China constructing heliport in Aksai Chin area, reveal satellite images

New Delhi: The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) has been continuously upgrading its infrastructure in occupied Eastern Ladakh for the past nine months, said reports.

Satellite images over Tibet and East Turkestan (Xinjiang), along the borders of India, indicate that China has been upgrading its military facilities in Eastern Ladakh for the last three months amid the standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in the region.

There have been a detailed surface-to-air missile (SAM) locations from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh. In fact, China had planned an ingress into Eastern Ladakh as early as August 2019 as indicated by satellite images.

The heliport construction is opposite India's Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) airbase, and at 16,700 feet, is extremely close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and the 255-km Darbuk-Shyok-DBO road, and one of the reasons that sparked the standoff in early May this year. The road runs parallel to the LAC, connecting Leh to DBO, and is strategically important for India.

The airbase and the new road are extremely close to the LAC, enhancing India's logistics capabilities, but irking China.

The latest satellite images covering occupied areas of Aksai Chin indicate that the PLA has been constructing a heliport within the contested area. The heliport area was earmarked in August 2019 and preparations had begun in October 2019.

Satellite images suggest that the construction was stalled till the beginning of April 2020 although preparations had begun and the area was marked for the heliport.

The heliport's construction incidentally coincides with China's military build-up that had begun in mid-April. The Chinese actions were not just a spontaneous reaction to India's road construction, but a well-planned move as the usual activities by Chinese was reported in mid-April at least three weeks before the first clashes took place during face-offs.

Satellite images also show that the heliport is likely to have a runway of a length of 1,000 metres. However, only 700 metres of the runway is being graded, probably due to the winters.

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