OPERATION MEGHDOOT -
DEFENCE AND SECURITY
News: Remembering Operation
Meghdoot: How Indian Army took Siachen, forty years ago
What's in the news?
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On April 13, 1984, the Indian Army mounted the
secretly planned Operation Meghdoot, and took control of the Siachen Glacier.
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Forty years later, we look remember the planners of
this lightening strike that would catch Pakistan by surprise, even as it was
denied access to the glacier and key heights surrounding it for all times to
come.
Backdrop of Operation
Meghdoot:
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By 1984, Pakistan’s cartographic aggression in the
uncharted territory of Ladakh, allowing foreign mountaineering expeditions in
Siachen, was becoming a cause of concern.
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To prevent an impending Pakistani military action
in the area, India decided to thwart Pakistan’s efforts to legitimize its claim
on Siachen.
Operation Meghdoot:
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It was launched by the Indian Army to secure strategic heights on Siachen with the
deployment of troops.
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The operation involved the airlifting of Indian
Army soldiers by the IAF and dropping them on the glacial peaks.
Key takeaways of the
Operation:
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Prompted by intelligence of an impending Pakistani
military operation, India moved to preemptively secure the high-altitude passes of Sia La and Bilafond La.
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The operation involved complex coordination between
the Indian Army and the Air Force, deploying troops and dropping supplies via airlift to strategic heights.
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The successful execution of Operation Meghdoot not
only precluded Pakistani control over the crucial passes but also resulted in
complete Indian dominion over the Siachen Glacier.
IAF’s Role and Evolution
in Operation Meghdoot:
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The Indian Air Force (IAF) has played a crucial
role in Operation Meghdoot using transport and helicopter aircraft to move
troops and supplies.
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Over time, the IAF expanded its role to include
fighter aircraft like the Hunter,
MiG-23s, and MiG-29s, operating from high-altitude bases in Leh and Thoise.
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This expansion allowed for fighter sweeps and
simulated bombing runs over the glacier, boosting morale and deterring
adversaries.
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In 2009, the IAF introduced the Cheetal helicopters, specifically
modified for high-altitude performance, to its fleet.
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A notable demonstration of its enhanced
capabilities came in 2013 when a Lockheed
Martin C-130J Super Hercules successfully landed at Daulat Beg Oldie, the
highest airstrip in the world located near the Line of Actual Control in
Ladakh.
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Presently, the IAF employs a diverse array of
aircraft, including the Rafale,
Su-30MKI, Chinook, and Apache, to support the ongoing Operation Meghdoot,
ensuring robust aerial capability over the contested region.
Go back to basics:
Siachen Glacier:
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Siachen Glacier is located in the eastern Karakoram range in the
Himalayas just northeast of the point NJ9842 where the Line of Control between
India and Pakistan ends.
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The 75 km long Siachen Glacier in the north of Nubra valley has the
distinction of being the largest glacier
outside the polar and the subpolar regions.
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It is also the world’s highest battlefield.
Strategic Importance of
the Siachen:
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Located at a height of around 20,000 feet in the
Karakoram Mountain range, the Siachen Glacier is known as the highest militarised zone around the world.
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It is located so strategically that while it
dominates Shaksgam Valley (ceded to
China by Pakistan in 1963) in the north, controls the routes coming from Gilgit
Baltistan to Leh from the west, and at the same time, it dominates the ancient
Karakoram Pass in the eastern side too.
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Further, towards the west, it observes nearly the
entire of the Gilgit Baltistan,
which too is an Indian territory illegally occupied by Pakistan in 1948.