SIACHEN : CONFLICT WITHOUT END

PIYUSH SHARMA 11BPE083

The Siachen glacier is one of the most inhospitable regions in the world. Owing to its freezing climate, it is termed as the “Third Pole”.

Sliding down a valley in the Karakoram range, the glacier is 76 kilometers long and varies in width between 2 to 8 kilometers.

It receives 6 to 7 meters of the annual total of 10 meters of snow in winter alone.

The high altitude severely compounds the bitter climatic conditions.

SIACHIN :CONFLICT WUTHOUT END

• The Siachen dispute was initiated by India itself, after its forces, in a surprise operation in April 1984, captured the Siachen glacier and its approaches in the eastern Karakoram mountain range, adjacent to the borders of India, Pakistan, and China.• Base Camp for Indian forces is 12,000 feet above sea level. The

altitude of some Indian forward bases on the Saltoro ridge range from Kumar (16,000 feet) and Bila Top (18,600 feet) to Pahalwa (20,000 feet) and Indira Col (22,000) feet.• 8000+ lives lost -- 97% of those due to hypothermia and

accidents rather than military fire.• Aprox cost to India is $1 million per day and to Pakistan is

aprox. $600,000 per day.

SIACHIN : CONFLICT WITHOUT END• To justify a prolonged conflict, a piece of land must provide

significant military advantage and open up options for seeking major military gains.

• It is time the Indian government began the process of building a national consensus around this important bilateral measure.

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