NEW DELHI/LEH: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Thursday will visit the union territory (UT) of Ladakh for the first time after the centre's scrapped the Article 370 revoking the special status to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated it into two UTs.


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This is the first visit by a senior Central government minister since the formation of the UT.


"I shall be visiting Leh in Ladakh tomorrow to attend the inaugural ceremony of ‘26th Ladakhi Kisan Jawan Vigyan Mela’ organised by Defence Institute of High Altitude Research (DIHAR)," tweeted the Defence Minister.



Singh will inaugurate a Vigyan Mela (science fair), showcasing crops and grains suitable for growing in high altitude areas developed by the Defence Research Development Organization (DRDO). The fair is being organised at the Defence Institute of High Altitude Research.


Defence officials told Zee News that Singh will review the security situation in the region and interact with locals and other stakeholders. He will discuss the government's decision to carve Ladakh out of Jammu and Kashmir earlier this month and how it'll help them. 


The minister is also expected to hold interactions with defence and military officials in the region over the situation along the borders with China and Pakistan. 


The visit comes amid China opposing India's move to make Ladakh a Union Territory.