This archive report was first published on 20 June 2020.
India's Northern Command, led by retired Lt. General DS Hooda until 2016, has witnessed over 100 casualties annually due to terrain and weather conditions.
At an altitude of 14-15,000 feet, soldiers face a significant toll on their physical and mental condition, as described by Hooda.
The Galwan river valley in the Ladakh region, where the recent fighting took place, experiences winter temperatures below minus 30 Celsius, affecting gun barrels and machinery.
Troops must navigate treacherous terrain, carrying their own equipment, as there are few roads in the area.
Evacuation becomes a significant challenge for injured or sick soldiers, with Hooda stating that it can take hours to reach a helipad, and nighttime flights are often impossible due to safety concerns.
Seventeen troops critically injured in the clashes succumbed to their injuries, exposed to sub-zero temperatures in the high-altitude terrain.
The terrain is so high that soldiers need time to acclimatise to their new posting, or they risk serious altitude sickness that can be fatal even for healthy young individuals.
Colonel S Dinny, who commanded an Indian battalion in the region until 2017, described the area as one of the toughest places to serve as a soldier.
The cold and high altitude affect eyesight, adding to troops' disorientation, while weather and hilly terrain can impair radio communication.
The Line of Actual Control (LAC) is not properly demarcated, leading to confusion and potential confrontations between Indian and Chinese troops.
Despite protocols and agreements to avoid escalations, recent months have seen increased confrontations, with China building up troops and infrastructure, including a new road.
China has been accused of encroaching into new areas, including the northern shore of the Pangong Tso lake and the Galwan valley, which it now claims in its entirety.
