New Delhi, Sep 18 - The Indian Air Force (IAF) Friday opened a landing ground near the China border to fixed wing aircraft, and the first plane to land was an AN-32 carrying two senior IAF and army officers.

The Nyoma Advanced Landing Ground in Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir was until now being used only by helicopters. Nyoma is 23 km from the border.

At 6.25 a.m., Group Captain S.C. Chafekar touched down on the airstrip, 13,300 feet above sea level, with Western Air Command chief Air Marshal N.A.K. Browne and Indian Army Northern Command chief Lieutenant General P.C. Bharadwaj on board.

'Helicopters have been landing here, but this is for the first time that a fixed wing aircraft has landed,' an IAF spokesperson said.

The development coincides with reports of Chinese border intrusions. China and India have denied this.

The IAF officer said that it was decided to develop Nyoma for fixed wing operations as well after exhaustive aerial and ground surveys.

The task of developing the landing ground to the standards required for fixed wing aircraft was undertaken by the Engineers Regiment of 14 Corps.