Constructions By India In Forward Areas Of Ladakh Began By 2008
Daulat Beg Oldie is an important Army forward locality which dominates the ancient silk route towards Tibet. This base was built during the Indo-China conflict in 1962.An forward air strip was also constructed. Packet aircraft of the IAF operated from DBO between 1962 and 1965. In 1996, an earthquake caused some loosening of the surface soil making the air strip unfit for further fixed-wing aircraft operations. But since 2008, things started changing and that’s what has made China to go in for area grabbing strategy by its aggressive intrusion strategy.
An Indian Air Force transport aircraft AN32 landed at Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) in the Ladakh region close to Aksai Chin under illegal occupation of China, on May 31, 2008, while Fukche airstrip was activated in October 2007 itself.
The Advanced Landing Ground, where the aircraft landed at DBO, is located at the height of 16,200 feet (4,960) metres close to the Line of Actual Control in the Aksai Chin area. The area North of LAC under illegal occupation of China. DBO is also quite near the Karakoram pass.
India has been constructing strategically crucial roads and repairing the airstrips close to Aksai Chin since 2008 and the aggressive objection to these constructions by China is now is to redefine the boundaries as per its own misplaced perceptions and justify its illegal occupation.
The construction of the roads leading to the two air strips, cutting mountains and negotiating sand dunes was to enable the troops to have to the front lines at a faster speed and also for hassle free logistic support. It was also to deny China to take advantage of Indian troops’ absence in the strategically important areas in Ladakh, as such roads enable round the year occupation of defences.
“These are strategically important areas for the Indian Army for defence purposes,” sources in the Army stated and there can be no comprise on these issues, not even with China or Tibet Government in Exile.
The roads were being constructed from the eastern and western flanks of the Aksai Chin area.
India had lost Aksai Chin to Chinese land grabbing, after they had forcibly occupied Tibet, because of its almost negligible presence in the area. The presence is required to strengthen the Indian defences strategically and enhance the visibility there.
Once the road connectivity is established then the airstrip too will be upgraded to a fully active forward air base.
The roads are important for entire logistics cannot dependent completely on air maintenance. Apart from being horribly expensive it also weather dependent. In 2008, AN-32 and medium-sized IL-76 aircraft had landed and later these were upgraded for landing of bigger planes as well.
