Date:12/05/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/05/12/stories/2006051204741500.htm

National

IAF's airfield in Siachen to stay

THOISE (LEH): The Indian Air Force, the Army's lifeline in maintaining troops in the world's highest battlefield Siachen, on Thursday ruled out shutting its airfield here in the event of any demilitarisation along the glacier.

``There is no question of shutting this airfield. Its importance is not only from the strategic point of view, but also as a lifeline to the civilians,'' Air Officer-in-Chief of the Western Command, Air Marshal A.K. Singh told reporters at Thoise, IAF's northern most airfield, which is also a gateway to the Glacier.

``If de-escalation takes places, like everybody else I hope it does, the role of IAF will remain. Certain role will be played in maintaining the troops. Our role will certainly remain..,'' he said.

The airfield is located at a height of 10,060 feet, at the confluence of three great ranges, the Karokaram in north-east, the Ladakh ranges in the south and the Saltoro ranges in north-west. He was replying to questions on the possibility of de-escalation of Siachen on Wednesday by reporters from Chandigarh and Delhi for whom the IAF had arranged a two day trip to Siachen, Thoise and Leh.

The trip was to show the extremely difficult condition IAF operated in and how it supported and maintained the army deployment in the Glacier. — PTI