India's air force has declared operational what is believed to be the world's highest airbase at Leh in the cold desert of Ladakh. The country is to use the site as the base for its RSKMiG-29Fulcrum multirole fighters. According to Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Air Command Air Marshal Vinod Bhatia, the aircraft at the base gives "a far greater reach towards Central Asia". India has previously tried to operate Mikoyan MiG-21 Fishbeds and Sepecat Jaguars from Leh, which is around 11,000ft (3,350m) above sea level. It has taken more than two years for the MiG-29s to become operational from the base.
Source: Flight International