Demchok Among 14 Sites Being Opened for Civilian Visitors Under Centre’s Battlefield Tourism Initiative

SRINAGAR: In a significant development, Demchok in Ladakh, one of the focal points of the recent border dispute with China, has been opened to civilian visitors under the Centre’s new Battlefield Tourism initiative.

The scheme, jointly run by the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Tourism, and state governments, aims to provide visitors an opportunity to visit historically significant and strategic military sites, reports appearing in the media said. Of the 77 forward locations identified for this initiative, 14 are in Ladakh, including Demchok, Galwan, and Pangong Tso, all of which have witnessed tensions with China in recent years.

This initiative comes in the wake of the recent disengagement at Demchok and the Depsang Plains, marking an important step towards stabilising the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh. After four years of military standoff, India announced the completion of the disengagement process, with Indian troops resuming patrolling in Demchok. The presence of Chinese troops at Charding Nullah in Demchok had been a longstanding concern, but the latest agreement between the two nations, finalised on October 21, 2024, has facilitated the return of normalcy to the area.

Apart from Ladakh, the Battlefield Tourism initiative includes key locations in Arunachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Sikkim. In Jammu and Kashmir 11 strategic locations are being opened up for visitors.

To ensure the safety of visitors in high-risk border zones, reports in the media suggest, the Army has put in place stringent risk mitigation and security measures. Visitors will be required to coordinate with Army units for safety clearances, and a single-window system has been established to streamline the process. While core operational areas will remain off-limits, as much of the forward locations as possible will be accessible to provide citizens with an immersive experience of the challenges faced by soldiers in these remote and inhospitable terrains.

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