Chinese, Indian aircraft patrol LAC

ISLAMABAD: The Chinese and Indian air forces have initiated flights in their airs along the border in Ladakh for the first time ever since India committed transgressing in the Chinese areas in May this year.

The Indians were repulsed, and they had to face severe punishment at the hands of the Chinese troops.

Interestingly, China didn’t use its air force in 1962 war in which India suffered a historic defeat. Indian sources claim that the frontline fighter aircraft of the IAF are flying consistently in and out of the airbase near the border with China, including the Su-30MKIs and the MiG-29s.

Transport aircraft, including the American C-17 and the C-130J along with their Russian counterparts Ilyushin-76 and the Antonov-32, have been deployed on the base along the Chinese border.

The transport planes are being used to ferry troops and equipment from far away locations to be deployed on the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

US-made Apaches choppers are prominent, as they carry out regular sorties with their only mandate of a combat role in the Eastern Ladakh sector.

American-origin heavy-lift counterpart Chinook chopper have played an important role in the area after the Chinese Army started building up along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh in May this year.

The Chinook heavy-lift helicopters along with the Russian fleet of the Mi-17 V5 helicopters deployed at the base are carrying out regular sorties to take army and ITBP troops to the forward locations.

To prepare for a long haul, Chinook helicopters could be loaded with important equipment for delivery to the forward bases, as China has also made its strong presence all along the LAC in this area.

The air activities in the Ladakh area and other places along the China border had gone up extensively soon after the Chinese started building up and went up further after the Galwan valley clash on June 15 in which 20 Indian Army personnel were killed.

Some sources claimed that 43 Indians were killed by the Chinese troops in the clash but India didn’t confirm it.