Galwan to Siachen to Doklam: New locations in ‘battle tourism’ map

To be launched on January 15 by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, to mark the 77th Army Day, “Bharat Ranbhoomi Darshan” will have a dedicated website for visitors, including information on the 77 sites, their stories, and how to get there.

Official sources said the other selected sites include: Dras, Kargil, Siachen base camp (Ladakh); Longewala (Rajasthan); Bum La and Kibithu (Arunachal Pradesh).

The Bharat Ranbhoomi Darshan website will be a one-stop destination for the visitors to make all necessary arrangements for their travel planning, including how to apply for permits for some of these places, officials add.

The website will feature details on various battlefields and border areas, offering virtual tours, historical narratives, and interactive content. The sites will also be highlighted by the Tourism Ministry as part of the Incredible India campaign.

Most of these sites fall along India’s borders with China and Pakistan that have had a history of wars after independence and other clashes in recent times — the 1962 war with China and the 1967 war, at Nathu La in Sikkim. Along the Western border, the Battle of Longewala was one of the first major engagements during the India-Pakistan war of 1971, fought at the Indian border post of Longewala in the Thar desert.

Officials said the Army has been working on transforming some of these historic battlefields and border areas into accessible tourist destinations. These locations, previously restricted due to their strategic significance and challenging terrain, will now offer visitors first-hand insight into the experience of soldiers stationed in these remote regions.

Some of these locations already have war memorials and war museums, which will be integrated into the experience and offer the visitors “the correct, factual narrative about the incidents and their aftermath”, officials add.

The move is aimed at promoting connectivity, tourism and socio-economic development in border regions. The Army is collaborating with local civil authorities to facilitate these efforts while maintaining high operational preparedness.

On Monday, General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Army Staff, said during the annual press briefing, “The Indian Army is looking at border area development in a big way with four pillars — infrastructure, communication, tourism and education.”

“Bharat Ranbhoomi Darshan as a one-stop solution to information and clearances for visit to the forward area battlefields has been developed in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism,” he said.

Defence Minister Singh had recently highlighted a 30 per cent increase in tourist numbers across Ladakh, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh over the past four years, driven by improved infrastructure and growing interest in border tourism.