Himalayan News Service

Jammu, May 20:

The army has completed a study of the situation at the Siachen glacier in Jammu and Kashmir, the scene of some of the most intense conflicts between India and Pakistan, and submitted its report to the defence ministry. Army sources said the assessment was aimed at

fully acquainting New Delhi with the situation in the glacier, reckoned to be the highest battleground in the world, ahead of a meeting of defence secretaries of the two countries later this month in Pakistan to discuss the issue. The exercise by the army’s Northern Command took about two months, the sources added. The study looked into Indian strategic needs at Siachen and the merits and demerits of pulling out troops from the glacier at the height of 21,000 ft. The guns have fallen silent since the ceasefire of November 2003 along the Line of Control (LoC) that divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan and at the 40 sq km Siachen glacier.