Cuttack: Behind the unassuming facade of Charbatia Air Base at Chaudwar in Odisha’s Cuttack, lies a labyrinth of clandestine operations and untold stories that have shaped India’s military and intelligence history. Guarded by robust contingents of armed personnel, this seemingly ordinary air base is a time capsule, echoing with the secrets of a bygone era.
Official records trace the base’s origins to the 1960s, but historical archives, war chronicles, and forgotten film reels suggest a deeper connection to the tumultuous years of World War II. It is believed to have served as a vital post for the British Royal Air Force, its strategic location proving invaluable for monitoring and responding to the escalating conflicts in the region.
Having served a British Royal Air Force Base, the “a relic of World War II, Charbatia has fallen into a severe state of disrepair,” Kenneth Conboy and James Morrison, wrote in the book, ‘The CIA’s Secret War in Tibet’.
Decades later, in 1962, a remarkable twist of fate revitalised Charbatia’s strategic importance following a meeting between President Kennedy and the visiting Indian President Dr Darvepalli Radhakrishnan on June 3, 1963, paving was for its transformation into a crucial asset for the CIA’s covert operations in Tibet.
“Biju Patnaik, ex chief minister of Orissa, was instrumental in the liberation of Indonesia from the Dutch. He also supported the CIA in partnering at a strategic level with the support of Nehru,” Kenneth Conboy and James Morrison wrote.
The Odisha’s legendary pilot visited the US in 1963 to work out the concept with the CIA, according to Rup Narayan Das. a Delhi-based China scholar. Charbatia configured between the US, which was deeply concerned about China’s nuclear programme and wanted to keep a tab on it, and India after the diplomatic furore following the 1960 shoot-down over the Soviet Union of an U-2 aircraft launched from Peshawar, he added.
A PTI report based on set of declassified documents obtained from the CIA under the freedom of Information Act in August 1963, the independent National Security Archive sheds more light on the extent of Charbatia’s involvement in the CIA’s clandestine activities. The base became a hub for the Aviation Research Centre (ARC), a secretive aviation unit tasked with providing air support to Tibetan commandos and agents engaged in a shadowy conflict with China. Staffed by Intelligence Bureau officers and Indian Air Force aircrews, the ARC’s arsenal included a fleet of American transport and light planes, discreetly supplied by the CIA.
The first mission out of Charbatia, however, took place only in May 1964 as Indian work to improve it took longer than expected. The US detachment stayed on at Charbatia till 1967 and served as an adjunct to the main operational base in Thailand, it added.
Charbatia’s strategic proximity to the India-China border proved instrumental in this covert war. U-2 spy planes, launched from the base, conducted reconnaissance missions, capturing vital intelligence on Chinese military movements. This information not only guarded India through its defence strategies but also played a significant role in shaping American foreign policy during the Cold War era.
Biju Patnaik’s calculated manoeuvre solidified India’s position as a regional power and a crucial ally in the fight against communism.
Historian Anil Dhir sheds light on another intriguing facet of the base’s history, revealing its connection to the Special Frontier Force (SFF), an enigmatic guerrilla unit operating under the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). The SFF, also known as “Establishment 22,” was shrouded in secrecy, its existence vehemently denied by the Indian government.
“It was Biju Patnaik who was instrumental in the formation of Establishment 22. In fact, it was he who had mooted the idea of a Tibetan Guerrilla Force, comprising the Khampa rebels, after the 1962 Chinese debacle. As Nehru’s close confidant and defence adviser, Biju along with the Intelligence Bureau Chief B N Mullick, convinced Nehru that a force be formed comprising of members drawn from among the Tibetan youth who had fled to India along with the Dalai Lama. He also met The Dalai Lama as Nehru’s emissary, and convinced him to give his tacit support to the raising of the force. The Dalai Lama asked his brother Gyalo Thondup in Kalimpong to persuade Tibetan youths to join up,” said Dhir, who has written extensively on Biju’s role in the formation of the SFF, in the state government’s ‘Odisha Review’.
He added that the legendary relic of the past lies unknown amongst the locals. “Few know that the tough-looking young men who once operated here were part of the Indian Army’s most secret guerrilla force, referred to in military parlance as two-twos,” he added.
Dhir’s revelations paint a picture of a base that has been home to not just pilots and intelligence officers, but also to the shadowy figures of the SFF, warriors operating in the grey areas of national security. Their training and activities at Charbatia remain largely unknown, adding another layer of intrigue to this enigmatic location.
In 2011, the Indian Air Force (IAF) recognised Charbatia’s enduring strategic value and proposed to convert it into a full-fledged Indian Air Force station equipped with C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft. It had given a proposal to the Centre to this effect and wanted to invest Rs 5,000 crore in the base, The Telegraph had reported quoting state government sources.
However, these plans were subsequently canceled, and the unit was shifted to another air force base, reports added.
The story of Charbatia Air Base emerges as a testament to the courage, ingenuity, and sacrifice of countless individuals who have served their country in the shadows. It is a tale of daring operations, geopolitical intrigue, and the enduring pursuit of national security. The base’s transformation from a relic of WWII to a linchpin in Cold War espionage and a modern military installation underscores its enduring significance in the annals of India’s history.
