As many as 50 soldiers lost their lives in Siachen Glacier due to climatic conditions and avalanches in the last three years (up to July 20 this year) and 16 soldiers died while serving in UN peacekeeping operations during the same period.
In written replies in lok Sabha, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said the Government was aware of the “strategic importance” of Siachen Glacier and requisite forces have been deployed in that area on basis of the “threat perception, ground situation and other operational needs”.The 50 soldiers were killed in Siachen Glacier owing to landslides, floods and avalanches and climatic conditions, he said. Siachen was once the world’s highest battlefield where Indian and Pakistani troops were constantly engaged in skirmishes till 2003 when ceasefire was declared.
India maintains more than 3,000 troops on the glacier where Indian posts have been built at altitudes up to 23,000 feet. Jaitley said India has deployed 7,148 troops in UN peacekeeping operations. “Sixteen troops have died there in the last three years.”The Indian contingents are deployed in Congo, lebanon, South Sudan, Golan Heights, Sudan, Ivory Coast, Iraq, East Timor and New York. Six Indian soldiers were killed in Congo, two in lebanon and eight in South Sudan.
To another query, the Minister said the Government had ordered a study into the stress level encountered by young officers of the Army and asked the DRDO to develop methods to mitigate it.The report was submitted in April 2014 and the DRDO lab has already developed ‘Suicide Risk Assessment Test’ to identify at-risk personnel which has already been handed over to the Army, he said.