Calling From Siachen... World’s Highest Battlefield Gets Its First Mobile Tower
Indian Army installed the first ever mobile tower at the world’s highest battlefield – The Siachen Glacier – located in the eastern Karakoram range in the Himalayas. The location is about 35.421226°N 77.109540°E, just northeast of the point NJ9842 where the Line of Control between India and Pakistan ends.
The BTS (Base Transceiver Station), installed in collaboration with Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), at the forward post of the highest battlefield facilitates mobile communications for soldiers at more than 15,500 feet.
The significant development was shared on X (formerly Twitter) by the Indian Army’s Leh-based Fire and Fury Corps on Friday and said the event was held on October 6, Friday. The installation was done by the Siachen Warriors.
#IndianArmy#Siachen Warriors in collaboration with BSNL established first ever BSNL BTS at forward posts of the highest battlefield on 06 October to extend mobile communication for the soldiers deployed at more than 15,500 feet#SiachenWarriors@NorthernComd_IA@lg_ladakh… pic.twitter.com/54D8HrXWQe
— @firefurycorps_IA (@firefurycorps) October 12, 2023
So far, a brigade of 3,000 troops deployed at the highest battlefield communicate through satellite phones and landlines. The expanded infrastructure enables a quick transfer of data and image. Last September, according to reports, Siachen Signallers activated satellite-based internet service in Siachen, to ensure smooth flow of encrypted information with the Udhampur-based Northern Command and onwards in the Army. Noise and interference from the signals of the service providers of the neighbouring countries is after all a challenge to address.
Siachen lies 18,875 feet above the sea level at its head at at Indira Col on the India–China border down to 3,620 m (11,875 ft) at its terminus. Devusinh Jesingbhai Chauhan, Union Minister of State for Communications, took to his X handle and appreciated BSNL and the Siachen Warriors. “Now our heroes can talk to their near and dear ones at their convenience”, he noted.
BSNL with Siachen Warriors installs first-ever mobile tower at Siachen Glacier.
Now our heroes can talk to their near and dear ones at their convenience.
Kudos to @BSNLCorporate and #SiachenWarriors #ConnectingIndia pic.twitter.com/Z7X5VQKXem— Devusinh Chauhan (@devusinh) October 12, 2023
The Indian billionaire businessman and chairman of Mahindra Group, Anand Mahindra, also acknowledged the achievement and said that, “Our Jawans who put their lives on the line every single day on the world’s highest battlefield to defend us are now strongly connected to their families”. Mr Mahindra compared the accomplishment with the Vikram Lander of India’s prestigious Chandrayaan-3. “To me, this is really BIG news”, he added.
These are photos shared by @devusinh of the first ever mobile tower installed in Siachen! A seemingly small event in our turbulent world. But it means our Jawans who put their lives on the line every single day on the world’s highest battlefield to defend us are now strongly… pic.twitter.com/bn1L260hLz
— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) October 13, 2023
