Siachen: A Viewpoint

Brig. (r) S. K. Raychaudhuri VSM

The Siachen area is awe inspiring and beautiful…..till the first few steps are taken! The challenges to human endurance that this beautiful and inspiring scenario imposes adequately negate the initial impression caused by its stark beauty.

The Siachen Glacier is awesome and it embodies one of the most inhospitable and glaciated environs in the world. The glacier runs down the valley in the Karakoram Range and is 76 kilometers long and varies in width between 2 to 8 kilometers. The mountains alongside the Siachen, range between 15,000 to 25,000 feet. The ridges are sharp, rugged and barren. Local resources are absent. The gradients are steep and precludes cross country movement and the glacier is highly crevassed.

Compounding the arduousness are the snow and blizzards. It receives 6 to 7 meters of the annual total of 10 meters of snow in winter alone. Blizzards can reach speeds up to 150 knots (nearly 300 kilometers per hour). The temperature drops routinely to 45 degrees C below zero, and the wind chill factor makes the temperature dip further with increase in wind velocity. The weather is fickle and can change without notice. It does not require imagination to realize the isolation and forbiddances of this place.

Such an environment makes conducting a war in this area an expensive proposition. An unending, undeclared war is worse still. Siachen, thus, is mind boggling, not only in since a solution is elusive, but also in financial terms and in human lives.

The origin of the Siachen imbroglio can be traced to Karachi Agreement (27 July 1949) consequent to the first war over Kashmir after Partition.  The terminology in the delineation beyond NJ 9842 was couched in the vague phrase ‘thence moving northwards’. This ‘northward moving line’ was never physically demarcated or verified on ground. The Pakistani contention that Siachen is a part of Baltistan in the Northern Areas of Pakistan is faulty if viewed in the light of the Karachi Agreement. Every area would then be a part of the Northern Area of Pakistan so to say given this astounding logic. Therefore, the ground reality and the geopolitical situation demanded physical occupation and administrative control which India undertook in 1984. This gave concrete body to the vagueness of the delineation terminology of the Karachi Agreement and its successor Agreement at Suchetgarh (11 December 1972). The question of interpretation and exercising of this prerogative physically and administratively was thus resolved.

The question of the line ‘thence moving northward’ going North West or North East is of pertinence. Currently, the line moves from NJ 9842 through Bilafond, Saltoro Kangri, Sia La, Baltoro. It thus joins at the central segment of the Shaksgam area of Jammu-Kashmir which Pakistan illegally ceded to China.

A North Eastern demarcation of the line would join it to the Sino – Indian boundary between the eastern corner of Pakistani-ceded Shaksgam and the western corner of Chinese-occupied Aksai China. This is where the strategic Karakoram Pass is situated (a distance of 91.3 kilometres). The occupation of Siachen effectively separates Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) from Aksai Chin, the part of Kashmir claimed and Occupied by China and hence precludes any outflanking moves to isolate Leh or even Kargil sectors. It also empowers India to keep a check on the Khunjarab Pass; as also is a positive factor to any negotiation with China on the border question.

Thus, the view that Siachen is an exercise in futility and too expensive an all encompassing burden is not valid given the geopolitical realities then and even now.

There is a view that India could withdraw from the Glacier. Unless there is an international assurance, which in any case, is not the worth in paper it is written on, there is no guarantee that Pakistan would not occupy the Glacier. In such a case advantages that India currently has would be negated. To imagine that holding a few major passes would suffice would also not be valid since moving troops in a High Altitude Area to an impending threat is laborious, time consuming, physically impossible given human adaptability limits and thus merely theoretical.

Pakistan occupies the southern slopes of the Saltoro Watershed, most of which is between 9000 to 10,000 feet at most places, whereas India occupies the northern slopes which are higher and reach 25000 feet. This makes operating in high altitudes compared to Pakistan more complex and difficult.

It is in Pakistan’s advantage that lower heights given them a positive inherent logistic supply continuum and less dependant on air supply. As Pakistan occupies lower heights there logistic can be land based routes while the same is not the case with India. This also ensures that the cost of operations is much lower for Pakistan, especially in financial terms.

Occupation of commanding heights and passes is the crux to the defense of Siachen. Therefore, the flip side of the altitudinal disadvantage is that it provides tactical advantage. Given the altitude and the steep terrain it is immensely difficult to dislodge the defender as Pakistan has learnt at a high cost.

Pakistan however occupies certain areas which give them the advantage over the logistic routes.

The Base Camp for Indian forces is 12,000 feet above sea level. The altitude of some Indian forward bases on the Saltoro Ridge ranges from Kumar (16,000 feet) and Bila Top (18,600 feet) to Pahalwan (20,000 feet) and Indira Col (22,000 feet). Because of the steep gradient of the Saltoro Range, the area is also prone to avalanches. It is may be pertinent to mention that only 3 per cent of the Indian casualties were caused by hostile firing. The remaining 97 per cent have fallen prey to the altitude, weather, and terrain.

The greatest challenge is logistics. The maintenance chain is by fixed wing air drops, helicopters, porters, army mules or small donkeys. This is not only financially costly but also costly in terms of effort.  As per an estimate, it costs between Rs 1,00,000 to Rs 1,50,000 per ton depending upon the aircraft/ helicopter employed.

The interesting fact is that Kerosene Oil required for heating and drying purpose constitutes about 40% of the tonnage lifted. As Kerosene freezes at -50 C, it is possible to use a pipeline to pump Kerosene. Much that it may astound those who have not operated at such attitudes and adverse weather conditions that Kerosene oil is more welcomed than foodstuff.

As is well known, food is not a problem since these altitudes influence an aversion to food. The appetite is reduced. Tinned stuff is most unpalatable and this low intake in food seriously affects the operational efficiency, even though it is not apparent if one goes by the enthusiasm of all ranks in executing their tasks. 6000 calories are essential at these altitudes compared to 3000 to 4000 calories at lower heights.

There is a continuous effort to reduce costs. To offset the cost in the supply chain, which is airlifted from Chandigarh or brought from Srinagar since the food habits are different from the locals, the DRDO has done commendable work. They are greening Partapur, the Siachen brigade headquarters at an altitude of around 11,000 feet. A serious attempt is to grow fresh vegetables for troops stationed at an altitude of 12,000 feet and above (up to 20,000 feet) on the glacier and beyond on the Soltoro ridge. A pilot project is already underway to grow cabbage, capsicum, onions, tomatoes, cauliflower and brinjals. It is to their credit that when the temperatures are minus 25 degrees Celsius and snow omnipresent they succeeded in harvesting crop through solar green house cultivation. It is of interest to note that not only they are army specific, they are actively assisting the local populace. However, the sizes of the vegetable are so large that they defy imagination!

My unit in Kargil, though not in the glacier, had a full fledged poultry organized in a shed with bukharis so that my men had fresh chicken when they so desired. 

There is a dairy is already functioning in Partapur on an experimental basis and approximately 200 liters of milk are sent up to different posts on the glacier every day.

Health remains a problem. Pulmonary edema is a killer. Acclimatization is the only way to ensure unnecessary deaths. At times, owing to operational imperatives, this is forgotten, but then the costs are high.

The challenges to human endurance make the conduct of operations as challenge not only in military terms but also in human ingenuity. This is the sole factor that makes Siachen Glacier operations a keynote issue in the art or science of conducting warfare and thereby keeping it at the center of everyone's attention.

The author is a retired Infantry officer of the Indian Army