Operation Meghdoot

Operation Meghdoot
	Part of Siachen Conflict
	; Siachen Glacier, Ladakh and Karakoram areas.
Date	13 April 1984
Location	Siachen Glacier, a disputed and undemarcated region of Kashmir
Result	Tactical and strategic Indian victory.
Territorial; changes	India holds all of the Siachen Glacier and its tributary glaciers.
Belligerents
; India	; Pakistan

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Operation Meghdoot was the code-name for the Indian Military operation to capture the Siachen Glacier in the disputed Kashmir region, precipitating the Siachen Conflict. Launched on 13 April 1984, this military operation was unique as the first assault launched in the world's highest battlefield. The military action resulted in Indian troops gaining control of the entire Siachen Glacier.

Today, the Indian Army deployment to forward positions along what is known as the Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL) is also sometimes inaccurately referred to as Operation Meghdoot. Up to 10 Infantry Battalions each of the Indian Army and Pakistani Army are actively deployed in altitudes up to 6,400 metres (21,000 ft).

[edit] Cause of conflict

The Siachen Glacier became a bone of contention following a vague demarcation of territory as per the Simla Agreement of 1972, which did not exactly specify who had authority over the Siachen Glacier area. As a result of this, both nations claimed the barren strategic heights. In the 1970s and early 80s, Pakistan permitted several mountaineering expeditions to climb the peaks in the Siachen region from the Pakistani side, in an attempt to reinforce their claim on the area as these expeditions received permits obtained from the Government of Pakistan. In 1978, the Indian Army also allowed mountaineering expeditions to the glacier, approaching from its side. The most notable one was the one launched by Colonel Narinder "Bull" Kumar of the Indian Army, who led the expedition to Teram Kangri. The Indian Air Force provided valuable support to this expedition in 1978 through logistic support and supply of fresh rations. The first landing on the Glacier was carried out on 6 October 1978 when two casualties were evacuated from the Advance Base Camp in a Chetak helicopter by Sqn Ldr Monga and Flying Officer Manmohan Bahadur. ^[5]Subsequently, due to this Indian Army expedition, the contention over the glacier was aggravated with both sides asserting their claims.

Notably, when Pakistan gave permission to a Japanese expedition to scale an important peak (Rimo I) in 1984, it further fueled the suspicion of the Indian Government of Pakistani attempts to legitimize their claim. The peak, located east of the Siachen Glacier, also overlooks the northwestern areas of the Aksai Chin area which is occupied by China but claimed by India. The Indian military believed that such an expedition could further a link for a trade route from the southwestern (Pakistani) to the northeastern (Chinese) side of the Karakoram Range and hypothetically provide a strategic, if not tactical, advantage to the Pakistani Armed Forces.

[edit] The operation

In 1983, Pakistani generals decided to stake their claim through troop deployments to the Siachen glacier before India did.^[6] The generals feared that Indians might plan to capture key ridges and passes near the glacier, following the Indian Army's mountaineering expeditions.

India received intelligence inputs about planned Pakistani action in the area. India hence decided to prevent Pakistan from legitimizing its claim on the glacier and eventually stop future expeditions to the glacier from the Pakistani side. Accordingly, the Indian military decided to deploy troops from Northern Ladakh region as well as some paramilitary forces to the glacier area. Most of the troops had been acclimatized to the extremities of the glacier through a training expedition to Antarctica in 1982.

On 13 April 1984, the Indian Army launched the operation on the glacier to defend the territory and the peaks and passes around it. Named for the divine cloud messenger, Meghaduta, from the 4th century AD Sanskrit play by Kalidasa, "Operation Meghdoot" was launched under the command of Lieutenant General Prem Nath Hoon, the then General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) of the Indian Army's Northern Command based at Udhampur in Jammu & Kashmir. The date of the Indian operation was based on intelligence inputs and planned to preempt the Pakistani Army by about 4 days, as intelligence had reported that Pakistan was planning to launch its operation on 17 April 1984.

Plans for Operation Meghdoot involved an airlift of Indian Army soldiers by the Indian Air Force (IAF) and parachuting them into the glacial area. The IAF used Il-76, An-12 and An-32 to transport stores and troops as well to airdrop supplies to high altitude airfields. Mi-17, Mi-8, HAL Chetak and HAL Cheetah helicopters carried provisions and personnel to areas near hitherto unscaled peaks. Approximately 300 troops were soon dug into the critical peaks and passes of the glacier. By the time Pakistan troops managed to get into the immediate area, they found that the Indian troops had occupied the major mountain passes on the Saltoro Ridge west of Siachen Glacier.^[6] Handicapped by the altitude and the limited time, Pakistan could only manage to control the Saltoro Ridge's western slopes and foothills despite the fact that Pakistan possessed more ground accessible routes to the area, unlike Indian access to the Siachen which was largely reliant on air drops.^[6]

In his memoirs, former Pakistani president, General Pervez Musharraf states that Pakistan lost almost 900 sq mi (2,300 km²) of territory.^[7] Time magazine states that the Indian advance captured nearly 1,000 sq mi (2,600 km²) of territory claimed by Pakistan.^[8] Camps were soon converted to permanent posts by both countries. The number of casualties on both sides during this particular operation is not known.

[edit] Aftermath

There are divergent views on the strategic value of the Operation. Some view it as a futile capture of non-strategic land which antagonized relations between India and Pakistan. Others consider the operation to be a "daring" success by the Indian Military and ensured that the Indian military held tactical high ground on the strategic Saltoro Ridge just west of the glacier, albeit at a high cost. The Indian Army currently controls all of the 70 kilometres (43 mi) long Siachen Glacier and all of its tributary glaciers, as well as the three main passes of the Saltoro Ridge immediately west of the glacier, Sia La, Bilafond La, and Gyong La, thus holding onto the tactical advantage of high ground.^[9].^[10].

The operation and the continued cost of maintaining logistics to the area is a major drain on both militaries. Pakistan launched an all out assault in 1987 and again in 1989 to capture the ridge and passes held by India. The first assault was headed by then-Brigadier-General Pervez Musharraf (later President of Pakistan) and initially managed to capture a few high points before being beaten back. Later the same year, Pakistan lost at least one major Pakistani post, the "Quaid", which came under Indian control as Bana Post, in recognition of Subedar Major Bana Singh who launched a daring daylight attack, codenamed "Operation Rajiv", after climbing 1,500 ft (460 m) of ice cliff. Naib Subedar Bana Singh was awarded the Param Vir Chakra (PVC) — the highest gallantry award of India for the assault that captured the post. Bana Post is the highest battlefield post in the world today at a height of 22,143 feet (6,749 m) above sea level.^[11]^[12] The second assault in 1989 was also unsuccessful as the ground positions did not change. The loss of most of the Siachen area and the subsequent unsuccessful military forays prompted Benazir Bhutto to taunt Zia ul Haq that he should wear a burqa as he had lost his manliness.^[13]

Operation Meghdoot was seen by some as the blueprint behind the Kargil War in 1999 when Pakistan backed guerrillas and paramilitary forces covertly occupied the Kargil region. Some obvious similarities exist between Siachen and Kargil, including their preemptive nature and the tactical advantage held by the entity who holds the heights. But while Operation Meghdoot was launched in an area of ambiguous border demarcation, the Line of Control in the Kargil region is clearly demarcated and therefore India received complete international support during the Kargil episode.

[edit] Casualties

No reliable data available. However, both sides have taken most of their casualties from the weather and the terrain. A large number of soldiers from both sides have suffered frostbite and high altitude sickness, or been lost to avalanches or crevasses during patrols.