The Indian Army is examining a proposal to allow civilians to visit the world’s highest battlefield, the Siachen glacier, to gain first-hand experience of the tough conditions in which soldiers operate, two senior army officers said on Tuesday.
Mooted by army chief, General Bipin Rawat, the proposal to give civilians access to the glacier is at an initial stage but is being considered seriously, one of the officers cited above said on condition of anonymity.
Siachen is strategically important because so long as it is in India’s control, the Pakistani army can’t link up with the Chinese and pose a threat to Ladakh. It acts as a wedge between the Shaksgam Valley under Chinese control and Baltistan, which is occupied by Pakistan.
Experts welcomed the move to give civilians access to the glacier, stressing that it will give them a better understanding of India’s national security challenges.
Read more of this in a report by Rahul Singh published in Hindustan Times... (Link given below)
