President Murmu visits Siachen base camp, pays tribute to Indian troops

Dressed in Army fatigues, the President addressed the troops posted in Siachen and said that, as the supreme commander of the armed forces, she felt very proud of them and that all citizens salute their bravery.

In Short

• President Murmu says she is proud of Indian troops
• President praises soldiers' devotion, vigilance in -50 degrees Celsius
• Army captured Siachen glacier under Operation Meghdoot in 1984

President Droupadi Murmu visited the Indian Army's Siachen Base Camp in Ladakh on Thursday and paid tribute to the martyrs at the Siachen War Memorial.

The memorial symbolises the sacrifice of Army soldiers and officers who have been martyred since Operation Meghdoot began at the Siachen Glacier in April 1984.

Under Operation Meghdoot in 1984, the Army established full control over the glacier, which is known as the world's highest battlefield.

Dressed in Army fatigues, the President addressed the troops stationed in Siachen, expressing her pride as the supreme commander of the armed forces and stating that all citizens salute their bravery.

The President emphasised that since the commencement of Operation Meghdoot in April 1984, the brave soldiers and officers of the Indian Armed Forces have ensured the security of this region.

"They face severe weather conditions. In difficult situations like heavy snowfall and minus 50 degrees temperature, they remain deployed at their front with full devotion and vigilance. They present extraordinary examples of sacrifice and tolerance in protecting the motherland," President Murmu said, according to a statement issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Brigadier BD Mishra, received President Murmu upon her arrival at the Thoise airfield.

Murmu is the country's third president to visit Siachen base camp, located in the Union Territory of Ladakh. Before her, former Presidents APJ Abdul Kalam and Ram Nath Kovind visited the Siachen base camp. While President Kalam visited the camp in April 2004, President Kovind was there in May 2018.

At around 20,000 feet from the sea level, the Siachen glacier is situated in the Karakoram mountain range.