NDDB Initiates Solar-Powered Dairy Plant in Kargil for Indian Army
The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), headquartered in Anand, Gujarat, has announced the establishment of a solar-powered milk processing plant in Kargil. The facility aims to supply fresh milk to Indian Army personnel stationed in areas such as the Siachen Base Camp, Nubra Valley, and Leh. The plant will have the capacity to process 10,000 litres of milk per day and will be one of the highest-altitude renewable-energy dairy plants in India.
The initiative, led by NDDB Chairman Meenesh Shah, will involve 1,500 farmers from the Kargil region. This development is part of NDDB's strategy to meet the Indian Army's daily demand of 20,000 litres of fresh milk, which is currently not met due to logistical challenges in remote border areas. The plant is being developed in collaboration with the Ladakh UT Dairy Cooperative Federation and will be partly funded by a ₹12.6 crore grant from the Central government as part of a ₹25 crore project.
This plant will supplement an existing 5,000-litre per day processing facility in Leh that was refurbished by NDDB and became operational in 2023. The Leh facility was initially in poor condition but was upgraded following a memorandum of understanding signed in August 2022 with local authorities. The revamped plant now supports 1,200 farmers across 27 villages, providing 9,000 litres of milk to the Indian Army daily.
To facilitate milk collection from scattered villages, NDDB, in collaboration with a subsidiary of Suzuki Motors, designed specialized vans equipped with milk testing and chilling facilities. This initiative allows NDDB to gather milk efficiently from remote areas, enhancing supply chain effectiveness.
NDDB's efforts in Ladakh are part of a broader strategy to ensure fresh milk supply to military bases across India. In October 2025, NDDB-managed Manipur Milk Producers’ Cooperative Union Ltd began supplying fresh milk to Assam Rifles, expanding NDDB's reach in supporting military needs.
