IAF makes a statement near China border

In a significant move, an Indian Air Force AN-32 aircraft landed at Nyoma Advanced Landing Ground at 0625 hours on Friday.

Though helicopters have been landing at this ALG, this is for the first time that a fixed wing aircraft has landed at the compacted airstrip of Nyoma, located 23 km from the Sino-India border.

The landing of a fixed wing transport aircraft so close to the border with China assumes significance following recent reports of incursions by the Chinese army in Ladakh, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, involving air dropping of expired canned food, spray-painting of rocks. 

Group Captain SC Chafekar touched down on the Nyoma airstrip located at an altitude of 13,300 feet with 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. 

After deliberating on all aspects and carrying out aerial and ground reccees, 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. 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. 

Joint development of Nyoma, braving the extremely difficult working conditions and hostile weather, is yet another step towards enhanced cooperation 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 that movements in the area continue when the road traffic gets affected, during the harsh winters besides enabling improved communication network in the region, facilitating economical ferrying of supplies as well as promotion of tourism to the general area. 

The landing comes just fifteen months after an AN-32 landed at Daulat-Beg-Oldie, the highest airfield in the world situated at an altitude of 16,200 feet.