Staff Correspondent
In his first visit to J&K after taking over as the Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh on Monday visited a forward post at the highest military installation at Siachen glacier, at a height of 5,400 m, in Ladakh, besides also taking a stock of the security situation in the state. “I am proud of all Army personnel serving in Siachen who are leaving no stone unturned to defend our motherland. I am also proud of their parents who have sent their children to serve the nation by joining the armed forces. I will personally send a thank you note to them,” said Mr. Singh.
The defence minister was also briefed in detail about the situation on the Line of Control and the hinterland, besides the successful anti-terror operations, a defence spokesperson said. The spokesperson said that Rajnath Singh was apprised of “the great synergy and close coordination” among all government agencies for restoring normalcy in the region.
Accompanied by Army chief General Bipin Rawat, Singh made an aerial reconnaissance of Siachen to get acquainted with the expanse of the formidable frozen frontier and landed at one of the forward posts there. He praised the Army for its “unstinting commitment to face extreme harsh weather and highly treacherous terrain for maintaining the sanctity of our borders.” Calling it one of the world’s most inhospitable locations, he said the government would fulfill all the requirements of the Jawans posted there.
He also laid a wreath at the ‘Siachen War Memorial’ in memory of the soldiers who have made the supreme sacrifice. Sources said the Army’s top brass briefed the Minister about the border situation in Kashmir and Jammu regions. He was also apprised about the operations being carried out in the hinterland in the Valley and successes achieved this year.