Indian Army builds bridge over Indus river in Ladakh; 'No altitude insurmountable'

In another major highlight for the Indian Defence Forces, the Indian Army's impressive engineering capabilities emerged bright on Sunday after a video showcased the soldiers building a bridge across the Indus river. The video was shared by the South Western Command of the Indian Army which showed Sapta Shakti Engineers carrying out a drill in Eastern Ladakh. The video was titled ‘Bridging Challenges – No Terrain nor Altitude Insurmoutable’. 

Taking to Twitter, the South Western Command of the Indian Army said, “Sapta Shakti Engineers in Eastern Ladakh carrying out mobility tasks and training. Bridging the mighty Indus river, enabling movement of both combat and logistic echelons.”

Army personnel of Sapta Shakti Engineers can be seen conducting the mega exercise and mechanically launching the bridging system into the Indus river for heavy vehicle movement. In the video, heavy vehicles can be seen crossing the bridge after it has been constructed and army men can be seen engaged in the exercise while working as a team.

General Pande flies sortie in IAF's Apache helicopter in Ladakh

Meanwhile, on Sunday, the Indian Army chief General Manoj Pande flew in an Indian Air Force Apache attack helicopter. Notably, Gen Pande is on a two-day visit to the Ladakh sector. 

The Ladakh air base received a request for a sortie on Saturday and a day later, the Army chief flew over the region in the chopper, according to IAF personnel. 

Since the start of the military standoff with China at the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh, the Apache has been stationed in the Ladakh sector. The Army chief Gen Pande visited forward areas during the ongoing disengagement in the Gogra Heights Hot Springs area near Patrolling Point 15.

The Indian Army said that on Saturday General Pande witnessed the wargames codenamed Exercise Parvat Prahar and was briefed on operational preparedness by commanders on the ground. He interacted with the troops as well, complimenting them on their competence and steadfastness, according to the officials.

Earlier on Friday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had said, "Moving towards resolving the issues created on the LAC post-May 2020, India and China have agreed to dismantle and verify the temporary structures and other allied infrastructure created in the Gogra-Hot Springs (PP-15) area of the LAC in eastern Ladakh."