Wildlife Board Approves New IAF Base in Ladakh

Tags: place in news Defence State News

The Indian Air Force (IAF) will soon get a new base in Ladakh. 

IMPORTANT FACTS -

• According to a report published in the Economic Times on 8 September 2022, the Standing Committee of the National Board of Wildlife, which is led by Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav has approved the proposal.
• The new base will be built on 500 hectares of land in the Changthang sanctuary area, right next to the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
• The need to boost the IAF presence in the region was felt after the rapid development of airfields and bunkers by the Chinese along the LAC in the area. 
• In June 2020 there was a border clash in Ladakh, between the two armies leading to the death of 20 Indian soldiers and a number of Chinese soldiers.
• The Changthang sanctuary area is a cold desert sanctuary in Leh district.  It is home to Tibetan wild Ass, Kiang and the rare black necked cranes.
• Since it is a cold desert sanctuary, permission from the Environment ministry was necessary.

Air Force Airfield in the region :

• The key air base of the IAF is in Leh. It has had Advanced Landing Ground facilities at Fukche since the 1960s besides Daulat Beg Oldie, Thoise and Nyoma.