Northern Army commander visits Siachen, reviews operational preparedness

General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, northern command, Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh on Wednesday visited forward posts in Siachen Glacier in the Union Territory of Ladakh and reviewed the operational preparedness in the sector, a defence spokesperson said.

Accompanied by General Officer Commanding, Fire and Fury Corps, Lt Gen Harinder Singh, the commander interacting with troops deployed at the forward posts and complimented them for their tenacity and high morale, the spokesperson said.

Lt Gen Singh exhorted the troops to continue to maintain a high order of fitness and operational readiness.

He also urged the troops to remain alert to the challenges posed by the inclement weather and glacial conditions, the spokesperson said.

The Siachen Glacier at the height of around 20,000 ft in the Karakoram range is known as the highest militarised zone in the world where the soldiers have to battle frostbite and high winds.

Avalanches and landslides are common at the glacier during the winters and temperatures can drop to as low as minus 60 degrees Celsius.