New Delhi: The Indian Army on Saturday marked the 41st anniversary of Operation Meghdoot by celebrating Siachen Day, honouring the unmatched courage and resilience of soldiers who serve on the world’s highest and most inhospitable battlefield — the Siachen Glacier.
On this day in 1984, Indian troops launched Operation Meghdoot, a bold military mission that preemptively secured key strategic heights including Bilafond La and Sia La passes in the Karakoram range. This move thwarted Pakistan’s attempts to gain control over the glacier, giving India a crucial tactical edge in the disputed region of Kashmir.
The operation, led by Lieutenant General Manohar Lal Chibber, Lieutenant General P.N. Hoon, and Major General Shiv Sharma, marked an extraordinary example of synergy between the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force (IAF). It remains the first and only military operation conducted at such extreme altitudes, at nearly 20,000 feet above sea level.
While Operation Meghdoot was officially launched in April 1984, the IAF had been active in the region since 1978, with Chetak helicopters being the first to land on the glacier. The IAF played a pivotal role by airlifting troops and supplies using aircraft such as the An-12, An-32, and IL-76, and deploying Mi-17, Mi-8, Chetak, and Cheetah helicopters to ferry men and materials to the forbidding terrain.
The Siachen Glacier, often called the “Frozen Frontier”, holds immense strategic importance. It not only oversees the Shaksgam Valley (ceded by Pakistan to China in 1963) but also controls crucial approaches from Gilgit-Baltistan into Ladakh and keeps a watchful eye on the historic Karakoram Pass.
Siachen has remained a flashpoint between India and Pakistan since the 1949 Karachi Agreement, which left the area north of map point NJ9842 undefined due to the rugged terrain. India launched Operation Meghdoot in response to Pakistan’s attempts to claim the region through what New Delhi described as “cartographic aggression”.
Every year, Siachen Day is observed to honour the bravery, sacrifice, and unwavering dedication of Indian soldiers posted at these daunting heights. The iconic poem:
“Quartered in snow, Silent to remain, When the clarion calls, They shall rise and march again.”
Perfectly encapsulates the spirit of the Siachen Warriors, who continue to defend the nation’s highest frontier with courage and resolve.
