Ladakh, a Union Territory near the former state of Jammu and Kashmir, is recognised worldwide as a land of high mountains, frozen peaks, and dry, rocky plains. Living here is challenging; it demands strength, resilience, and courage. For the Indian Army, which operates in these tough terrains, the land is more than just mountains and cold deserts. The Army has, over the years, shifted its footprint in Ladakh from strictly defensive to a combination of operational preparedness, adventure promotion, and community outreach. Perhaps one of the most stunning means of doing this has been through a series of bold mountaineering expeditions, some of which have gone on to become landmarks in military and adventure history.
The Indian Army has conducted numerous mountaineering expeditions in Ladakh, including significant ascents of Nun-Kun in the 1970s, Saser Kangri, Saltoro Kangri, Stok Kangri, and several peaks on the Siachen Glacier. Each of these has had impacts beyond adventure. Strategically, these expeditions have helped soldiers become familiar with the rugged terrain, gain high-altitude warfare training, test survival strategies and logistical systems, and reinforce India’s physical and symbolic presence in sensitive border areas near China and Pakistan. Beyond military purposes, these expeditions have contributed to scientific and environmental knowledge through documenting glacial conditions, meteorological data, and geographical mapping, while also raising ecological awareness with initiatives like high-altitude clean-up drives. Socio-economically, they have indirectly promoted Ladakh as an adventure tourism destination, spurred infrastructure development, and created jobs for local guides, porters, and support staff. On a national level, these efforts symbolise endurance, discipline, and resilience, inspiring young people to pursue mountaineering and adventure sports and fostering national pride. Additionally, the expeditions have improved civil-military relations in Ladakh by allowing the Army to engage with local communities, provide aid during natural disasters, and highlight the region’s cultural and environmental richness. Thus, the Indian Army’s mountaineering activities in Ladakh serve not only as physical challenges but also as multidimensional efforts that support defence readiness, scientific research, socio-economic progress, environmental care, and national unity.
In May 2025, a pioneering expedition was undertaken to pay tribute to the memory of soldiers who laid down their lives in the Galwan conflict. On 28 May, an elite Army contingent embarked on climbing Mount Shahi Kangri and Mount Silver Peak in the Karakoram Ranges and returned on 18 June to a ceremonial reception by Lt Gen Hitesh Bhalla, GOC Fire and Fury Corps. The expedition was more than an ascent; it was a memorial etched in stone and ice, accomplished in some of the most remote and difficult landscapes on earth. Going beyond memorialization, it also placed a focus on Ladakh's huge potential for high-altitude adventure tourism, announcing to the world that these summits are not only strategic frontiers, but also stages for international mountaineering competitions.
Just a few weeks ago, another incredible achievement was witnessed in the daunting Markha Valley. Under the aegis of the Bison Division, professional mountaineers of the Kangra Battalion embarked on an autonomous expedition to overcome the twin summits of the Kang Yatse Massif, Mt Kang Yatse I (6,401 m) and Mt Kang Yatse II (6,250 m). Their guiding philosophy, "Forged in grit, driven by altitude — where limits end, we begin! Came alive when the team climbed both peaks in a mere 48 hours.
Through snow-filled ridges, brutal altitudes, and stinging winds, the expedition became a living testament to endurance, leadership, and camaraderie—virtues as essential in the mountains as they are on the battlefield. The Indian Army's connection with Ladakh's towering peaks is not recent. In August 2019, the Army Adventure Wing, supported by Fire & Fury Corps, showcased gender sensitivity and technical skill by deploying a 22-member team, including 10 women officers, to climb Mt Kun (7,077 m). The mountain, known for its steep ice face and unpredictable weather, challenged every mountaineer strongly. Yet, the successful ascent proved not only the Army's operational strength but also that women officers can excel in one of the world's most demanding environments.
In July 2025, another daring achievement occurred—the climb to Mamostang Kangri (7,516 m), one of the lesser-known giants of the Eastern Karakoram Range. Launched by Chief of Staff (COS), Fire & Fury Corps, Maj Gen Dinesh Kumar Singh, on 10 July 2025 from Leh, the mission took a team of professional climbers deep into the remote Rimo Glacier. Its obscurity does not reflect how tough the climb is; steep slopes and remoteness make it one of the most challenging ascents in the region and among India's highest peaks. According to the Army's Northern Command X (formerly Twitter) tweet, the group "was reported flagged at Leh after successfully conquering the Summit of Mount Mamostong Kangri (7516 m) in 18 days". This real-time update underscores the expedition's success and urgency.
In retrospect, Mamostong Kangri boasts an illustrious mountaineering history: first climbed in an Indo-Japanese expedition in 1984 through the East Ridge. Indian Army groups followed, with the Ladakh Scouts establishing a second ascent in 1988, and a Corps of Engineers detachment repeating the route in 1989. The earlier expeditions served to open up the route and familiarise themselves with the glacier-ridge system, adding depth to the existing mission's legacy. Alongside these summit expeditions, the Army has been organising long-distance trekking missions to map new routes and develop stamina. One such expedition, a 213-kilometre Rumtse to Nyoma trek, had a 14-member contingent traverse altitudes of 14,000 to 18,000 feet in 12 days. These traverses, typically unexplored by civilian trekking parties, present fresh opportunities for adventure travel and provide strategic familiarity with terrain that can be life-saving in emergency situations.
In May 2019, Ski Troopers accomplished a daring feat, skiing from Indira Col to Turkistan La while reaching the summit of Junction Peak (20,374 ft.). This combination of high-altitude skiing and mountaineering under harsh Arctic-like conditions highlighted the Army's adaptability, logistical strength, and physical endurance. Ladakh's mountaineering history with the Army dates back to operations of historic strategic importance. One of the most legendary instances is the secret reconnaissance of the Siachen Glacier in 1978 by Col Narendra "Bull" Kumar. After discovering flawed maps that showed Siachen as part of Pakistan, he led a covert mission into the glacier without modern equipment or official approval, returning with solid evidence that it belonged to India. This expedition paved the way for India's subsequent control of Siachen in 1984, gaining a crucial strategic advantage, all without firing a single shot. Although these expeditions are mainly celebrated for their adventurous spirit, their greater value lies in their contribution to military readiness and regional development. For the Army, they serve as unmatched platforms for terrain familiarisation, extreme-weather training, and logistical testing. Activities like glacier travel, mountain climbing, and living at high altitudes with limited oxygen help prepare troops for combat in high-altitude battle zones, such as the Line of Actual Control.
Expeditions often act as reconnaissance as well, charting routes and analysing terrain that can eventually be used for operational purposes. The advantages cascade beyond the military. Army-organised ascents attract international focus on Ladakh's summits, which are visited by foreign adventure travel enthusiasts whose patronage helps local guides, porters, and homestays. Facilities created for expeditions, from upgraded trails to enhanced communication networks, tend to remain in place to benefit the locals. In locations where economic prospects are limited, these increases can make all the difference.
Additionally, the image of Indian troops enduring the weather to scale mountains within their own country creates a sense of pride among Ladakh's inhabitants, helping to strengthen the relationship between the Army and the local population. Symbolically, the expeditions represent national ideals of courage, unity, and determination, and project them onto the global stage. The tributes rise, like the one for Shahi Kangri to Galwan bravehearts, to remind the country that sacrifices in defending sovereignty are celebrated not only in ceremonies but also in acts of determination that embody the same spirit of service.
The success of women officers on Mt Kun transcends gender stereotypes. It encourages young Indians, particularly women, to view themselves as capable of succeeding in areas previously seen as male domains. From the frozen outcrops of Siachen to the sun-kissed summits of Kang Yatse, from skiing over Indira Col to climbing the virgin slopes of Mamostang Kangri, the Indian Army's Ladakh mountaineering expeditions are now a combination of adventure, military strategy, and patriotic service. They acclimatise troops to the challenges of high-altitude warfare, bring international adventure-seekers to the region, boost the local economy, and convey a strong message of tenacity.
In a region where geography often dictates destiny, these expeditions prove that with determination and unity, even the highest peaks can be conquered, both literally and metaphorically.
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