Taking combat to a new height

KHILANMARG: At a height of 11,000 feet and sunken in 10 feet snow, a contingent of army troopers goes on specialised area domination patrol on skies. Carrying their guns and heavy armoury, they slide down at breathtaking speeds and encircle the base camp. Another team of troopers sit inside an Igloo in sub-zero temperatures waiting to hit with lethal ferocity.

Welcome to the High-Altitude Warfare School (HAWS), the only institute offering training to troops to fight on glaciers, deceptive snow and higher mountain ridges. From search and cordon operation to breathtaking rescue missions, the troopers are tested for everything that can be a potential threat while on duty at high altitudes.

It is this challenge that has brought Naik Gurpal Singh of 18, Sikh battalion posted in Siachen to undertake the gruelling training in mountain warfare here. Singh has watched death closely in the glacier range when his fellow colleague died in a deceptive crevasse.

“We could not manoeuvre the ice and snow to reach the area on time. Had I been trained before, I would have reached with lightening speed. Now I realize that I not only can fight enemy on the Siachen glacier but can also launch rescue missions of my own,” says Singh.

From Siachen to Kargil and from Leh to Nathula pass, the soldiers deployed in highly sensitive locations get their training in regular battle missions and counter insurgency operation at HAWS, also known as school of “The White Devils”.

“Ski troopers are force multipliers of the Indian army. They not only can be launched for precision war missions, but also for evacuation, avalanche rescue and relief operations,” says Major MS Bist, chief instructor at HAWS, who fought in Kargil during Operation Vijay. The increased number of troop deployment in Siachen and Kargil has prompted the need for such training. After the Kargil war, troops have been permanently stationed in the Kargil-Drass sector manning the peaks reclaimed by forces. The sub-zero temperatures and heavy snow are the hallmarks of the area with temperatures dipping to minus 40 degrees in Drass.

“We train the nucleus of the units who then impart training to their men in their battalions. Those who perform well in basic are then selected for advance course,” says Major Bist. Apart from Indian army officials, a host of other officers from friendly countries come here to receive the highly sophisticated training. During the last four years, HAWS has trained more than 20 officers from these countries.

Foreign delegations from Australia, France, United Kingdom, Chile and Uzbekistan visited the school last year. In addition to that there have been regular joint training exercises conducted with countries from Europe and Australia. 

Lieutenant Noor Moha from Tajikistan is the latest foreign army pass-out from this institute.

“We do not have such facility in our country, though we have high altitude areas which need to be manned. So I was sent here for training so that I can train others back home,” he says in broken English.

The militants’ new strategy to infiltrate from higher altitude areas and hide in mountainous areas has put added responsibility on the trainers at HAWS.

The institute not only provides training in high altitude but also undertakes courses in mountain warfare and rock climbing.

For six winter months the institute functions in Gulmarg to train people in extreme cold conditions and for another six months it operates from Sonamarg where people are trained in mountain warfare.