Republic Day 2022: For the Indian soldiers, it's always 'nation first'

Srinagar: Patrolling day and night, come snow or rain, and keeping the enemy at bay is what these Indian Army personnel chief agenda is. At 12,000 feet above sea level, where the snow accumulation is over 10 feet deep, is the last post of the Indian Army in Keran sector of the border district of Kupwara, north Kashmir. 

The hard work of the soldiers meant that infiltration of terrorists remained at zero and even the active terrorists' number remained below 200. The Keran sector has remained the traditional route for terrorists who infiltrate from POK for terror activities in Jammu and Kashmir. But since last one year, soldiers of the Indian Army posted in this sector had ensured that no infiltration happens; as per the data, infiltration from this sector had remained zero. This became possible only because those brave soldiers of the Indian Army patrol day and night on borders. They have taken an oath that come what may, they will not let enemies cross over this side. If the whole country celebrates the Republic Day celebrations with pomp and grandeur, then the credit goes to these soldiers who have crossed the borders.

The challenges are many, but those soldiers have made themselves so strong that they handle them with a smiling face always. Stopping infiltrators and surviving in tough terrain - these . Soldiers who are posted are given special training so that they can have no health issues in those low oxygen areas. 

Here patrol parties are divided into small groups of 8 to 10 soldiers. And they patrol the borders continuously day and night in shifts. In snow, they are in white clothes, which are windproof and waterproof, equipped with the latest weapons and every party patrol their area for two hours.  

Day or night, surveillance of the Line of Control and monitoring of the camps built on the Line of Control do not stop.  Amidst the icy hills, tough terrain, and cold climate conditions don't stop this exercise of a soldier.

The soldiers posted at the forward post are fully acquainted with this place, every preparation is done in advance. Special training is given to stay in this area, every item that is needed in these inaccessible areas - be it weapons, clothing or food items - is provided to them. The challenge remains double; one, enemy across the border and the other. weather.  Because these areas are prone to avalanches, snowstorms keep coming, which makes the forward posts vulnerable and also for the people living nearby.  Therefore, in these areas, the Army's Avalanche Rescue Team is forever ready to deal with these emergency situations. 

The government, understanding these difficult situations, tries to make lives easier. Latest vehicles, advanced arms and ammunition, American assault guns, German and American-made night and day surveillance equipment, drones to snow scooters - everything modern thing is provided to them. Today, if for the first time in the last thirty years the number of active terrorists in the Kashmir Valley had gone below 200, this has become possible due to this strict vigil on the borders.  

For these brave soldiers, there's only one slogan that they follow - Nation first!