Siachen - A Strategic Serenity Space

Editor's Note 

The MVI Debate on The Siachen Glacier was triggered by an article on this subject by Gen Satish Nambiar  that we published .This article per se gives  the  reader a deep insight into the subject ,especially  the strategic importance of the glacier to the IA and India . After publishing this article the July 2017  Fauji India article by Gp Capt AG Bewoor gave a deeper /insight not only on the strategic importance of Siachen but several other intricately link issues that collectively question the wisdom of the  continued physical occupation of Siachen Glacier by the IA.  All the  points though penned down in 2017 make eminent sense even in 2024 / 25 and hence merit serious debate by all stake holders both past and present. 

This article penned down  by Brig Rajiv Williams is a valuable  piece that gives the reader a realistic picture of the actual physical occupation of the Siachen Glacier by the IA, the  consequent  strategic gains  and also the negative fallout/  implications ,especially on the environment. His drawing of parallels / comparisons  with such other glaciers/ icy heights / transboundary parks  of strategic value/ importance  for  other  affected  nations and their favorable resolution / agreements between them  could show us the way out and forward for  resolving this long and continued  physical occupation of the world's highest battle field region which we value so much but at immense cost to the IA and the nation. Is it really worth paying this price ? If so  for how  long  and with what visible strategic  gains  ? Let's debate ! 

If in this  mortal world today  there are 175 transboundary parks  created between two or more affected  nations  through peaceful resolution would it not be wise to settle the Siachen Glacier issue ,possibly by creation of another -  176th transboundary park and call it ' Siachen Serenity Space ' ? Let's debate ! 

All photos and maps for are for symbolic representation only

Col Vinay B Dalvi 

Editor ,MVI 

The MVI article by Gen Satish Nambiar and the July 2017 Fauji India piece by Gp Capt AG Bewoor  once again rekindled my  brain to pen down my thoughts  relating to  issues  pertaining to the prolonged occupation of Siachen Glacier. Both the articles mentioned by the discussant, are very practical and I would say useful in sharing some of our individual experiences and thoughts.

Firstly, the why of this continuum – which I think has been adequately brought out by the one of the few respected strategic thinkers – ‘General Nambiar’, a Veteran of great imagination and substance and whose views mattered and continue to be drivers for such debates. He has come up with his article as a tribute to Late Dr. Manmohan Singh, Former Prime Minister and again a thinker and a change maker in the country’s growth story and a man who wanted peace between India and Pakistan but not at the cost of war.

He was a proponent and supporter of Siachen as a ‘Peace – garden’. Several rounds of discussions were held when he was at the helm of affairs. These discussions were in the form of Track II diplomacy, sponsored visits and debates over print and electronic media. He was of the opinion that the 76 km of pure ice, which also abuts some of the other unexplored world heritage (so called) icy heights, of the other glaciers in the Region, like Teram Shahar glacier and Rimo glacier, which need to be preserved. Preserved from essentially environment pollution and let the natural perennial water source remain pure and useful. 

However, there are strategic implications and the big factor of mutual trust between two warring nations – India and Pakistan, with the latter rather unstable and irrational as observed over the past 75 years of its existence. We – India, sure need to keep those factors in mind, yet be a leader of change. Change because it is not just a smart thing to do but because it is the right thing to do. It is also about Climate Change and the SDGs. It is also about championing a cause. The moot point is who do we discuss with – an unstable Pakistan and obviously a threatening proxy China factor in the Region? Or do we discuss with a somewhat quite ineffective UN constituent? I am sure all those entities can be debated and a solution of a start point found. 

The main components for such a debate to fructify requires a holistic approach with a number of stakeholders as part of the conversations. Not only the military and the Ministry of Defence, who feel it is their domain and prerogative to be the only decision making bodies, but we need to have members, past and present, from the other ministries, like Foreign ministry, the Finance ministry, the Home ministry, the Environment ministry and so on, to find practical ways toward conflict resolution. 

Whether it means mutual withdrawal of troops up to a certain line of surveillance and monitoring any trespassers, or whether it means of having highly trained and ready troops positioned at places which will negate any misadventure by opposing forces, have all to be taken into account. Whatever be the colour of the proposed outcome, there will be reduction of troops and the where-withal required to maintain such a large force. This will tantamount to reducing the huge amount of waste to the tune of approx. 1500 kg per day of human waste on the Indian side alone – add a similar figure across the AGPL. Besides of course impact caused by other pollutants of oil lines leakages, firing, flying in the area and other contributors. 

Transboundary parks are not a new idea. The first one, the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park between Canada and the United States, was established approx. 90 years ago. Several transboundary parks are specifically designated as Peace Parks, intended to provide a peaceful solution to a conflict or potential conflict or contribute to the rehabilitation of an area after a conflict. There has been a dramatic increase in transboundary parks in recent years—from 59 such parks in 1998, the number has increased to approx. 175 today, involving 113 and more countries. Examples include the Cordillera del Condor Peace Transborder Reserve between Peru and Ecuador, a long-disputed frontier; La Amistad National Park between Costa Rica and Nicaragua; and the Prespa Park between Albania, Greece, and Macedonia. 

Being part of the glory story of the capture of Quaid post (renamed Bana Top) at 21, 153 feet and the defence of Bilafondla, three months later in September, when Musharraf, as the Brigade Commander of the Pak SSG, attacked our posts of Ashok and U-Cut in 1987, I should be the first one to object to any thought of withdrawing from those icy heights. Yet my take on the bold initiative taken mid 2005 for a ‘Siachen Peace Park’ is somewhat aligned toward the good of all. Yes, as soldiers we feel the blood spilt of our ‘Colleagues in arms’, as the ice turned from whiteness to crimson and changed the landscape of the battle zone, there is no time for any withdrawal talk, yet it is time when we have to adapt to the ever-changing environmental threat and include in the overall strategic debate. We just cannot be going on with the fact that we have fought – we have conquered and we are the vanquished. 

‘We’ – who is the we? How many have actually experienced those high altitudes and survived to be part of the ongoing debate. How many have actually seen the logistic lines, clearly visible from ‘Bana Top’? How many have seen the Indian transport aircraft fly past Siachen glacier perched atop our posts of Sonam and Bana? How many have actually seen soldiers get into their hurriedly made igloos when the firing from across makes it difficult, especially when we get pounded by air busts just above? How many have actually seen their soldiers killed in action by small arms fire from comparatively lower heights occupied by Pak troops or some falling into crevices till eternity? How many have brought their dead from those heights we discuss? How many have such like experience in the past four decades?

Yet we hear the likes of some of our very senior officers holding ranks of once Chiefs who may never have physically served in such environments but reiterate as recent as a few days back that withdrawal is out of the question and it is the military and military alone that decides on such decisions. I think it is time to debate on a larger canvas and challenge some of the old schools of thought, some old very narrow pieces of thinking. 

Let the debate continue and let more thoughts trigger more discussions.

I may continue with the debate – because I am convinced that voices matter. Voices not merely because of ranks reached and bookish knowledge but voices, with experience. At a personal level I have shared my thoughts because of having participated in real combat at very high-altitude areas, be it fighting at Siachen, Drass and Gurais, in J&K or serving at other high-altitude areas in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.  

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About the Author

Brig Rajiv Williams, YSM (Retd), served in the Army for 33 years, before seeking premature retirement and joining a large Steel Corporate, where he initiated the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainability Division.

Commissioned into the Infantry on 14 November 1971, 2/Lt Rajiv Williams moved straight into Battle and fought in the Shakargarh Sector. He served in difficult high-altitude areas to include Gurais, Siachen, Drass and Kargil in J & K and Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh in the Eastern Theatre. During the Siachen tenure, his Battalion, 8 JAK LI, deployed in the Northern Glacier captured Pakistani ‘Quaid’ post (re-named Bana Top), at an altitude of 21, 153 feet and subsequently defeated Pakistani brigade sized force attacks led by then Brig Parvez Musharraf. During Kargil operations, he was posted at the Media cell at the Army Headquarters and was instrumental in managing all media operations and perception management. Soon after the Kargil limited war of 1999, he was posted as the Brigade Commander at Drass, where during Op Parakram, he captured the post 5070 on the Gultari ridge and threatened the famous Point 5353 with BMPs deployed for the first time in the area. It was the direct firing of BMPs and Bofors on Point 5353 and other posts along the Marpola Ridge that forced Pakistan to agree to a cease fire in the area of Drass and Kargil.

A prolific writer and speaker, Brig Rajiv Williams has written several articles and books on matters military and on CSR. His co-authored military books on Siachen, titled – “The Long Road to Siachen – The question why”, The JAK LI Regiment, The Indian Military Academy find a pride of place in military libraries. His books on CSR include “CSR in India”, “10 years of mandated CSR” and “Valour and Values – Aligning military experiences to CSR”, with a focus on the symbiotic relationship between Army Social Responsibility and CSR, published in November 2024 is getting accolades in a number of book reviews published in various newspapers and magazines.