Captain Fatima Wasim of Siachen Warriors created history by becoming the first woman medical officer of Indian Army to be deployed on the Siachen Glacier
Key Points
- Fatima is the second medical officer to be deployed on the Siachen Glacier in the Union Territory of Ladakh.
- She was inducted to a post at an altitude of 15,200 feet after undergoing rigorous training at the Siachen Battle School
- Earlier this month, Captain Geetika Koul became the first woman medical officer in the Indian Army to be deployed at Siachen.
- Siachen, located in the northern Himalayas, poses challenges due to its strategic importance, harsh climate and demanding terrain.
The Strategic Importance of the Siachen Glacier
- The Siachen Glacier is located in the Eastern Karakoram range in the Himalayas, just northeast of Point NJ9842 where the LOC between India and Pakistan ends.
- It is the Second-Longest glacier in the World’s Non-Polar areas after Fedchenko Glacier in Tajikistan.
- The Siachen Glacier lies immediately south of the great drainage divide that separates the Eurasian Plate from the Indian subcontinent in the extensively glaciated portion of the Karakoram sometimes called the “Third Pole”.
- The Siachen Glacier is the world’s highest battlefield.
Why Is the Siachen Glacier So Important?
- The Siachen glacier demarcates central Asia from the Indian subcontinent, and separates Pakistan from China in the region.
- The Saltoro Ridge of the Siachin glacier serves as a divide that prevents direct linking of PoK with China, stopping them to develop geographical military linkages in the area.
- Siachen also serves as a watchtower for India to keep a deep watch on Gilgit and Baltistan regions of Pakistan.
- If Pakistan gets the location advantage in Siachen, it would become a big threat to India from the west in Ladakh in addition to Chinese threats from Aksai Chin of the east.
- Siachen also helps India to keep a close watch on China ’s activities as Beijing has vastly improved its infrastructure in this region.
Challenges of Defending the Siachen Glacier
- Besides the twin military threats from Pakistan and China, the climate condition is the biggest challenge for the armed forces.
- Temperature in Siachen glacier in winters drops to below -60 degrees.
- There are also constant threats of avalanches, crevasses on the glacier, high-speed winds.
- Soldiers stationed in the area are affected by a range of fatal altitude related ailments like frost bites, hypoxia, hypothermia and white outs .
Operation Meghdoot: Securing the Siachen Glacier
- Pakistan was first to see the potential of this strategically-important unoccupied area.
- However it didn’t deploy troops till 1970 but used to send mountaineering expeditions to the glaciers.
- In early 1981, Indian Army Col Narinder Bull Kumar sounded the alarm over Pakistan’s expeditions in the region.
- After that the army gave him the permission to map the entire region. Sensing Indian Army’s interest in the region,
- Pakistan Army planned a mission to occupy the area but was hit by an intelligence failure. Pakistan had ordered mountaineering gears from a London company who was also a supplier for India.
- India got the information about Pakistan’s acquisitions.
- In April 1984, India urgently dispatched troops to Siachen under secret Operation Meghadoot.
- Indian troops reached the glacier a week earlier than Pakistan. By the time Pakistan soldiers reached the region, India had already got control of the glacier and the adjacent Saltoro ridge, using Col Kumar’s maps.
Conclusion
The Siachen Glacier remains one of the world’s most strategically important and challenging military frontlines. The deployment of Captain Fatima Wasim to the glacier is a testament to the evolving roles of women in the Indian Army and highlights the continued importance of the Siachen Glacier in India’s defense strategy. As the highest battlefield in the world, the glacier’s significance will continue to grow, with both geopolitical and military factors shaping its future.
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