Siachen Glacier

About Siachen Glacier: 

• It is a piedmont glacier located in the Karakoram Range.
• It lies in the heavily glaciated Himalayan region known as the “Third Pole,” because mountain glaciers in this region contain more freshwater than is found anywhere else on Earth except for the polar ice caps.
• It lies between the Saltoro Ridge, a subrange of the Karakorams, to the west and the main Karakoram Range to the east.
• It is the second longest nonpolar glacier in the world, after Fedchenko Glacier in Tajikistan.
• It originates at the base of the Indira Col West, a col (low point) on the Indira Ridge.
• It is located so strategically that while it dominates Shaksgam Valley (ceded to China by Pakistan in 1963) in the north, controls the routes coming from Gilgit Baltistan to Leh from the west, and at the same time, it dominates the ancient Karakoram Pass in the eastern side too.
• It is the major source of the 80km long Nubra River, a major tributary of the Shyok River. 
• It is considered the world’s highest battleground and in 1984 India took its control from Pakistan under Operation Meghadoot.

Q1: Why is Siachen so important for India?

It is important to India because of its Strategic location. Saltoro Ridge in the Siachen glacier acts as a division that averts the linkage of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir with China directly, prohibiting the two from developing geographical military alliances. Siachen also helps India to watch over Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan territories.

Source: TH