A very encouraging news from the Indian Army front as it declared its intention to open up three iconic battle grounds, Siachen, Kargil and Galwan Valley. General Upendra Dwivedi said this on November 27, 2024, when he was speaking as the Chief of Army Staff (COAS). The program is aimed at putting the Jammu and Kashmir state on the tourist map by showcasing the region’s military history and adventure tourism potential.
The statement is quite an inspiring change to the narrative of tourism in the region, with the Army planning on turning JK from the states it is associated with today into a travel destination that is famous for history and adventure tourism. General Dwivedi delivered these comments during the General BC Joshi Memorial Lecture Series in Savitribai Phule Pune University, pointing out that the military supports the local economy in terms of tourism.
Tourism indeed has an enormous scope of changing lives for the better, & what we have been witnessing for quite some time now is a gradual increase in footfalls to Jammu & Kashmir, said General Dwivedi. As they aim at developing 48 areas in the region, the Army expects the number of tourists to double in the next five-year periods. This vision transcends limited leisure tourism and encompasses history, adventure, and education, with pertinent concentration on the valor and losses of our armed forces.
Of these places, the Siachen Glacier is quite possibly the most interesting: it is labelled the world’s highest and coldest battlefield. Civilian access to this deadly but visually stunning area will be made possible for the first time. It is famous for severe weather conditions, even to the extent and considered as India’s prized and bleak militarized feature. The Army’s idea of admitting tourists is to give them a real feel of the hardships undergone by soldiers in such harsh terrain.
Schocking incidents at Kargil and Galwan Valley will also be open to tourists. Kargil town was in the news during the Kargil War of 1999 between India and Pakistan and Galvan Valley is the recent surface of conflict between India and China in 2020. With these battlefields open for tourism, the Indian Army is allowing tourists to experience the feats in these terrains and the cost our Indian soldiers had to pay.
Army Plans Much More Than Historical Tourism Its plans go further than just encouraging historical education and the adventure tourism industry. Retired General Dwivedi further assured that local tour operators are set to be trained for the trials to help tourists undertake ventures such as the Trans-Himalayan trek and the ‘Soul of Steel’ trek in Uttarakhand. These programs envisage enhancing the competencies of the local population in mountaineering and other forms of adventure tourism to develop new kinds of employment.
Jammu and Kashmir, with its prosperous geographical assets and its military background, is now to be developed so as to exhibit the prospect of sustaining the area’s growth. Building these historically great places, the Indian Army is not only increasing the tourism interest but also giving light to the world on what Indian Armed Forces are capable of.
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In this regard, this move is poised to take Jammu and Kashmir to newer heights of tourism business. Towards this, more people will visit these battlefields, gaining a better understanding of the region and therefore the history of these people. Indian Military Challenges during these battles make it a memorable tour for every historical and adventurous soul.
