India Air Force activates Nyoma airfield close to China border * Buzz Up * Share o Twitter o Delicious o Myspace o Digg o Stumble Upon o Facebook Fri, Sep 18 03:00 PM New Delhi, Sep 18 (ANI): The Indian Air Force in a significant move today activated its Nyoma Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) to support the Army in carrying out operations in the inhospitable terrain. Q+A - India and China's disputed border China strikes back on Arunachal An IAF AN-32 aircraft landed at Nyoma ALG, which is located at an altitude of 13,300 feet in Leh district of Jammu and Kashmir, at 6:25 a.m. today. It is located 23 kms from the Line of Actual Control. (LAC). The successful landing of a fixed wing aircraft at Nyoma marks the culmination of joint effort by the IAF and Indian Army to enable the IAF to operate in the inhospitable terrain of Leh-Ladakh region in support of the Army. The landing comes just fifteen months after an AN-32 landed at Daulat-Beg-Oldie (DBO), the highest airfield in the world situated at an altitude of 16,200 feet. Group Captain SC Chafekar touched down on the Nyoma airstrip. Air Marshal NAK Browne, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Air Command and Lieutenant General PC Bharadwaj, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command on board. Though helicopters have been landing at this ALG, this is for the first time that a fixed wing aircraft has landed at the compact airstrip of Nyoma. After deliberating on all aspects and carrying out aerial and ground inspection, it was concluded that Nyoma could be developed for fixed wing operations as well. The Engineer Regiments of 14 Corps undertook the herculean task of developing the ALG to the standards required for fixed wing operations. Joint development of Nyoma braving the extremely difficult working conditions and hostile weather is yet another step towards enhanced joint partnership between the two services. Nyoma has been developed with an aim to connect the remote areas of Ladakh region to the mainland. This would also ensure movements in the area when the road traffic gets affected, during the harsh winters besides enabling improved communication network in the region. (ANI) http://in.news.yahoo.com/139/20090918/808/tnl-india-air-force-activates-nyoma-airf.html
Many of the people living in the disputed regions are ethnically and culturally tied to Tibet. China had invaded in 1962 and took some disputed areas in order to exert better control and influence over the entire Tibetan region. China had also recently settled, through negotiations, with the Russians over disputed areas within the Amur River region. China recently increased tensions by shooting and wounding several Indian border policemen. This violated an agreement made back in 1996 that BOTH sides promised ...not to open fire, no matter what the provocation. This is in the face of an increased number of cross border penetrations by the PLA in recent months. In 1962, India was woefully unprepared and wound up losing a significant amount of territory to the PRC then. I doubt that the same would happen again without a significant fight. Maintaining fixed wing airlift capability to the region signals Indian resolve. Source: http://www.2point6billion.com/news/...-chinese-troops-along-sikkim-border-2230.html
You shouldn't really bother just listening to the Indian press. But I won't be surprise if both sides are having some heated moments around the borders. In the 1962 war, some would say that India crossed over to PRC borders and got their asses kicked back. China than declared a ceasefire and retreated back to their own borders. It depend which side you were on.
Aksai Chin, the Chinese never left and continues to hold onto it. That said, this dispute has been going on since before the Brits quit India, and when they left, they also left the disputed borderline's unsettled. Cross border incidents have occurred regularly, but seldom make big headlines unless it involves tremendous casualties. But I agree with you that both sides have slanted press on the issue. India recently had begun to recognize that it is still logistically at a disadvantage in the region.
India and China, the countries with the highest in population. I wonder if they fight it out, how would this world turn out?
