India reopens air base in Laddakh after 43 years The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Saturday re-opened an old air base
Dawaltbaigh Oldi air strip in Ladakh region, north of Leh in occupied Kashmir
close to the Chinese border after 43 years.
The air base was constructed in 1962 during the Indo-China war and closed in 1965.
It is part of efforts to improve air maintenance of far-flung posts in the region
bordering China and Pakistan.
An Indian AN-32 transporter plane carrying Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (Western
Air Command) P K Barbora landed at the air base in the morning after flying from
Chandigarh. The airfield is over
16,200 ft from sea level.
The sources claimed that it was logistically impossible to land the aircraft at this height
which generally flies at 16,000 ft and the landing required considerable skill.
The air base overlooking the strategic Karakoram pass is 8km south of the Chinese border.
the sources further said IAFs MI-17, MI-26 helicopters, Chetak and Druv helicopters can
land at the helipad to carry supplies to troops stationed in the region.
