Pics: Army, Navy Conduct Diving Training At 17,000 Feet In Sikkim

The Indian Army's para special forces and Navy's marine commandos Marcos conducted a week-long joint scuba and combat diving exercise in chilling conditions at an altitude of 17,000 feet in Sikkim, a Defence official said on Monday.

He maintained that exercises of this nature also enhance jointmanship between the services, sharpen specialised combat skills, and ensure that India's elite forces remain mission-ready across diverse terrains -- from the high Himalayas to the deep seas.

During the high-altitude training, participants carried out open circuit air diving, closed circuit pure oxygen diving, dives up to a depth of 17 metres in extreme cold-water conditions and combat night diving, he said.

"The high-altitude environment added unique challenges, reinforcing operational readiness and expanding the limits of combat diving capability," the official said.

Conducted amidst treacherous terrain and freezing waters between August 30 and September 5, the exercise showcased exceptional professionalism, adaptability and courage of the special forces of the Indian Army and the elite marine commandos of the Indian Navy, the official said in a statement.

Asserting that such training is essential to prepare soldiers for future battlefields where unpredictability is the only constant, he said that operating in rarefied high-altitude conditions, executing precision tasks in freezing waters and integrating combat diving into joint operations strengthens resilience and versatility.

Addressing the participants, the team commander stated, "Training in these extreme conditions tests every aspect of a soldier's endurance, skill and mental strength." "It ensures that when called upon, our teams can operate effectively in any environment, no matter how harsh or demanding," he added.

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