Indian troops begin rotational duty hours in eastern Ladakh

NEW DELHI: Indian Army soldiers manning the stand-off frontline in eastern Ladakh have started their rotational duty hours to optimise operational deployment.“A portion of troops is rotated with the next lot which has completed its training and acclimatisation right before the forward troops. We are following 90-day cycle which includes the travelling time up and down,” said an Army officer

The condition in eastern Ladakh has unique challenges. The Siachen area has the maximum possibility of avalanches. In eastern Ladakh, however, the biggest challenge is high-speed cold winds. The weather conditions have started worsening with temperatures dipping to minus 20 degree Celsius. “The faster the wind, the colder and more difficult it becomes,” said the Army officer.

Doctors have been kept on standby to cater to the immediate requirements. “The Siachen logistics machinery is in existence since 1984 and we have drawn our lessons about the supply of rations, ammunition and procurement of special high-altitude clothing,” said an Army source.

Managing the supply lines and winter clothing were the key challenges in eastern Ladakh, initially. “It has been sorted out with time as 15,000 Special Clothing and Mountaineering Equipment have been procured from the United States”.

Besides, each operational point has been stocked extra for at least a week’s requirement and logistics bases have been raised in such a manner that the maximum rotation time for every requirement is not more than 24 hours, said the Army officer.