Reacting to Pakistans protest against a civilian-military trekking expedition to the Siachen glacier, Defence Minister A.K.Antony today said there is nothing new in the exercise as it had been done in the past, and expressed surprise over the opposition.
New Delhi, Sept 19 : Reacting to Pakistan's protest against a civilian-military trekking expedition to the Siachen glacier, Defence Minister A.K.Antony today said there is nothing new in the exercise as it had been done in the past, and expressed surprise over the opposition.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a Coast Guard conference here, Antony asked, "What is the problem" in sending trekking expeditions to Siachen, saying "The whole of Jammu and Kashmir is Indian territory."
"In the last one year, more than 15 teams have gone to Siachen. There has been no opposition to this. So why this time?" Antony added.
He went on to say that in July this year, teams with members from the US, France and Australia went to Siachen for trekking exercises.
Islamabad protested against allowing civilian mountaineering and trekking expedition to scale the forbidden glacial heights, where the heights rise to 22,000 feet and the temperatures plunge to minus 50 degrees Celsius in winter.
Indian Deputy High Commissioner to Pakistan was summoned by the Foreign Office to lodge a formal protest, during which Islamabad contended that Siachen was disputed territory, and the expedition would vitiate the ongoing peace process between the two countries.
Meanwhile, a 46-member team today left for Leh for an acclimatisation camp prior to undertaking the eight-day trek, during which they will cover a distance of 24 kilometres to the 16,000-ft high Kumar Post on the glacier.
The team comprises cadets from the Rashtriya Indian Military College, the Chail Military School, the Indian Military Academy, the National Cadet Corps, four civilians, including the wife of an army officer, four officers, 15 personnel below officer rank and seven media persons.
ANI