Talking to the jawans, the prime minister, who was briefed about the difficult conditions in which they guard the glacier, said, 'How long shall we allow such conditions to prevail (in Siachen)? The time has come for us to make efforts to convert this battlefield into a peace mountain.'
Though Dr Singh spoke of the peace initiatives with Pakistan, he was clear about not making any changes in the 'established' boundaries of the country, saying it related to the nation's 'honour and security'.
Photographs: Prakash Singh/AFP/Getty Images
Also See: Getting to Know the Army