Daulat Beg Oldi

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Daulat Beg Oldi, Laddakh, State of Jammu & Kashmir is a camp site located on an ancient trade route connecting Ladakh, India to Yarkand in Xinjiang, China. It used to be a stopping point for the caravans traveling along the Silk Road. India and China sealed their borders after the war of 1962 ending most of the cross-border trade. In modern times, the place has not been known to have any permanent civilian population.[1] The place is named after Daulat Baig Oldi, a 16th century Yarkandi nobleman who is supposed to have died at this place after descent from the Karakorum Pass, which is 17 kilometers northwest on the Indo-Chinese border. This route was used by caravans of traders traveling between India and Central Asia. The Indian army maintains a helipad and an air strip here, one of the highest in the world at 5,050 meters above sea level. Routine sorties are carried out using IL-76 aircraft.

Daulat Beg Oldi lies at the easternmost point of the Karakorum Range in a cold desert region in the far north of India, just 8 km south the Chinese border and 9 km northwest of the Aksai Chin line of actual control between China and India. Temperature plummets as low as -30 C in the winters. The weather deteriorates frequently with strong icy winds lashing much of DOB. DOB has very little if any vegetation or wildlife. Communication is possible only through INMARSAT (satellite) phones. The nearest inhabited town is Murgo to the south, which has a small population of Baltis who primarily depend on apricot farming and yak rearing.

The government in 2001 first announced plans to construct a motorable road from Leh to its end at Daulat Beg Oldi.

On 31st may 2008, the Indian Air Force made operational an Airbase in Oldi which was originally set up in 1962 during the Indo-China war and closed in 1965.[2]


The base was set up during the Sino-Indian conflict in 1962, and was operated with American-supplied Fairchild Packets. It had to be closed down suddenly in 1966 when an earthquake caused loosening of the surface soil, making the area unsuitable for fixed wing aircraft.[3]



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[edit] References

  1. ^ The Himalayas - Ladakh Himalayas - Villages and Plateus - Shyok Valley. Retrieved on 31 May 2008.
  2. ^ IAF reopens old air base near China border (31 May 2008). Retrieved on 31 May 2008.
  3. ^ IAF reopens old airbase in Ladakh region (31 May 2008). Retrieved on 31 May 2008.