Reference to Ndtv. China has been speeding up its military build up along the northeastern India-China border by putting in place 36 hardened aircraft shelters at Lhunze air base in Tibet. This is one of the biggest infrastructural enhancements to be installed in close proximity to Arunachal pradesh strategic town of Tawang, and this reinforces the air combat readiness of Beijing in one of the most sensitive areas on the India-China border.

Beijing Strengthens Air Supremacy near the McMahon Line.

High-resolution satellite images show that newly constructed shelters, administrative buildings, and an expanded apron are present in Lhunze Airbase of China. The foundation is located approximately 40 kilometers north of the McMahon Line, which is the de facto frontier between India and China on the eastern side.

All these advancements enable China to quickly launch fighter jets and drones which reduce response time in case of border conflicts. This is a great challenge to India, since this causes the Indian Air Force (IAF) to deal with an augmented and proactive aerial threat.

Old IAF Chiefs Raise Strategic Red flags.

Retired Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa pointed out that this is the action of China to maintain long-term military activities in Tibet.

In 2017, when he was a part of the Doklam standoff, he remembered that he had warned that once China started constructing hardened shelters in Tibet, then it would be considered a preparation phase towards war.

In an event of possible conflict, Dhanoa observed that fuel and ammunition are most probably stored in underground tunnels in the environs of the Lhunze facility, which will enable the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) to become logistically accessible in any given situation.

Another More Dangerous Threat to Follow the Galwan Clash.

Air Marshal Anil Khosla who is the former Vice Chief of Air Staff said that these hardened structures are a grave strategic threat to India. He linked the expansion to the larger Chinese military trends observed since the Galwan Valley conflicts of the year 2020.

These shelters can be used to disperse aircraft and reduce the susceptibility to Indian attacks as well as to provide the means of constant activity in high-altitude areas, Khosla clarified.
He also noted that these enhanced shelters would survive the precision-guided missiles and airstrikes making it difficult to counter the Chinese bases in the initial days of a war by India.

The use of drones has enhanced Chinese surveillance.

Recent photographs taken by Vantor Technologies (previously Maxar) showed that there were a number of CH-4 drones in the station of Lhunze. These UAVs can fly above 16,000 feet, and it is armed with air-to-surface missile, which can be used to attack missions in rough terrain.

In the meantime, India intends to retaliate this menace with General Atomics Sky Guardian drones, which are supposed to be available in 2029. Eight units will be deployed to the IAF and the Indian Army enhancing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance between the Himalayas.

Presently, the Indian forces use Israeli UAVs, Heron and Searcher, which are less effective than the Israeli ones.

Crowding Out India Geographical Advantage.

Former Vice Chief Air Marshal S.P. Dharkar once stated that India had enjoyed the advantage of natural terrain in the air operations in the Himalayas. But he had warned that this advantage is slowly fading away due to the rapid modernization of China such as extending the runways and hardening the shelters.

This has caused a stronger air defense system in the northern side of the borders and this has complicated future air operations by making them much complex as explained by Dharkar.

Wisdom Grade: Strategic Message of China to India.

The Intel Lab researcher, Geo-intelligence analyst Damien Symon observed that this new construction in the Tawang region reflects the desire of Beijing to demonstrate more air power in historically contentious areas.
He wrote, “The extent of militarization in Lhunze underscores the attempt by China to bridge the airpower gap with India. Nevertheless, they have the advantage of increasing the operational flexibility of China in challenging terrain, even in the case of mixed-use aircraft shelters.

Developing Chinese Airfields in the Himalayas.

Lhunze is not alone. China has also modernized some other bases- Tingri, Burang, Yutian and Yarkant, and all these bases were strategically located in the Himalaya frontier. These bases have long runways, engine test pads as well as new aprons to accommodate large deployments.

Indian Air Force, in its turn, has restated that it has been vigilant of such developments.

The IAF in a statement earlier this year noted that it had mechanisms in place and it was fully aware.

A Himalayan New Strategic Reality.

The current growth of China indicates a wider military balance after the 2020 standoff at Galwan. The two countries still strengthen air bases on the other side of the border, which indicates that a long-time struggle over air power in the Himalayas is eminent.

Although there have been diplomatic overtures such as the recent visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Tianjin so as to meet with the President Xi Jinping, the Lhunze construction indicates that there is still not much trust. With hardened aircraft shelters on the verge of being erected around the Arunachal Pradesh, India is confronting a new and emerging challenge of preparedness in the most sensitive frontier ever.

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