KL Report
SRINAGAR
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday began his visit to Jammu and Kashmir with a trip to Siachen, the world’s highest battlefield. “Am going to Siachen with a message from each and every Indian to our soldiers – that we stand shoulder to shoulder with you!” Modi tweeted before leaving in a special Indian Air Force aircraft.
Modi took a helicopter to the Siachen base camp and made an aerial survey of the glacier before meeting Indian troops. Army Chief Dalbir Singh Suhaag was accompanying him.
Modi is the first prime minister to visit Siachen in 10 years; Dr Manmohan Singh, who was prime minister for 10 years, was the last to visit the glacier in 2005.
This is the 30th year of the Siachen conflict; the army has been posted at the 71-km glacier since 1984.
Later, the Prime Minister is scheduled to meet flood victims in Srinagar.
