Troops on alert, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar makes a Leh visit to tie up Ramdev-DRDO partnership

NEW DELHI: Even as troops are on high alert on the Line of Control (LoC) for a possible escalation of violence following the disruption of talks with Pakistan, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar made a short visit to Leh, meeting the top Army brass in Jammu and Kashmir, including the three Corps Commanders and the Northern Army Commander.

That however was shadowed by a mega event at a DRDO lab in Ladakh that is dedicated to high altitude research – a tie up with yoga guru Baba Ramdev that was presided over by Parrikar himself, besides the Army Chief Gen Dalbir Singh and DRDO head S Christopher.

The defence minister’s visit managed to coincide with a 'transfer of technology' agreement between DRDO’s Defence Institute of High Altitude Research (DIHAR) and Ramdev’s Patanjali Ayurved Ltd. The pact is to transfer technology to make seabuckthorn products to the yoga institution – capsules, beverages etc.


(IMAGE: Ministry of Defence)

While a good part of the minister’s time was spent at DIHAR for the ToT function, the Ramdev tie up found no part in the official press release that was sent by the Defence Ministry. Which reads as follows –

The honourable Raksha Mantri, Shri Manohar Parrikar arrived at Leh today on a visit to the Ladakh Region. He was accompanied by the Chief of Army Staff, Gen Dalbir Singh and was received by Army Commander, Northern Command and General Officer Commanding, Fire & Fury Corps.



(IMAGE: Ministry of Defence)

On arrival at Leh, the Raksha Mantri interacted with the soldiers at the Rinchen auditorium after which he was briefed by the General Officer Commanding, Fire & Fury Corps on the prevailing military situation and state of defence preparedness along the borders of Ladakh.

The Raksha Mantri accompanied by the COAS and the Army Commander also visited the Defence Institute of High Altitude Research in Leh and were briefed on the ongoing projects by the institute.