On the Siachen Glacier, 1998

by Harish Kapadia

Part 7: History of Siachen Glacier » India takes Control

India takes Control

Snowscooter in Siachen (23 kb)
(click thumbnail to view larger image)

By now maps were published in Europe which showed the extended Line of Control to join the Karakoram Pass in the east, thus surreptitiously supporting the Pakistan claim line to the east of the glacier. This would encompass the entire Siachen glacier, conceding it on maps to Pakistan, forming a long common border between Pakistan and China.

Pakistan gave permission to a Japanese expedition to attempt Rimo peak in 1984. This peak is located in the side valley, east of Siachen. It overlooks the eastern areas of the Aksai Chin. Such an expedition would have firmly linked the western routes with the eastern routes, the trade route leading to Karakoram Pass and China. The Indian army decided to take action and to prevent such an expedition from proceeding.

The first group of the Indian army landed on the glacier on 14th April 1984 to defend the territory and the war on the glacier began, which is still raging today.

Soon the first expedition arrived from India to counter the policy adopted by Pakistan in the past. Next year, in 1985, an Indo-British expedition (led by Harish Kapadia with Dave Wilkinson) was given permission to climb Rimo peak, approaching it from the Nubra valley in India. It became the first civilian expedition to climb on the glacier after starting of the Siachen war, countering any precedents created by climbs initiated from Pakistan. Their successful climb and the international publicity it generated created an awareness of it as an Indian territory. An American team followed in 1986 reaching the Indira Col (West). Since then though a Japanese and British expeditions were allowed to climb in the Terong valley no team entered the main glacier.

After a gap of a decade, in 1996, an Indian team from Bombay, led by Harish Kapadia, arrived on the glacier with all the clearance from the Government of India. At first they climbed in the Terong valley but as they were about to enter the upper glacier they were stopped from proceeding. Someone in the army hierarchy had decided not to allow the team to proceed ahead. They had to return. This reflected rather poorly on the Indian army. However after protests and a critical report, within a year the situation was rectified with change of Commanders. It was decided to allow the Indian mountaineers on the glacier. Thus in 1997 an Indian ladies team (led by Ms. Bachendri Pal) traversed the glacier and stood on India Saddle. The Bombay team, again led by Harish Kapadia, returned to the glacier in 1998 to complete their unfinished venture. They reached Indira Col (West), India Saddle, Turkestan La (East) and climbed the first peak on the Teram Shehr Plateau : Bhujang (6560 m). Indian mountaineers have arrived on the glacier for good.