Leh (J&K): Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday spent Dussehra festival with the troops at Siachen and other forward locations in the Ladakh region and conveyed to them the government's commitment to support them in all circumstances.
During the visit, she reviewed the security situation in the border region and inaugurated a bridge that will link Leh to Karakoram, providing connectivity on the strategically important Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Olde axis for military transport.
"The defence minister interacted with the soldiers in the remote areas of Siachen Glacier and conveyed her best wishes on the auspicious occasion of Dussehra," a defence spokesman said.
Complimenting the army jawans, she said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the union government fully support the soldiers who are protecting the nation in all circumstances.
"I assure you that the government is with you all the time and in all circumstances. We are not only sensitive to your needs and demands but also to those of your families," the minister said addressing the troops. Recalling the prime minister's visit to Siachen where he spent time with soldiers on Diwali in 2014, she said the government wanted to understand the conditions in which the jawans live.
"Jawans from different states, which have varied weather conditions, come and serve the nation in such high-altitudes and it is laudable," she said.