From ‘terrorism to tourism’, Indian army allows tourists to visit Siachen, Kargil and Galwan Valley

The Indian Army has announced plans to allow tourists to visit some of the most remote and challenging battlefields, including the Siachen Glacier, Kargil, and the Galwan Valley, giving them an opportunity to experience inhospitable terrains firsthand, Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi said on Wednesday (November 27).

He emphasised that the focus in Jammu and Kashmir has shifted from “terrorism to tourism,” a transformation that the Army has actively supported. General Dwivedi made these remarks while delivering a lecture titled “Role and Contribution of Indian Army in Securing India’s Growth Story,” as part of the General BC Joshi Memorial Lecture Series organised by the Department of Defence & Strategic Studies (DDSS) at Savitribai Phule Pune University.

The Army chief highlighted Jammu and Kashmir’s vast potential in the tourism sector, especially after the formation of a new government last month following assembly elections.

“The transformative potential of tourism is enormous, and we have already seen a significant rise in visitors to Jammu and Kashmir. Forty-eight regions have been earmarked for tourism development, and with a focused approach, we aim to double the number of tourists in the next five years,” General Dwivedi said.

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He noted that the Army’s commitment to boosting adventure tourism by providing specialised training to tour operators to attract more visitors to border regions. “As part of our initiative, we are upskilling local populations in mountaineering and related activities. Our training programs include treks like the Trans-Himalayan trek and the ‘Soul of Steel’ trek in Uttarakhand. Additionally, we are opening up access to Siachen Glacier for all citizens,” he explained.

General Dwivedi announced that key battle sites, including Kargil and Galwan, will be opened to tourists, allowing them to gain firsthand insight into these historical battlegrounds.

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The Siachen Glacier, situated in the Karakoram range of Ladakh, is known as the highest and coldest battlefield in the world. Kargil was the site of the 1999 India-Pakistan conflict, while the Galwan Valley in Ladakh witnessed a deadly clash between Indian and Chinese forces in June 2020.