Look forward to meeting troops in Siachen: Rajnath Singh in J&K for first visit as Defence Minister

Rajnath Singh will visit the Siachen glacier, the world's highest battlefield, to review the security situation along the borders with Pakistan.

NEW DELHI: Rajnath Singh will be in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday for his first visit to defence bases outside the national capital after assuming charge as the Defence Minister. In a tweet before heading to Jammu and Kashmir he said: "Leaving New Delhi for Ladakh on a day-long visit to Jammu and Kashmir. Looking forward to interact with the troops in Siachen. Later in the day, I would be meeting the Indian Army personnel in Srinagar." 

He will be accompanied by Army Chief General Bipin Rawat and other senior officials from the Defence Ministry. Singh will visit the Siachen glacier, the world's highest battlefield, to review the security situation along the borders with Pakistan.

During his visit, Singh is likely to be briefed about the operations that are being conducted by the Army, along with the Indian Air Force. Northern Army Commander Lt General Ranbir Singh, 14 Corps Commander, and Kargil war hero Lt General YK Joshi are also expected to brief him about the security situation in the region.

While this is his first visit as the Defence Minister to the state, he had earlier Jammu and Kashmir to review the situation in his previous term as the Home Minister. 

His predecessor Nirmala Sitharaman had also visited Siachen in 2017 days after she had taken over as the Defence Minister. She had also reviewed the security situation in the valley with top army commanders focusing on anti-militancy operations in the area.

Soon after taking charge as the Defence Minister on Saturday, Singh had asked the chiefs of the Army, Navy and the Air Force to prepare separate presentations on the security challenges facing the country as well as the overall functioning of their forces. He held a meeting with Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa and newly-appointed Navy Chief Karambir Singh at the headquarters of the defence ministry in the Raisina Hills. 

In Saturday's meeting, Singh was given a brief presentation on the functioning of the ministry as well as the role of its four departments -- Department of Defence, Department of Defence Production, Department of Ex-serviceman Welfare and Department of Research and Development Organisation.