The Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) airstrip close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China is currently playing an important role in the ongoing deadlock in eastern Ladakh. But this airstrip was reopened by the Indian Air Force without obtaining written approval from the government. This claim was made by former Vice Chief Air Marshal (Retd) Pranab Kumar Barbora on Sunday.
Let us tell you that DBO is one of the highest advanced landing grounds in the world. Situated at an altitude of more than 16,800 feet, the airstrip of this landing ground can be used to land large cargo military aircraft such as the AN-32 and C-130J Super Hercules. When Barbora was asked that the Indian Air Force had resumed the runway without obtaining government approval, he confirmed it.
There was nothing like writing to restart the runway, he said. The government was informed of this only through the proper channel after the landing was completed and I returned from there. When asked about the government's response in return, Barbora said, the government asked why did you do this? We just said that it is the responsibility of the Air Force to keep the military equipment in the right condition. He claimed that China wanted to negotiate about it through a flag meeting after the airstrip was restarted by the Indian side, but the Chinese authorities were never to discuss it despite India agreeing to it. Returns.
Barbora said, the then defense minister also asked me what I should say if the Chinese would ask questions about it during their visit to China. But the Chinese never questioned him about this. The Defense Minister went there to supply relief for the earthquake in China.
That is why the approval from the government was not taken
Former Vice Chief Air Marshal Barbora also explained why he had not taken approval from the Ministry of Defense. He said, after 1962, when this airstrip was commissioned, its operation stopped since 1965. We operated it for three years and then stopped only because we had no aircraft. He said that the proposal to restart it after 1965 was rejected. In such a situation, 43 years passed and it was not allowed to restart, because every time a lot of reasons were counted, no and no. He said When I studied this project and after this, the field officer was instructed to review here in every way.
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