'Operation Meghdoot': Indian forces mark 40 years of control in Siachen glacier, thwarting Pakistani plans

New Delhi [India], April 13 : The Indian Air Force is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the famous 'Operation Meghdoot' which was carried out by the Indian forces to gain control of the Siachen glacier by thwarting Pakistan's efforts to capture it.
The operation by the Indian Army and Indian Air Force was carried out on April 13, 1984, in what was one of the biggest operations carried out by the Indian forces. Saturday marks 40 years of the Indian presence on the glacier.

The Siachen Glacier is located in the eastern Karakoram range in the Himalayas and is often considered the world's highest battlefield.

"A military operation 'Operation Meghdoot' took place on April 13, 1984, by the Indian Army and Indian Air Force (IAF), in order to gain control of Siachen glacier, the world's highest battlefield. The operation's primary objective was to thwart Pakistan's efforts to legitimize its claim on Siachen," the IAF statement said.
"Playing an irreplaceable role in this effort, IAF's tactical and strategic airlifters, An-12s, An-32s and IL-76s transported stores and troops and air-dropped supplies to high-altitude airfields, from where Mi-17, Mi-8, Chetak and Cheetah helicopters ferried men and material to dizzying heights on the glacier, which was far above the limits set by the helicopter manufacturers," it added.
In the highest battlefield in the world which is known for its extreme climatic conditions, IAF helicopters form the lifeline and the sole link of Indian troops with the outside world, playing a critical role in continuing the four-decade-old military operation.