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The induction of <keyword id="21291143" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="heavy-lift-helicopters" source="keywords">heavy-lift helicopters</keyword> and <keyword id="21291142" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="logistic-drones" source="keywords">logistic drones</keyword>, deployment of all-terrain vehicles and laying of an extensive network of tracks are among a host of measures that have enhanced India's <keyword id="20889609" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="combat-prowess" source="keywords">combat prowess</keyword> in Siachen, the world's highest battlefield, officials said on Saturday. As the <keyword id="19908736" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Army" source="keywords">Indian Army</keyword> marks the 40th year of its presence on the strategically-significant <keyword id="20282432" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Siachen-glacier" source="keywords">Siachen glacier</keyword>, the officials said there have been extensive improvements in the operational capabilities of the force due to the enhancement of infrastructure in the region in the last few years. <br /><br />The Siachen glacier at the height of around 20,000 feet in the Karakoram mountain range is known as the highest militarised zone in the world where soldiers have to battle frostbite and high winds. <br /><br />Under its "<keyword id="21291144" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Operation-Meghdoot" source="keywords">Operation Meghdoot</keyword>", the Indian Army established its full control over the glacier on April 13, 1984. <br /><br />"The Indian Army's control over the Siachen glacier has not only been a story of unparalleled valour and determination but also an incredible journey of technological advancements and logistical improvements that transformed it from one of the most formidable terrains into a symbol of indomitable spirit and innovation," said an official. <br /><br />The initiatives, especially laid out in the last five years, have made significant strides in improving the living conditions and operational capabilities of the personnel deployed in Siachen, he said on the condition of anonymity. <br /><br />In January last year, Captain Shiva Chauhan from the Army's Corps of Engineers was posted at a frontline post in the Siachen glacier, in the first such operational deployment of a woman Army officer at a key battlefield. <br /><br />The official cited above said there has been a noteworthy improvement in the aspect of mobility in Siachen. <br /><br />"The development of an extensive network of tracks and the introduction of all-terrain vehicles (ATV) have significantly improved mobility across the glacier," he said. <br /><br />Another official said innovations like the DRDO-developed ATV bridges have enabled the Army to overcome natural obstacles, while high-quality "Dyneema" ropes in aerial cableways ensure seamless supply lines to even the most-remote outposts. <br /><br />"The induction of heavy-lift helicopters and logistic drones has vastly improved the supply of essentials to the personnel deployed in posts that are cut off, especially in winters," he said. <br /><br />"The availability of special clothing, mountaineering equipment and advanced rations has enhanced the ability of the soldiers to withstand the harsh conditions of the world's coldest battlefield," the official added. <br /><br />He said gadgets, such as pocket weather trackers, with each soldier provides timely weather updates and warn them about possible avalanches. <br /><br />"Recent initiatives concerning the improvement of connectivity have ensured that the personnel in forward posts in the northern and central glacier regions have access to fresh ration and vegetables instead of tinned ration, an aspect that could not have been imagined a few years ago," the official said. <br /><br />"Fresh ration and vegetables are now a reality for our forward posts, thanks to new logistic initiatives," he added. <br /><br />There has been a focus on improvement in mobile and data connectivity in the region as well. <br /><br />"The introduction of the VSAT technology has revolutionised communication on the glacier, providing the troops with data and internet connectivity," the second official said. <br /><br />"This leap in technology has enhanced real-time situational awareness, telemedicine capabilities and the well-being of our soldiers by keeping them connected with their families," he said. <br /><br />The VSAT or very small aperture terminal is a data-transmission technology. <br /><br />The Army has also been focusing on boosting the medical infrastructure in Siachen. <br /><br />The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has established telemedicine nodes that provide critical medical support not only to the troops but also to the local populace and tourists in the Nubra valley. <br /><br />"The medical facilities in Partapur and the base camp boast of some of the best medical and surgical specialists, state-of-the-art HAPO chambers and oxygen generation plants, besides life-support systems. This has ensured that all endeavours are made to save every life in this challenging terrain," said a third official. <br /><br />The HAPO (High Altitude Pulmonary Oedema) chamber is a life-saving device that provides emergency treatment in medical conditions relating to breathlessness and accumulation of fluids in the lungs etc.<br /><br /><b>SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/telecom-companies-may-hike-tariffs-by-up-to-17-after-the-general-elections-as-per-analysts/articleshow/109240274.cms" target="_blank"></a></b><br /><br /> <b><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/telecom-companies-may-hike-tariffs-by-up-to-17-after-the-general-elections-as-per-analysts/articleshow/109240274.cms" target="_blank">Telecom companies may hike tariffs by up to 17% after the general elections, predict analysts</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/ather-rizta-vs-tvs-iqube-which-family-scooter-should-you-buy/articleshow/109233645.cms" target="_blank"></a></b><br /><br /> <b><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/ather-rizta-vs-tvs-iqube-which-family-scooter-should-you-buy/articleshow/109233645.cms" target="_blank">Ather Rizta vs TVS iQube – Which family scooter should you buy?</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/playstation-5-is-now-available-at-a-discount-of-10000-for-a-limited-period/articleshow/109183034.cms" target="_blank"></a></b><br /><br /> <b><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/playstation-5-is-now-available-at-a-discount-of-10000-for-a-limited-period/articleshow/109183034.cms" target="_blank">PlayStation 5 is now available at a discount of ₹10,000 for a limited period</a></b><br />

Indian Army marks 4 decades of presence in Siachen glacier

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Samantha Shea had never been outside the US before she started college in 2014.</li><li>After graduating in 2019, she visited India and Pakistan while developing her travel writing.</li></ul><p>When I tell people from back home that I live in Northern Pakistan, I'm usually met with shock.</p><p>Their disbelief escalates when I show them pictures of the snow-capped Karakoram mountain range that surround the village where I live.</p><p>"I thought Pakistan was a desert" is the most common response. As wrong as they are, I don't blame them. I didn't know much about Pakistan before traveling there after college.  </p><p>I live in Hunza Valley, 8,500 feet above sea level on the border with Western China, where I work as a digital nomad.</p><p>When I first came to Pakistan in 2019, I was a recent University of Miami grad who'd never lived outside the US. </p><div type="image" title="A drone shot of Hunza Valley in early May." height="3648" width="4864" msid="100102321" hostid="261"></div><p>In Hunza, electricity comes on for only a few hours a day, you walk to the local market if you need anything – Amazon doesn't deliver to the mountainous valley region – and running hot water isn't guaranteed. </p><p>The valley has, despite these elements, become my home. Here, I don't lock up my bike or my front door, I can walk everywhere, and my recent major home renovation cost me only $3,000. </p><h2>Current guidance around traveling to Pakistan </h2><p>The US travel advice for Pakistan is to avoid traveling to Balochistan province, many parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and the Indian-Pakistan border because of the potential for terrorist attacks, kidnapping, and armed conflict at the border.</p><p>The US government warns that the assistance it can provide citizens traveling in Pakistan is limited because of these security issues. However, I have personally traveled to some of these areas and did not feel unsafe at the time.</p><p>Although this doesn't mean these threats aren't real and something to consider, many foreign nationals and local Pakistani people travel to the Hunza Valley without incident. Forbes recently named Pakistan an <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/annabel/2020/01/02/the-not-hot-list-10-best-under-the-radar-trips-for-2020/?sh=acd0ba222647" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">up-and-coming adventure vacation</a>. CN Traveller also awarded Pakistan as their <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d18T5ypYzgM&amp;t=16s" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">top holiday destination in 2020</a>.</p><h2><strong>My journey to a remote village in Northern Pakistan </strong></h2><p>My love of travel began at college. From 2014 to 2019, I was a student at the University of Miami in Florida. While I loved my school, being by the beach, and Florida's eternal summer, I never felt settled in Miami. </p><div type="image" title="Samantha Shea, young woman stood in front of the Miami beach shoreline." height="2688" width="3583" msid="100102323" hostid="261"></div><p>Because I grew up in suburban Connecticut, the move to a busy city was a big adjustment. It was noisy and fast-paced, and the proximity to crime, common in urban areas, put me on edge. </p><p>I had never traveled outside the US growing up, but I fell in love with backpacking at college. My trips became more and more offbeat. I was traveling through India the summer before my senior year in 2018 when I decided to pursue a career in travel. </p><h2><strong>I wanted to become a freelance travel blogger after graduation</strong></h2><h2><strong><div type="image" title="Samantha Shea graduating from the university of Miami sat on the college's sign." height="2179" width="2906" msid="100102325" hostid="261"></div></strong></h2><p>I worked three part-time jobs while finishing my degree to save up for my indefinite adventure.</p><p>After graduating in 2019, I set off for India again, traveling around the country and into neighboring Pakistan. </p><p>Despite media negativity and concerns from family and friends, I didn't feel nervous crossing the border from India. I traveled from the historical city of Lahore to the Hindu Kush mountains of Upper Chitral — a region that directly borders Afghanistan — and felt comfortable everywhere I went. </p><div type="image" title="Samantha Shea in Swat Valley Pakistan" height="2316" width="3088" msid="100102329" hostid="261"></div><p>I found it easier and more fun to travel here than in India, a much more "mainstream" backpacking destination. I encountered fewer scammers traveling in Pakistan. I also found Pakistan had less trash on the streets, and the roads were in better condition.</p><h2><strong>I worked for DoorDash and learned Urdu while waiting out COVID-19 limitations</strong></h2><p>In December 2019, I returned to my family home with the plan to move to Pakistan full time in the spring as a digital nomad.</p><p>My plans were halted by COVID-19. I spent the next year learning Urdu, the national language of Pakistan, and delivering for DoorDash. I also finally saw some freelance traction. </p><p>I got my first paid byline, increased my blog traffic, and freelanced in content writing and social-media management. I wanted to have established myself as a digital nomad before I left home.</p><p>In April 2021, I traveled alone to Pakistan's capital, Islamabad. I hadn't arranged a guide and had no plan beyond my first few nights at a hostel. To many, my trip seemed insane, but I was committed. </p><h2><div type="image" title="The vistas on a multi-day hike to the Shimshal Pass, not far from the Chinese border." height="2614" width="3486" msid="100102331" hostid="261"></div></h2><h2><strong>Why Hunza Valley? </strong></h2><p>My 2021 journey brought me to Hunza Valley for a reason. I'd head it was well known as the safest destination for <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Life-Arts/Life/Hunza-Valley-women-challenge-Pakistani-patriarchy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">solo female travelers</a>, largely due to its <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/high-up-on-a-pakistani-mountain-a-success-story-for-moderate-islam/2015/07/22/f0b878d2-2572-11e5-b77f-eb13a215f593_story.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">liberal culture toward women</a>.</p><div type="image" title="Woman walking Hunza Valley" height="4854" width="6472" msid="100102550" hostid="261"></div><p>Hunza Valley is a remote area in Northern Pakistan. The Gatorade-blue rivers and snow-capped mountains make Hunza a popular tourist destination. The local community is known for its hospitality, and I immediately felt at home – something I'd never felt in big-city America.</p><p>The community is welcoming of outsiders — respecting and taking care of guests is a core value here. Before 9/11, there were droves of foreign travelers coming to Hunza, and many locals and their families worked in tourism, so I was welcomed readily. </p><div type="image" title="The Karakoram highway that cuts through Hunza" height="3648" width="4864" msid="100102551" hostid="261"></div><p>Hunza is home to a <a href="https://www.thejuggernaut.com/ismaili-muslims-pakistan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">majority Ismaili community</a>, a liberal sect of Islam. Teens hang out in mixed groups, women own restaurants and shops, and it's common for girls to receive higher education.</p><p>I settled in Hunza and have lived here for nearly two years.</p><h2><strong>Many Westerners I've spoken with have trepidations about Pakistan</strong></h2><h2><strong><div type="image" title="Shea sits with locals in a small seaside village on the border of Sindh and Balochistan in the far south of Pakistan." height="3448" width="4597" msid="100102553" hostid="261"></div></strong></h2><p>Hunza itself could not be safer. I don't worry about locking my bike, or even my doors. I've never witnessed a crime of any kind, nor any of the terrorist incidents the US State Department warns travelers of.</p><p>Barely a day after I'd arrived, I found myself lost on a 5-mile trek I set out on alone. Wandering, I ran into a young male shepherd. He insisted on showing me the route back and carrying my bag.</p><p>I kept waiting for "that moment" for which all solo female travelers are on high alert — but it never came. The shepherd was polite and helped me safely find the trail.</p><div type="image" title="Hunza valley in Northern Pakistan" height="1066" width="1422" msid="100102555" hostid="261"></div><p>I think I felt more comfortable in Hunza than I did in Miami for several reasons: The local cuisine shared many similarities with my Polish grandma's recipes, I experienced daily peace, and being surrounded by 20,000-foot peaks made me feel like I positively was on another planet.</p><div type="image" title="Traditional spread of Hunza foods." height="1405" width="1874" msid="100102558" hostid="261"></div><p>I didn't have great WiFi for the first few months of living in Hunza, which was stressful at times. I've since found work-arounds, but it's not simple. </p><h2><strong>The biggest issue is that electricity comes on for </strong><strong>only </strong><strong>around 5 or 6 hours a day, primarily at night</strong></h2><p>I knew Northern Pakistan didn't have great electricity from my 2019 trip to other mountain valleys. Regardless, I always travel with a power bank.</p><p>I remember times when the electricity wouldn't come on as planned and I'd forgotten to charge my devices properly. I found it incredibly stressful, especially if I had a lot of work.</p><div type="image" title="Cycling in the Hunza Valley" height="1410" width="1884" msid="100102560" hostid="261"></div><p>Once, while on a road trip through Upper Chitral, another mountainous region in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, my power bank fell in water and wouldn't turn on.</p><p>I was in an area even more remote than Hunza and knew the power bank likely wasn't sold anywhere in Pakistan. The bank amazingly came back to life, but I did end up breaking another one a year later.</p><p>When these things happen, it makes me miss conveniences like Amazon, but a company called Daraz does manage to deliver plenty of items to Hunza within two or three days. </p><p>Power banks and other electronics can also be sourced from other countries via Packr, an app I've used several times to receive items from the US.</p><p>Now I have a permanent home, I've arranged more long-term solutions. </p><p>I bought a $35 UPS car battery at a local market, which keeps my WiFi router and basic lights working 24/7. I also have two 26,800-mAh Anker power banks as backups, the 2nd of which I purchased after that road-trip scare.</p><h2><div type="image" title="Car battery for back up electricity." height="5304" width="7072" msid="100102562" hostid="261"></div></h2><h2><strong>How I live and work in Hunza Valley</strong></h2><p>One month of accommodation costs between $150 and $250 on average — a far cry from the $1,300 I paid in Miami to share an apartment with roommates.</p><p>My life in Hunza began in Gojal, the local name for the northern portion of the region. When I arrived, I stayed in hotels. Nowhere I stayed cost more than $15 a night, and if I got a long-stay rate, they averaged closer to $8 a night.</p><div type="image" title="Gate to a house in Hunza Valley" height="7477" width="4987" msid="100102564" hostid="261"></div><p>Hunza was slightly more expensive than I thought, especially before I found permanent accommodation. </p><p>I was shocked by how expensive some hotels were. Budget options are available, but a large portion of Hunza's tourism caters to the wealthy sector of the domestic market.</p><p>This experience has positively influenced my career as a freelancer. I've had my stories published in major media outlets. I also run an Instagram account and a YouTube channel focusing on life here and helping travelers plan their trips.</p><h2><div type="image" title="Shea speaking at a tourism event in Hunza" height="2274" width="3024" msid="100102569" hostid="261"></div></h2><h2><strong>I now live in Aliabad in central Hunza, the largest town in the district </strong></h2><div type="image" title="Samantha Shea and her boyfriend sat outside their house." height="1737" width="2316" msid="100102572" hostid="261"></div>I met my now partner, Fareed, in a local coworking space a few months after I arrived in Hunza. He was born and raised in Hunza and now works in trekking tourism.<p>We're happily settled in Aliabad in central Hunza, close to my partner's family, who have become a second family to me. </p><p>I've started learning Burushaski, one of the two major languages spoken in the valley. My partner speaks perfect English, so there's no language barrier.</p><p>Aliabad has high-speed fiber-cable WiFi, which makes uploading content or taking Zoom calls easy, and it's where you'll find amenities like ATMs, stores, small hospitals, and a few restaurants and shops.</p><p><strong></strong></p><div type="image" title="Hunza Valley drone" height="3156" width="4208" msid="100102574" hostid="261"></div><h2><strong>Even so, Aliabad is still a village in many ways</strong></h2><p>The main roads are paved, but many residential areas have dirt roads. Everything from the doctor to my cellphone provider is within a 15-minute walking radius. </p><p>My partner and I moved into a house his parents owned. It had no electricity, flooring, or running water. We recently renovated two rooms and added a bathroom with running water and a Western toilet. It ended up costing about $3,000.</p><div type="image" title="Samantha Shea, a digital nomad stands with her boyfriends' mother and grandmother." height="2264" width="3019" msid="100102577" hostid="261"></div><p>If we were renting, it would cost around 20,000 Pakistani rupees a month, or about $50. Renting might have been cheaper in the short term, but I love having a space all our own.</p><p>A meal at a restaurant is usually between $2 for local spots and $7 for Western fare, but cooking at home is much less expensive and often tastier. WiFi costs around $8 for unlimited data each month, and I pay $4 for 10 gigabytes of data for my SIM card.</p><div type="image" title="Woman eating Yak burger in Hunza Valley, Pakistan" height="5301" width="7068" msid="100102579" hostid="261"></div><p>Hot water is also not a given in Hunza — but an $80 gas-powered water heater solved that, with refills totaling about $20 a month. The electricity that does come is only about $2 a month, and the cold running water, sourced from a glacier, is free.</p><div type="image" title="2000-gallon water tank in Hunza Valley" height="5203" width="6937" msid="100102582" hostid="261"></div><p>Aliabad has a cold desert climate.</p><div type="image" title="Yak burger on traditional stove." height="2073" width="2764" msid="100102587" hostid="261"></div><p>The coldest month is January, with temperatures averaging 25 degrees Fahrenheit. Frequently frozen pipes and a lack of central heating mean winter can be difficult.</p><p>Having spent most of my life in Connecticut, I was used to cold, long winters, and I find Hunza's to be shorter. </p><p>Winter limits my daily activities, but it almost feels like a cozy hibernation period.</p><p>I spend lazy days working by my bukhari — a traditional fireplace.</p><p><strong></strong></p><div type="image" title="Hunza Valley local drying apricots." height="3448" width="4597" msid="100102590" hostid="261"></div><h2><strong>The benefits of living in Hunza Valley far outweigh any negatives</strong></h2><p>I save thousands each month compared with living in a US city, and my quality of life is infinitely better.</p><p>I avoid the American hustle culture, which I find toxic. The people I meet in Hunza are generally quiet, polite, and respectful. I breathe clean air and eat organic, home-cooked food for every meal. </p><p>Though my solo journey to Pakistan started as a trip, Hunza Valley is now my home. I've even obtained the equivalent of permanent residency. With the money I've saved, I hope to travel to other countries, with Hunza as my base.</p>

I left Miami for a remote village in Pakistan. I have no running hot water and limited electricity &mdash; but my quality of life here is infinitely better.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The <keyword id="59606" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="arctic">Arctic</keyword> strategy released by the Army in March reflects the US military's increasing focus on the region.</li><li>While the Army has long operated in <keyword id="20636" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="Alaska">Alaska</keyword>, it's looking abroad to learn more about handling harsh conditions and tough terrain.</li></ul><p>In March, the Army became the latest military branch to release an Arctic strategy, titled "<a href="https://api.army.mil/e2/c/downloads/2021/03/15/9944046e/regaining-arctic-dominance-us-army-in-the-arctic-19-january-2021-unclassified.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Regaining Arctic Dominance</a>," outlining how it will pursue the Defense Department's goal of defending US interests in that increasingly accessible region.</p><p>The Army is still <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-army-figuring-out-whats-needed-to-regain-arctic-dominance-2021-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">determining what materials, training, and infrastructure it will need</a>, and officials say it will also need to draw on the knowledge and experience of allies that operate in extreme cold weather, on mountainous terrain, and at high altitudes.</p><p>This year's Arctic Warrior exercise, led by <keyword id="11057847" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="us-army-alaska">US Army Alaska</keyword>, reflected the new focus on operating in the region during "the coldest parts of the year," Maj. Gen. Peter Andrysiak, commander of US Army Alaska, told Insider in a March interview.</p><div type="image" title="Canadian army Chinook helicopter Alaska Arctic" height="1324" width="2000" msid="82279643" hostid="261"></div><p>That exercise included a Canadian aviation unit, and Canadian troops will participate in the upcoming Arctic Edge exercise in Alaska, a reflection of the two countries' longstanding defense ties.</p><p>"What we're trying to do as we move forward with this is expand our relationships with other allies and partners that have to operate in a similar environment," Andrysiak added, naming <keyword id="6356961" type="LOCATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="norway">Norway</keyword>, <keyword id="23050" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Sweden">Sweden</keyword>, and Finland.</p><p>As the Army focused on the Middle East over the past two decades, its relationships with European Arctic countries got less attention, but that will change, Andrysiak said at a press briefing in March.</p><p>"We've been given the green light to ... start working with other allies and partners, and that includes Norway and the other allies and partners up in that area," Andrysiak said at the briefing. "We know that there's a lot that we have to learn, because obviously Norway has a great history of being able to operate in and through that particular environment."</p><p>As a NATO member, Norway has for decades worked with the US military, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/marines-in-norway-face-language-differences-as-they-train-2020-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">storing gear and hosting troops</a> for training.</p><div type="image" title="US Army Special Forces Sweden" height="1080" width="1920" msid="82279645" hostid="261"></div><p>Sweden and Finland are not in NATO but have worked more closely with the alliance amid recent tensions with Russia.</p><p>Already in 2021, US soldiers <a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/news/390170/kleber-soldiers-participate-finnish-armys-winter-combat-course" target="_blank" rel="noopener">participated</a> in a Finnish winter-combat course, and Army Green Berets took part in a Swedish <a href="https://www.forsvarsmakten.se/sv/aktuellt/2021/04/amerikanskt-specialforband-ovade-vinterstrid-i-norr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">winter-warfare exercise</a>.</p><p>The Army also sought feedback from foreign forces as it put together the Arctic strategy document.</p><p>"Within the Pentagon, we have a number of exchange officers and liaison officers, and we've been in contact with all of those, who've been offering some of the best practices ... and taking a look at drafts," Col. J.P. Clark, chief of the strategy division within the Army general staff, said at a separate March press conference.</p><p>"We have been able to incorporate some of our allies and partners in this in terms of the formulation, and we think that we'll build forces that can definitely train, operate, and fight alongside" those militaries, Clark added.</p><h2>'The million-dollar question'</h2><div type="image" title="Army Canada Arctic Baffin Island" height="1503" width="2000" msid="82279647" hostid="261"></div><p>Many of the Army forces permanently stationed in the Arctic or sub-Arctic are based in Alaska, but conditions differ between Arctic regions. Norway, for example, spans the same latitudes as northern <keyword id="6356687" type="LOCATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="canada">Canada</keyword> and Siberia but is more hospitable because of the <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111202091148.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gulf Stream</a>.</p><p>"A unit accustomed and optimized for Alaska operations might have some difficulties if suddenly deployed to the European Arctic," the Army's strategy says.</p><p>How to ensure Army units can operate across those regions is "the million-dollar question," Andrysiak told Insider. "We've got to also better understand the environment and how the Arctic is different in those locations."</p><p>The strategy says Arctic-capable units outside of the Arctic will be involved in planning in order "to identify appropriate mitigation measures" for those differences. Work with allies and partners in the Pacific "that have some degree of proficiency in this capability" will also continue, Andrysiak said.</p><p>US Army Pacific, of which US Army Alaska is part, has directed Andrysiak's command to pursue more training with India, and US Army Alaska will soon assume responsibility for the bilateral exercise Yudh Abhyas.</p><p>While Yudh Abhyas has been desert-focused, it will shift to "more of a mountainous scenario," Andrysiak told Insider.</p><div type="image" title="US India Army soldiers Alaska Yudh Abhyas" height="1363" width="2000" msid="82279648" hostid="261"></div><p>"This fall, they're going to come out to Alaska, and we're going to train with them, and then a year from that timeframe, we're going to go out to India and train in the Himalayas," Andrysiak said. "That's the mountainous aspect of the problem that we're trying to build capabilities in."</p><p>For the most recent Yudh Abhyas, US soldiers from Washington state <a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/news/389547/yudh-abhyas-concludes-with-strengthened-indo-us-partnership" target="_blank" rel="noopener">traveled</a> to northwest India for training that concluded in February. Indian soldiers have <a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/news/59322/indian-army-soldiers-qualify-range-exchanged-tactics-with-us-army-alaska-soldiers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">traveled</a> to Alaska for previous iterations of Yudh Abhyas.</p><p>India is working on its own <a href="https://science.thewire.in/environment/india-draft-arctic-policy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Arctic strategy</a>, and after a deadly standoff with China along their disputed border in the Himalayas last year - the first in decades - India is also focusing more on mountain operations, adding <a href="https://www.ajaishukla.com/2021/01/armys-pivot-to-north.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a mountain strike corps</a> to bolster its defenses in an area where <a href="https://warontherocks.com/2020/06/tension-high-altitude-higher-logistical-and-physiological-constraints-on-the-indo-chinese-border/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">altitude and terrain</a> make any operation a challenge.</p><p>The US military supported India during that standoff, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-intelligence-sharing-with-india-helps-monitor-chinese-military-2020-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">providing intelligence</a> and cold-weather equipment. In so doing, the Army "gained understanding of the requirements to operate in places like the Himalayas," the strategy says.</p><p>"As we work to build or strengthen our alliances and partnerships with nations across the globe - to the Indo-Pacific and in the European Theater - we want to be able to share and learn lessons so that we can operate effectively in those environments but also they can operate effectively in those environments," Elizabeth Felling, a strategic planner in the Army general staff, said at the March press conference.</p>

The US Army wants to regain 'dominance' in the Arctic, and it's looking all over the world for help

Travel means different things to different people. A short flight followed by a taxi transfer to a stylish resort with an inviting pool satisfies many people’s needs. But for those with time to spare and incurable wanderlust, there are plenty of exotic, hard-to-reach destinations that involve a lot more plan­ning than does a long weekend in Phuket.<br /><br />Mobile phone signals aren’t guaranteed in the following places but travel bragging rights definitely are. These destinations even come with their own superlatives.<br /><br />Even in a list of desolate destinations, <span class="generic-article__body article-details-type--strong content--strong c1">Pitcairn Island</span> wins by some distance. Best known as the 18th century hiding place of mutineers from the British ship HMS Bounty, no inhabited island is further from a mainland. The British Overseas Territory is barely more accessible today than it was in 1790.<br /><br />Anyone planning to visit from Hong Kong would need to fly to <keyword id="4741" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tokyo">Tokyo</keyword> for a connection to Papeete, in Tahiti, from where there are two four-hour flights a week to Mangareva, in the Gambier Islands. It’s then a 32-hour trip to Pitcairn aboard a supply boat that departs only every three months. A few years ago, officials launched a campaign to encourage people to join the isolated community. Only one person applied.<br /><br /><br /><br />The world’s coldest permanently settled area, <span class="generic-article__body article-details-type--strong content--strong">Oymyakon</span> shivers in the Siberian permafrost a two-day drive across the Russian <keyword id="101920" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tundra">tundra</keyword> from the nearest airport. Winter in the gold mining town is so frigid that drivers leave their car engines running all day to keep them from seizing up.<br /><br />Students are expected to attend classes unless the mercury falls below minus 52 degrees Celsius (-61.6 degrees Fahrenheit) and newly arrived visitors are reminded that saliva freezes in open mouths, glasses stick to faces and batteries last only a few minutes.<br /><br />Few crops survive in temperatures that can plummet to a bone-chilling minus 70 degrees and locals make do with reindeer meat, raw flesh shaved from frozen fish and ice cubes of horse blood with macaroni.<br /><br />Based on a year-round average temperature of 34.5 degrees Celsius (94.1 degrees Fahrenheit), the <span class="generic-article__body article-details-type--strong content--strong c1">Danakil Depression</span> is the hottest place on Earth. The inhospitable desert in northern <keyword id="61936" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ethiopia">Ethiopia</keyword> is also one of the lowest points on the planet, at 125 metres below sea level.<br /><br />Visitors need to tread carefully – the surreal landscape is littered with sulphur springs, geysers, acidic pools, huge salt pans, volcanoes and multicoloured mineral lakes. Amazingly, there is human activity at the “gateway to hell”. More than 700 officially registered salt miners toil in the furnace-like conditions for about US$7 per day.<br /><br />Located in the Bay of Bengal, more than 1,300km (807 miles) off the east coast of India, the <span class="generic-article__body article-details-type--strong content--strong">Andaman Islands</span> are the peaks of a submerged <keyword id="6439698" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="mountain">mountain</keyword> range. The tropical archipelago boasts pristine beaches, coral reefs and an abundance of wildlife.<br /><br />Of the 572 islands, only about 30 are inhabited, one of which is regarded as the most difficult place to set foot on as it’s home to the world’s most isolated tribe. North Sentinel Island gained notoriety last year when an American tourist was killed by bow and arrow-wielding Sentinelese warriors, having ignored warnings from fisherman not to go ashore.<br /><br />An out-of-the-way settlement in a hard-to-reach country, <span class="generic-article__body article-details-type--strong content--strong c1">Ittoqqortoormiit</span> is the remotest inhabited community in the western hemisphere. Weekly flights to this distant corner of Greenland require an onward helicopter transfer to the village, although for a month or two in summer, cruise ships are able to negotiate the ice­berg-infested waters.<br /><br />The 450 inhabitants rely on fishing and hunting (including an annual quota of 35 polar bears) for survival and let off steam by dog sledding and snowmobile camping trips along the banks of Scoresby Sund. The world’s longest fjord serves as a gateway to Northeast Greenland National Park, the world’s largest.<br /><br /><br />The luxury resorts of the Maldives are easy enough to reach, usually with a sea­plane or speedboat transfer after a long-haul flight. For something more quirky, book a flight to <span class="generic-article__body article-details-type--strong content--strong">Gan</span>.<br /><br />From 1941 to 1976, the southernmost island in the archipelago served as a British Navy and <keyword id="113964" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Royal-Air-Force">Royal Air Force</keyword> base. Much of the military infrastructure remains, including the airfield, parade ground, a mildewing art deco cinema and rows of low-rise garrison buildings. The British also built a causeway linking Gan to three neighbouring islands – the resulting 18km (11-mile) road is the longest in the Maldives.<br /><br />The beguiling beauty of <span class="generic-article__body article-details-type--strong content--strong">Wadi Rum</span> feels older than time. For centuries only nomadic Bedouins were able to survive in the inhospitable desert, situated in the far south of Jordan, the safest country in the Middle East. Then along came charismatic British officer T.E. Lawrence (of Arabia), who led an Arab revolt against the Ottoman Empire from Wadi Rum during the first world war.<br /><br />His description of the other­worldly desert formations and empty landscape as “vast, echoing and God-like” is as accurate today as it was a century ago.<br /><br /><br /><br />Gan, in the Maldives. Photo: Tim Pile<br /><br />The most remote inhabited archipelago in the world, volcanic <span class="generic-article__body article-details-type--strong content--strong"><keyword id="1046045" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tristan-da-Cunha">Tristan da Cunha</keyword></span> lies 2,432km (1,511 miles) west of Cape Town. Another British Overseas Territory, the main island is home to 246 residents with nine different surnames. About 400km (249 miles) south and unin­habit­ed except for six weather station personnel, <span class="generic-article__body article-details-type--strong content--strong c1">Gough Island</span> is possib­ly the world’s least accessible world heritage site.<br /><br />Appropriately enough, it shares the Unesco designation with <span class="generic-article__body article-details-type--strong content--strong">Inaccessible Island</span>, 30km (19 miles) southwest of Tristan. The only way of reaching this far-flung South Atlantic bolt-hole is by ship from Cape Town – a seven-day sailing that operates nine times a year.<br /><br />More than six million tourists visited Grand Canyon National Park in 2018 but hidden away in the craggy sandstone formations lies the only village inside the canyon. <span class="generic-article__body article-details-type--strong content--strong c1">Supai</span> is the capital of the <keyword id="8232283" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Havasupai">Havasupai</keyword> Indian Reservation and the “people of the blue-green water” inhabit what has been described as the most remote community in the lower 48 states.<br /><br />Despite being just 13km (8 miles) from the nearest road, the only way to reach the settlement and stunning turquoise waterfalls is by helicopter, mule or on foot.<br /><br />Located 480km (298 miles) north of the Arctic Circle, <span class="generic-article__body article-details-type--strong content--strong">Utqiagvik</span>, <keyword id="20636" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Alaska">Alaska</keyword>, is the northernmost town in the United States. When the sun sets in mid-November, it doesn’t rise again for 65 days. There are no roads in or out, so the Iñupiaq Eskimo settlement is accessible only by plane from Anchorage, or barge during the brief summer months. Locals still hunt and fish, but that’s partly because supermarket prices are among the highest in the world.<br />

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Indian Army marks 4 decades of presence in Siachen glacier

PTI

I left Miami for a remote village in Pakistan. I have no running hot water and limited electricity but my quality of life here is infinitely better.

Samantha Shea

The US Army wants to regain 'dominance' in the Arctic, and it's looking all over the world for help

Christopher Woody

12 of the most remote travel destinations on Earth, each with its own superlative

SCMP

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