India Deploys Satellite-Based Internet Services at World's Highest Battlefield Siachen

Last month, the Indian Army conducted war games to test its satellite-based systems amid competition with China in building infrastructure along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The drills involved studying the impact of "tactical communication systems" in the war zone and stressed the need for enhancing the space-based communication system.

India's state-run Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL) on Sunday started providing satellite-based internet services to the Indian Army atop the Siachen Glacier, in the wake of the requirement posed by the forces to have uninterrupted communication services at the world's highest battlefield.

The satellite-based internet services are described as a crucial component in dominating the battlefield in a recent study conducted by the Indian Army.

"Satellite-based internet service activated on the Siachen Glacier at 19,061 feet, the World's Highest Battlefield, by the Siachen Signallers," the Fire and Fury Corps of the Indian Army said.

BBNL, which is also implementing the government's $3 billion optical fiber network project, has been working on providing satellite-based internet services in areas bordering China since January. Its competitors Starlink, UK-based OneWeb, and Amazon's Project Kuiper expect their internet services anytime soon.

However, a top Indian government official told Sputnik that the government would review all the security aspects before providing license to the foreign companies willing to operate in the border areas.

"We haven't finalized our satellite communication policy. However, we will definitely consider all the aspects including the security concerns of the security forces before giving license to foreign players," a top telecommunication official told Sputnik.

The Siachen Glacier, the world's largest non-polar glacier, lies west of the Galwan Valley, where 20 Indian soldiers were killed in a hand-to-hand fight with China's People's Liberation Army troops in June 2020.

The Siachen-based unit of the Indian Army overlooks the tri-junction of Pakistan, India, and Sakshgam, an area presently administered by China.