President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday visited the Siachen base camp, the world's highest battlefield, to interact with Indian soldiers stationed in the unforgiving terrain.
During her visit, the President lauded the troops for their exceptional courage and unwavering commitment to safeguarding the nation's frontiers under extreme conditions.
Addressing the soldiers at the base camp, President Murmu acknowledged the difficult circumstances they endure, including temperatures plunging to minus 50 degrees Celsius and heavy snowfall.
She expressed the nation's collective pride and admiration for their sacrifice and resilience.
“As the supreme commander of the armed forces, I feel immensely proud of all of you. All citizens salute your bravery. In such difficult situations—dealing with severe weather and extreme cold—you present extraordinary examples of sacrifice and tolerance in protecting our motherland,” President Murmu said, as per a statement issued by Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Dressed in military attire, the President paid homage to fallen soldiers at the Siachen War Memorial, a monument that honours the sacrifices made by the Indian Army since the launch of Operation Meghdoot in 1984.
The operation was a critical mission in which India established control over the Siachen Glacier, a strategic and heavily contested region in the Karakoram mountain range.
President Murmu praised the legacy of Operation Meghdoot and emphasised the importance of the region's security. “Since the commencement of Operation Meghdoot, the brave soldiers and officers of the Indian armed forces have ensured the security of this region,” she added.
The President was received at Thoise airfield by Ladakh’s Lt. Governor, Brigadier B.D. Mishra. Murmu's visit marks her as the third Indian president to visit the Siachen base camp, following in the footsteps of former Presidents A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Ram Nath Kovind, who visited the region in 2004 and 2018, respectively.
Siachen, situated at an altitude of around 20,000 feet, remains the highest militarised zone in the world. Soldiers here battle not only enemy forces but also some of the harshest weather conditions, including high winds, sub-zero temperatures, and the constant threat of frostbite.
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