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[Tiki Tam Tam]

: IBNLive.com > Videos



New Delhi: India is reactivating a military airfield which it operated 43 years ago and is a stone’s throw away from the Karakoram Pass held by China.


The last time India landed a fixed-wing aircraft at Daulat Beg Oldie airfield in northeastern Ladakh was in 1965. Landing fixed-wing at the airfield will enable India to induct troops swiftly.


"DBO (Daulat Beg Oldie) becomes very, very crucial because our troop strength there may have to be increased 10 times (in the event of a conflict). And if that happens when roads are in disuse, the only way will be to induct troops by air—that’s what was done during 1962,” says strategic affairs analyst Air Vice Marshal Kapil Kak.


Though a conflict with China looks improbable at the moment, Karakoram lies on an axis which could be used to threaten Ladakh. India is most vulnerable in this area. By activating the airfield at Daulat Beg Oldie, India would like to be seen as exercising a more assertive presence on the disputed boundary with China.


There are also plans to revive airfields at Chushul and Fukche further south along the Sino-Indian boundary in Ladakh. For a brief while after the Chinese aggression in 1962, these airstrips were extensively used for troop build-up and have since been in disuse. Provision of forward airstrips now is a priority not just in Ladakh but also in Arunachal

http://www.ibnlive.com/news/india-dares-the-dragon-set-to-restart-airfield/63546-3.html

 

[JEFF]

In my opinion, chinese protest about AP and massive development plans in Tibet have aggravated India to seriously consider the development of its poor infrastructure system along its bordering region. And this is exactly the part of the similar stretagey. Slowly but steadily India is taking note of chinese presense across the border. I think India is considering deployment of more troops along sino border to tackle intrusions by chinese troops and hence airlifing and logistics support becomes very crucial in this respect, that is exactly why India is looking for reviving airfields along sino border.

 

[ashfaque]

Mantra is simple, keep border area people happy by give enough economic and social development, then no one can touch you borders. I am sorry to say GoI forgot north-east people, before things go out of hand, GoI not only have to increase military infra, but civilian too. You may afford a Bimaru state middle of country for some time, but not at border areas.

 

[JEFF]

Mantra is simple, keep border area people happy by give enough economic and social development, then no one can touch you borders. I am sorry to say GoI forgot north-east people, before things go out of hand, GoI not only have to increase military infra, but civilian too. You may afford a Bimaru state middle of country for some time, but not at border areas.

Now you don't need to remain apologetic for GOI for its forgetting stance about North east people. Since recently PM during his visit to North east has annouced several mega projects to improve infrastructure worth billions of doller.

 

[Contrarian]

The problem is not that money is not going to the NE. THe problem is TOO MUCH money is going there. THere is MASSIVE corruption in the NE. Literally everyone is taking his cut. THe politicians are interested in keeping the status quo ie NE under developed with militancy, so that aid keeps comming in from the center and they keep getting richer. There is a severe malaise in NE, which only those who have gone there and actually mingled with the local crowd know about.

 

[Malang]

I second MM123... One of my acquaintance had gone to Nagaland to submit papers on behalf of his Delhi-based company for auctioning of Telecom towers and he was threatened and his filing papers torn .. apparently only Nagas would file papers... and the complains to the cops fell on deaf ears... but then a certain phone call((Nagaland's CM's daughter is apparently married to a Hindu Kashmiri settled in Delhi, who was then involved)) resulted in the correct action..
and Assam is full of horor stories too....

 

[Awesome]

can somebody point to this region on a map?

Is it another renamed Kashmiri territory? Google just showed the same article again.

 

[Neo]

Here's a map, the airfield is only a few miles from the Korakorum Pass.

 

[Neo]

A terrain map I just captured from Google Earth.

Also try this link:

Google Maps

 

[Neo]

Big Q is if the base poses a threat to Pakistan and if so do we have means to take it out in times of crisis?

The base is situated well below the KKP in a valley very close to the border, any attack or KKP would trigger China to retaliate. So basically its just psy-ops, windowdressing if I may call it with little importance.

 

[TexasJohn]

A terrain map I just captured from Google Earth.

Also try this link:

Google Maps

It's in Dutch...je ne parle pas...

 

[Neo]

It's in Dutch...je ne parle pas...

Mon ami, la langue ne change rien, la carte est là!

 

[TexasJohn]

Mon ami, la langue ne change rien, la carte est là!

oui, c'est vrai !!!

 

[Contrarian]

Big Q is if the base poses a threat to Pakistan and if so do we have means to take it out in times of crisis?

The base is situated well below the KKP in a valley very close to the border, any attack or KKP would trigger China to retaliate. So basically its just psy-ops, windowdressing if I may call it with little importance.

Nope, incase of a war with China, India desperately needs Forward Air Bases to land troops. India would have to airlift troops since out infrastructure is sh*tty there, and will be for a while. Last time as well, we used this airstrip extensively.

And any attack on KKH if in Pakistani territory would not make CHina retaliate.