Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Kavinder Gupta, called on Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi on November 3 and held an in-depth discussion on strengthening welfare initiatives and connectivity measures for the Union Territory, particularly during the harsh winter months when Ladakh remains cut off from the rest of the country.

During the meeting, the Lt. Governor apprised the Defence Minister of the unique challenges faced by the people of Ladakh due to extreme climatic conditions and limited accessibility during prolonged winters. He sought the Ministry’s continued support in extending humanitarian assistance under Operation Sadbhavana — an Indian Army initiative that has played a pivotal role in promoting goodwill, education, healthcare, and community welfare across remote regions of Ladakh.

LG Gupta emphasized the need to further strengthen air connectivity to ensure uninterrupted supplies and emergency movement during the winter period. He requested the continuation of air services between Kargil–Thoise–Chandigarh and proposed enhanced air maintenance services between Leh and Delhi to facilitate essential logistics, passenger travel, and medical evacuations when road access is hindered by heavy snowfall.

The Lt. Governor expressed gratitude to the Defence Minister for the Ministry’s unwavering commitment to the welfare of border residents, particularly the Army’s assistance in medical evacuations and its broader contribution to Ladakh’s socio-economic development.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh appreciated the concerns raised by the Lt. Governor and assured all possible support from the Ministry of Defence in coordination with relevant agencies to improve connectivity and expand humanitarian outreach across Ladakh.