Report: Buildup of Doklam air power

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 27

Despite having announced disengagement at the Doklam Plateau,  India and China have continued with a build-up of military resources on either side.

The armies of the two nations were locked in a 73-day (June 16 to August 28, 2017) stand-off at Doklam — the tri-junction of Bhutan, India and China.

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A US-based think tank, Stratfor, has released satellite images of airbases of both countries and said “the imagery confirms that both China and India are pursuing a wide-ranging strategic build-up that has only accelerated in the wake of the August agreement (to dis-engage)”.

The report ‘Preparing for a rematch at the top of the world’ was released just hours ahead of the Republic Day parade in New Delhi.

The think tank said it had analysed four critical airbases, two Chinese and two Indian, that are within range of the Doklam Plateau. 

It says “…greater level of activity is visible from the imagery of the Chinese airbases near Lhasa (330 km north of Doklam) and Shigatse”. 

Beijing has added air defence missiles and made a new runaway in December at Shigatse, 225 km north of Doklam, says the report. It also holds deployments of KJ-500 airborne early warning and command aircraft, components of the HQ-9 long-range surface-to-air missile system and Soar Dragon unmanned aerial vehicles. The Chinese made a number of major airfield upgrades at Shigatse after the end of the crisis. 

Besides the runaway, aircraft aprons measuring 41m by 70m were built along the main taxiway and eight helipads were set up in the northeast corner of the airfield. This construction, along with the deployment of new equipment in  greater numbers, highlights how China has undertaken a serious effort to improve its capabilities close to the LAC. China’s lack of airbases close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC)  forces it to concentrate more of its air power at these bases. The imagery of the two airbases shows a significant presence of fighter aircraft (which peaked in October) and a notable increase in helicopters.

On the Indian side of the border, imagery of the Bagdogra airbase and the Hasimara Air Force Station has been released. “It depicts how India has moved to reinforce its air power close to the Doklam Plateau,” says Stratfor.

The Indian Air Force has greatly increased the deployment of Su-30MKI warplanes to these airbases as can be seen from the imagery, says the report.

The Su-30MKI is India’s premier fighter jet, and it will soon be capable of striking land targets with the advanced BrahMos cruise missile. The dispatch of these top-of-the-line Indian jets and airfield improvements at both stations highlight India's determination to improve its force structure near the Doklam Plateau, the report said.