Will open battlefields like Galwan, Siachen, Kargilto civilians to promote border tourism: Army chief

Pune: Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi on Wednesday said after successfully transforming the "terrorism to tourism" narrative in Jammu & Kashmir, the Army now plans to gradually open up battlefields like Galwan Valley, Siachen, and Kargil for civilians to give them a first-hand experience of the lives of soldiers who laid down their lives for the country."The Indian Army has identified the regions where border tourism will be promoted and has assisted local authorities with revenue generation," he said at the annual Gen B C Joshi memorial lecture at Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU).Speaking on "Role and Contribution of the Indian Army in Securing India's Growth Story", he pointed out that Ladakh's economy increased on an annual basis from ₹600 crore to ₹2,260 crore and was expected to grow further in the years ahead."The tourism potential is immense. Approximately 48 areas have been identified for tourism promotion. With a targeted initiative, we can double our tourist numbers in the next five years. We are committed to promoting adventure activities and providing support to organisers and tourist operators to boost footfall in these border areas. Additionally, upskilling locals in mountaineering and related activities is part of this effort," he said.The COAS reiterated that the Army is "apolitical and areligious", drawing its human capital from all districts of the nation. "Despite that, Hindi serves as a binding language. Siachen Baba is one example where all religious gods are under one roof. Being a casteless Army, it enhances the camaraderie and diminishes the fault lines. One pay-off of this was recently seen in Manipur where veterans from the warring communities took on the mantle to allay fears and restore trust among the two ethnic factions," he added.He said though there's a school of thought that feels that "security is always at the cost of growth", it is not an obstacle but rather "a vital enabler of sustainable growth and development". The Indian Army, with the scope and scale of its warfighting inventory, "is one of the largest stakeholders in Atmanirbhar's pursuit", he said.The COAS said indigenous capability development initiatives drive economic growth and concurrent development of the indigenous defence industry, eventually accruing as capacities to drive defence exports. He said, "85% of the Indian Army's capital expenditure is on ‘Made in India' defence hardware. We are the largest contributor to positive Indianisation lists. Altogether 176 out of 509 items are by the Army. These efforts are beginning to make a change. Defence exports, which were around ₹600 crore ten years ago, crossed ₹21,000 crore in the financial year 2023-24 and there is confident optimism that it will reach ₹50,000 crore by 2029-30," he added.On border infrastructure, Gen Dwivedi said, "The Army is engaged in strategic roads, bridges, and airstrips. In the last five years, 4,400 km of roads and 19 km of bridges have been constructed. In the next five years, 13,000 km of roads are in the pipeline. Key roads include high-altitude connectivity to Leh and inter-valley connectivity in Arunachal (Frontier Highway)."Box: Army Chief presents Colour to four battalions of Mechanised InfantryIndian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi presented the prestigious President's Colours to four battalions of the Mechanised Infantry during a solemn ceremony at the Mechanised Infantry Centre and School (MIC&S), Ahilyanagar, on Wednesday. The President's Colours were awarded to the 26th and 27th Battalions of the Mechanised Infantry Regiment and the 20th and 22nd Battalions of the Brigade of The Guards, marking a proud moment for the youngest battalions of the Army.