure, the Indian Army along with deep-tech startup Simpliforge Creations and IIT Hyderabad has successfully delivered the world’s highest on-site 3D-printed protective military structure at 11,000 feet in Leh in UT of Ladakh under Project PRABAL, officials on Thursday said.
The structure was completed under extreme high-altitude and low-oxygen (HALO) conditions, setting a new global benchmark for rapid military construction in harsh terrains.
Project PRABAL is a joint effort of India’s growing self-reliance in defense technology, marking a first-of-its-kind deployment of 3D printed defense infrastructure in the Himalayan region.
The feat, involving just 14 hours of total print time, was achieved using a mobile robotic 3D printing system designed by Simpliforge Creations in collaboration with researchers from IIT Hyderabad.
Under the guidance of Prof. K.V.L. Subramaniam teams developed a specialized concrete mix that could withstand Ladakh’s low humidity, high ultraviolet radiation, and drastic temperature fluctuations. The materials, sourced locally, were rigorously tested for mechanical strength and durability before on-site printing.
Talking to Rising Kashmir, Dhruv Gandhi, CEO of Simpliforge Creations said that the low oxygen levels and terrain created major hurdles from reduced machine performance to compromised human efficiency.
“But we successfully built a robust structure in just five days, proving the viability of rapid, on-demand infrastructure for our armed forces,” he said.
The printed bunker, optimized for structural performance and rapid deployment, is tailored to meet the defense needs in forward locations. Its creation signals a paradigm shift in how India can now approach infrastructure building in high-conflict or remote regions.
Prof. Subramaniam further said that operating at such altitudes required innovation not just in construction but in material science. Our concrete mix was designed to be printable on-site and maintain strength under extreme environmental stress, he added.
Arun Krishnan, who represented the Indian Army and is pursuing his PhD at IIT Hyderabad, conceptualized the project during his M.Tech program.
“Multiple teams had tried and failed to print structures in Ladakh. It was the synergy between IIT-H and Simpliforge that made the breakthrough,” he said while talking to Rising Kashmir.
Arun said that they have not just built a military asset and have demonstrated that Indian technology can thrive in the most hostile environments.
Meanwhile Simpliforge Managing Director Hari Krishna Jeedipalli emphasized that this project marks a step toward extraterrestrial applications.
“After India’s first 3D-printed bridge and place of worship, this bunker takes us closer to our dream of space habitats. Printing in Ladakh’s harsh conditions gave us insights relevant to future missions on the Moon and Mars,” he added.