India keeps watch on 7 Chinese air bases

TIL Desk/World/New Delhi/ Even as the tensions on China border continue over territorial issues, Indian agencies are keeping a close eye on the activities of the People’s Liberation Army’s Air Force spread all along the Line of Actual Control with India opposite Ladakh in the north to Arunachal Pradesh in the Northeast.

“We are keeping a close watch on the Hotan, Gar Gunsa, Kashghar, Hopping, Dkonka Dzong, Linzhi and Pangat airbases of the PLAAF in the Xinjiang and Tibet region and all of them have been highly active in the recent times,” government sources said.

The Chinese PLAAF has upgraded a number of these bases in recent times including the construction of hardened shelters, the extension of runway lengths and deployment of additional manpower to carry out more operations, they said.

Sources said the Linzhi airbase opposite the Northeastern states is mainly a helicopter base and the Chinese have also built a network of helipads there to enhance their surveillance activities in those areas.

The PLAAF has been deploying their fighter aircraft including their Chinese version of the Sukhoi-30 and indigenous J-series fighters opposite the Ladakh sector and other areas along with their strategic bombers which have been under constant monitoring of the Indian agencies through satellites and other means.