IAF shows strength to China, lands Super Hercules plane in Ladakh

In a subtle show of strength to China, the IAF on Tuesday landed its C-130J Super Hercules transport plane at the world`s highest and recently-activated Daulat Beg Oldie airstrip in Ladakh near the Line of Actual Control.

New Delhi: Months after stand-off with PLA troops in Daulat Beg Oldie, India on Tuesday sent out a message to China as it started operating medium-lift C-130J transport plane there, marking an increase in capacity to ferry troops and supplies in larger quantities to Line of Actual Control. The Super Hercules transport plane landed at the world`s highest and recently-activated Daulat Beg Oldie airstrip in Ladakh area of Jammu and Kashmir for the first time.

Significantly, the landing took place on a day when India and China held strategic dialogue after a gap of three years where they discussed the recent spate of incursions and ways to maintain peace along the LAC. The achievement will enable the armed forces to use the medium-lift aircraft to induct troops and supplies in larger number, improve communication network and also serve as a morale booster for maintenance of troops positioned there. "A C-130J Super Hercules landed at DBO, the highest airstrip in the world at 0654 hours today. The Commanding Officer and the crew of the `Veiled Vipers` along with senior officers touched down on the DBO airstrip located at 16614 feet (5065 meters) in the Aksai Chin area," the IAF said in a statement. The airfield was reactivated by the IAF in 2008 with the landing of an Antonov-32 aircraft there from Chandigarh after it was last used in the 1965 war with Pakistan. In April, the area saw a 21-day stand-off between Indian and Chinese troops who came and pitched tents in the vicinity of the airfield and returned only after several rounds of flag meetings between both sides. PTI