The Hindu : Kalam stresses geo-political importance of Siachen

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 03, 2004

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Kalam stresses geo-political importance of Siachen

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, APRIL 2. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the first President to visit the Siachen Glacier — the world's highest battlefield — today stressed its geo-political importance and advised jawans to take better care of themselves.

Addressing soldiers, he said the technological tools to assist foot-patrolling in the extremely treacherous terrain should be improved and the procedure for airlifting victims of avalanches, frostbite and enemy fire toned up.

Mr. Kalam said: "The nation realises that you are encountering not one adversary but two. One across the border and the other — inhospitable nature. It is the duty of the nation to ensure your welfare and happiness. You are not only defending India's territorial integrity and water resources but you are also partnering in and fuelling the economic development mission of the nation.''

Landing at the Air Force Station, Thoise, Mr. Kalam took stock of the machines and technology deployed to assist soldiers and indicated the need for improvement. He said the reaction time for casualty evacuation must be made faster by increasing the number of the made-in-India chopper `Dhruv'. The high-altitude capability of `Dhruv' should be improved so that the Air Force does not have to handle several variants, he said and suggested that one or two of the three types of choppers currently based there should be converted into ambulance helicopters.

He noted the work being done to extend the airfield and called for its early completion so that high performance fighter aircraft can use that base by next year, adding new dimensions to modern mountain warfare. Helicopters and other types of aircraft should be mounted with advanced technological aids such as ground penetration radars to make patrolling safer for jawans by detecting crevasses and taking cloud-penetrating photographs.

He also mooted the deployment of high-altitude spy planes for reconnaissance operations. Since the most important aspect in mountain warfare was timely reconnaissance, the President wanted the these tools supplemented with inputs from remote-sensing satellites.

At his next stop at the Kumar forward logistic base from where supplies were despatched to pickets on the Siachen Glacier, Mr. Kalam recalled his last visit six years ago and pointed out that the mountain metrology programme had led to improvement in avalanche forecasting. At the same time, he told the troops to eschew adventurism and strictly follow avalanche warnings to ensure safe movement.

Apart from heeding warnings from scientists, the President asked the soldiers to be well-equipped and well-protected in these extreme cold conditions. "I can assure you that the nation is fully conscious of its responsibility in enhancing troop survivability, sustainability, efficiency and motivation."

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